The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-01-13
GOOD FOR WILLIAM.
Vanderbilt Manifests Generous
Trait.

-'--h Jim, JdD Od4 LII c 1OliOWlHS
letter was sent to Mrs. Ulysses S. Grant,
by Mr.. W. H. Vanderbilt:
$40 FIFTH AVENUE,
January 10th, 1885.
lrs. Ulysses S. Grant:
Dear Maddme-So many misrepresen-
tations have appeared in regard to the
loan made by me to General Grant, and
rejecting unjustly upon him and my
self, that it seems proper to brieAy.re-
cite the facts. On Thursday, the 4th of
May last, General Grant called at my
house and asked me to lend him $50, 900
for one day. | gave him my check.
without QUESTIONED because the trans
action was business-like, but simply be-
cause the request came from General
Grant. The misfortunes, which over
whelmed him in the next twenty-four
hours aroused the sympathy and regret
OF the whole country. You and he sent
me within few days of the time, deeds
OF your joint properties to cover this
obligation, and urged my acceptance,
on the ground that this was only
a debt of honor which the General
had personally incurred, and these
deeds returned. During my absence
in Europe the General delivered to my
attorney mortgages upon all his own
real estate, household effects and
swords, medals and works of art,
which were memorials of his victories,
and presents from governments all over
the world. These securities were in his
judgment, worth $4,000. AT his solicit
tation the necessary steps were taken
by judgment, ETC., to reduce these prop
critics to possession, and the articles
mentioned have been, this day bought
by me, and the amounts bid applied in
the reduction of the debt. Now that l
am at liberty to treat these things as my
own, the disposition of the whole matter
most in accord with my feelings is this;
present to you, as Your separate es-
tate, the debt and Judgment / hold
against General Grant; also the
mortgages upon his real estate and all
household furniture and ornaments,
coupled only with the condition that
the swords, commissions, medals, gifts
from the United States, cities and
foreign governments and all articles of
historical value and interest shall at the,
Generals death, or if you desire ii,
sooner, be presented TO the government
at Washington, where they will remain
as perpetual memorials of his fame and
of the history of his time. ! enclose
herewith assignments to you of the
mortgages and judgments, bill of sale of
personal property and deed of trust in
which the articles of historical interest
are enumerated. A copy of this trust
deed will, with your approval, be for
warded to the President of the United
States for deposit in the proper depart
ment
Trusting this action will meet with
your acceptance and approval and with
the kindest regards TO your husband,
am, yours respectfully.
(Signed) w. FL. VANDERBILT.
New York CITY, Jan. 10th, 1885.
DEAR SIR.-Mrs. Grant wishes me, in
answer to your letter of this evening,
to say that, while she appreciates your
great generosity in transferring to her
the mortgage given to secure my debt OF
$l50,OO0, she cannot accept it in whole.
She accepts, with pleasure, the trust
which applies to the articles enumer-
ated in your letter TO go to the Govern
ment of the United States at my death
or sooner, at her option In this matter
you have anticipated the disposition
which had contemplated making OF
: the articles They will be delivered to
the government as soon as arrange
ments can be made for their reception,
The papers relating to all other property
: will be returned, with the request that
you have it sold, and the proceeds
applied to liquidate the debt
which 1 so justly owe you,
; You have stated In your letter
with the mlnutest accuracy, the history
of the transaction which brought me in
your debt. have only to add, in re
gard to your giving me your check fol
/ the amount without inquiry, was an act
of marked and unusual friendship. The
loan was to me personally. l got the
Marine National Bank over day. be
ing assured the bank was solvent, bu
. owing to unusual calls needed assist
! ance until it could call in its loans.
i was assured by Ferdinand Ward that tn,
firm of Grant & Ward had over $500 00'
:. to their credit at that time in the Marin,
=. Bank, besides 81, 300,0 900 of unpledget
. securities in their own vaults. | canno
conclude without assuring you tina
: Mrs Grants inability to avail herself o
your great kindness, in no way lessen
either her sense of the obligation or IN,
, own.
! Yours truly,
q (Signed). us. GRANT.
h ". IL. Vanderbilt, Esq.
{ ei0, FIFTH AVE, Jan. II, 1895.
r General q. S. Grant.
r Ny Dear Sir:-On my return hom
r last night, found your letter il
II answer to mine to Mrs. Grant. | az
preciate fully the sentiments whicl
actuate both Mrs. Grant and yoursel
in declining part OF my proposition re
lating to the real estate. greatly re
gret that she feels it he
duty to make this decision, a
earnestly hoped the spirit il
which the offer was made would over
II come any scruples in accepting it; but
II must insist that l shall not be defeate
( in the purpose to which have given s.
= much thought and which l have S
;" much at heart. l viii, therefore, as fas
as the money is received from the sale
OF real estate, deposit it in the Unto
Trust Company. With the money thu
J. realized, will at once create with tina
ST company trust with proper provision
le for the income to be made to Mrs. Gran
~ during her life, and giving power to he
It to make such disposition of her prime
as pal by her will as she may elect.
e Very truly yours,
IA II