The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-14
THE GRANT RELICS.
A Varied and Costly Collection, Full of
Historic Interest.

New York Commercial Advertiser.
The noble feature of General Grants library,
in the rear of the drawing room is a large cab
met of antique oak, with shelves laden with va
rious choice and more or less costly gifts pre-
scented to the General during and since the war
for the Union. No piece of furniture in the
United States of America contains q display Of
curiosties at so fiattering to the owner and
so rich in historic interest Among six or eight
gold headed canes the most interesting is one
given by the ladies' of Baltimore, and formerly
owned by the Marquis de Lafayette, with whose
NAME well as with General Grants, it is in
scribed, bearing also the further inscription:
Presented to Gen. u. S. Grant, by the ladies of
Baltimore, Fortibus honor 1t is unnecessary
to state that the General has always cherished
this interesting gift with special affection BY
its side lies the handle of another cane, which
was broken off years ago at Washington during
struggle with a lunatic. The Generals use OF
that instrument as weapon was exceedingly
dexterous. and resulted in the speedy discount
ture of his aSsailiant
oblong caskets, containing the freedom of the
principal cities of England Ireland and Scot
land; formally presented to General Grant dur
irg his late visit to those countries The hand
soonest, most costly and most elaborate is the
gold one offered by the corporation Of the city of
London. AT one end is Il fgure'o of Liberty, with
the United States coat-of-arms; at the other, the
figure of Britannia, similarly treated. Very
clever repousse work represents St Jamess
Palace ON one side and the Capitol of Washing
ton on the other side, accompanied by the
legends, Dominic dirige nos" and Re pluribus
unum." The freedom of the city OF Dublin was
presented in a small box of lockwood, set with
emeralds, amethysts and other precious stones
bound with gold, and mounted wheels. On
the inside of the wooden COX cOntainng the free
dom of Stratford on-Avon, transcription informs
the spectator that the trophy was made from
mulberry wood from the tree planted by Shake
speare at New Place, Stratford-on- Avon"
silver ca sket with much repousse decoration, is
engraved with the announcement, s'The city of
Ednburg to Gen. Ulysses Simpson Grant 1877"
A silver repousse casket, gilded contains the
freedom of the city of Glasgow. 1--WE have had
our boxes gilded just for little change" said
the chairman of the committee of arrangements
to General Grant All these easkets are small,
the largest of them not exceeding eight inches
in length, four inches in width and six inches in
height and contain parchment Scrolls carefully
engrossed, in which the freedom of the several
cities is regularly and conventionaly bestowed
At Stratford on-Avon Mrs. Grant received a
beautiful album. filled with photographs of in
terestng scenery The Royal Burgh of Ayr"
not to be outdone by the cities, contributed a
| casket also
This oaken cabinet contains. besides the sword
presented to General Grant by his staff officers
after the battle of Shiloh. the sword presented
| by subscribers assembled at the Sanitary Fair In
New York City during the war for the Union.
the sword presented by the Generals friends in
| Jo Davies county Illinois, with circle of
! diamonds around the end of the golden scabbard,
| the body decorated with Moorish designs, alter
| mating with the names of battles in which the
| General was victorious. # is beautiful object.
| The gold medal voted in Congress ''by grateful
country" after the opening of the Mississippi
| through the capture of Port Hudson and Vicks-
| burg, is preserved in a golden casket Upon the
| top is group of cannon covered by flags sur
mounted by the American eagle. A small plain
table of gold is miniature fac sinile of the table
| on which General Lee signed the articles of
| capitulation in the presence Of General Grant
| The lower shelf presents varied and inviting
array of meerschaum pipes and cigar holders, in
| the midst of which repose gold-enameled cigar
| case and tobacco bowl. presented by the King Of
| Siam Seven or eight honorary medals, attached
| to ribbons and intended to be worn decora-
tons the breast, are conspicuous attractions.
| marble bust of General Grant, presented by
| the workmen of well-known marble-cutting
| establishment, stands pedestal in the front
room and in the library hangs a medallion rep
/ resentng, cheek to cheek, the heads of Wash
| ington, Lincoln and Grant. The dining room is
| simply and quite charnsingly furnished in white
oak, with the Generals monogram stamped on
| the backs of the chairs The visitor goes away
| from the house with the impression that, many
and valuable as are the testimonials in it to the
| Generals worth, they not nearly so many
| nor valuable as might justly have been ex-
| pected or as certainly would have been found at
| the residence of successful foreign soldier-the
| Duke of Wellington, for instance.