The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-17
GLIaIpsEs OF GRANT.

A0W tH0 A1AA6 ~ AoAA ~
His Friends-A Bundle of Old Letters.
st. Louis Post Dispatch.
TN no better way can a glimpse be caught Of
the real man that his fellows called u. S. Grant
than in the private letters that were meant only
for friendly eyes to see. That Grants letters
will bear the widest publicity is a test of
character such as few men could undergo"
A reporter called upon Judge John F. Long,
Grants closest friend in st. Louis, and fell into
talk with him of the old times, when he was the
young schoolmaster of the Gravois, and Mrs.
Grant was birched, or rather hazeltwigged, for
characterization Judge Long is a most interest
ing talker, and he ran from anecdote to anecdote
of the golden age in a manner to make one wish
that a stenographer was present who might
catch every infection of the story. Speaking of
Grant, the Judge made the remark quoted at the
commencement of this article. The Judge has
been in correspondence with the General for
years, bnt the autograph fiend has carried off
letter after letter of the great commanders, un-
TIL, instead of more than a hundred, the Judge
has hardly half that many.
So many fac-similes of Grants hand writing
have been printed that the whole public is toler-
ably familiar with it. 1t is the chirography of a
one runs across little faults in spelling, but these
are rare-they are slips rather than errors. The
signature is the most characteristic in every line
and every shading.
was his love for his friends; how true this is let
the following tribute to his dead friend. Ford,
testify:
"ExEcUTIvE MANSION.
WASHINGTON, ID. G. Oct. IS, 1873.
s'Dear Judge-Our old friend Ford is gone!
It was just the day week before his death thatI
met him in Toledo, o., where he had gone ex-
pressIy to meet me. He looked and seemed as
well hen-and as cheerful, too-as l had ever
seen him. 1 had known Ford from 1851, at
which time / was a first lieutenant, Fourth in
fantry. static ned at Sackett's Harbor. N. Y,
where he then resided, a young lawyer, beloved
by all who knew him. For some
reason / then formed an attachment
trust he bore from this world to a
better the same good feeling towards me. l
know he did, for from the time l was a lieuten-
ant, through the time of my farming experiences
in st Louis to NJ later military duties and pres
emit duties, he has been the same welcome visitor,
he himself never having changed the tone of ia
miliar acquaintance toward me dnring all this
period, and it is certain l never did towards him.
He was noble, generous. true and honest. His
sacrifices in this life have all been to help others.
81 started to write something very different of
q business nature connected with Fordis last
visit to me, but when / came to write his name
could not do so. The subject must be deferred
for another occasion. 4
My kindest regards to you and yours
'Very truly, .. S GRANT.
.'Judge j. F. Long, ST. Louis. Mo-
Mr.. Fordhas been in charge of General Grants
affairs in st. Louis. After his death he re-
qaested Judge Long to look after them. A very
long letter of November 2. 1873. recites the cor
dition OF his property IN this city and its neigh
borhood. He wants the farm got into grass. to
make it a stock farm for horses alone, and he
gives very particular directions for the minute
of the breeding. Peacemaker and the other
stations are to be kept in the stud, and 1.-The
serrel mare out of Jimmy by young Hambleton-
ian, l want trained. If she does not promise
well as a ~trotter, she may be bred to Peace
Tnaker.s Again, there Is a thoroughbred year
ling stallion on the place, which l do not know
what to do with exactly. He should be trained
to run. but ! do not feel like having a race horse
on the course. He may be taken care of for
a year, and then l may find some good fellow
to give him to-"
Under date of November 10, 1873, after writing
Of other things, General Grant says:
tsYou may have seen the statement in the pa
pers that | drew out of Jay Cookies bank $40, 900
ihe day before it failed, and took no notice of
the $751;, 600 the government bad there. This
bank was not a national bank, therefore not a
bank of deposit. Government therefore had no
deposit with them, and lost nothing by them.
Individually L was in Pittsburg at the time of
this suspension, and was as much surprised to
hear of it as you or any one could De. LII l had
a deposit there and ! did keep an account with
them-it is still there. If I owe them anything
and / suspect | do-that is among their assets.
Unfortunately, l have been in a position since
my occupancy Of my present Office that no bank
could fail after the 18th of any month and vic
timize me out of $500. write this for your in
formation, but not for the public 1t has been
rule of mine never to respond to SANDERS
A year later there is another lutte touch at
the newspapers Speaking of the farm, Nov.
f9, 1874, General Grant writes:
Il expect to spend three or four-possibly six
Thousand dollars ON stock and Improvements
on the place in the next few months. But
have to borrov the money first. l nope to spend
six weeks there next spring, and look after mat
ters a little myself. Don't mention this, how
ever. The newspaper comments would be as
amusing on that subject as they have been on
sCssarism' and third term, il they knew it"
General Grants plans upon leaving the presi-
dency are so well told in the following letter
that it is quoted entire:
JANUARY. %. 1887.
eDear Judge-After the expiration of my
term of Office l propose to remain some place in
the United States until Jesse's examination in
June. when he, with Mrs. Grant and myself, will
sail for Europe. l have no plans laid either as
to where we will go or how long remain absent
We will not return, however, until the party
becomes homesick. which may be in six months,
and may not be for two years. /
shall not care to sell my real. estate before my
return. My means will be sufficient, owing to a
fortunate purchase of paying bonanza mining
stock. to keep me for some years, by which time.
ii is to be hoped, real estate will have some
value. which it has not nov.
II have scarcely thought of where I will make
my home on my return. ! am free to go wher-
ever it seems to be the most agreeable. Having
gone from the army into my present place, l
have neither business nor attachments to take
me to any particular locality. Ny last residence.
before entering the army, was Galena. But 1
lived there less than a year, and nearly every
one / knew there has either left the place or
died. My acquaintance here has been exclusive
~ among officials, and they are ever changing.
You see / am in that happy condition that few
peoDie reach-of being able to select the home
Of their choice. Generally circumstances over
which we seem to have no control govern both
our residence and our occupation.
please present my kindest regards to Mrs.
Long and the family. Yours truly,
u. S. GRANT"
Writing under date, Smyrna, Asia Minor,
Feb. %, 1878" General Grant says: You have