Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1885-08-23
THE FRENCH ON GRANT.
How the Continental Republic to This
Day klsundsrstands Him.
Complications Growing Out Of the Franco
Prussian War the Cause Of it,
Victor hugo's RAWLINGS Against
the Then President Still
Remembered.

causes. In the first place Grant was one
OF the few OF or countrymen whose name
is widely known IN France You would be
sstoLished 1t The ignorance Of the average
FrenChmsn conserving the great men, past
and present, o: the United States. Wash
ington, Lincoln. Garfield, and Grant are
almost he only public characters
OF Americ2 who are familiar to q
French miuG. Washington is remembered
achleay because o. ms relations with Laiay-
etc, a. d he noloriegy given TO Lincoln and
Garfield By the assassin pistol fixed them
IA he memory Of this stay-at-home nation
But Grants wonderful military record dur
ing the great rebellion, his being President
st The time Of The Franco German war when
The provisional French Government asked
the United States to come to the aid OF
France, and his subsequent visits to Paris,
where He Was shown Attentions
from the official world and private indi-
yiduals that no other American ever exps-
sienced before or siuce-these peculiar cir
cumstances eonspired 10 make him so we'll
known here that several OF the papers de-
vote column or more TO his obituary.
/ saw something of the General during
one Of his solourus IN Paris IL was IL the
summer Of 1878, when he Vas living quietly
1t the Hotel Liverpool in the Rue Casti-
glinet and spending MS days at the Inter
national Exhibition. which vas then open.
When he ors: came 10 Psris several
months before, h. stopped at the more pre-
tentious Hotel Bristol, and certain writer
II need not mention his nsme-sent 70
the London TTath very cutting letter on
the ex .Prtsiden', and dwell, especially on
his hotel apartments, which she considered
TOO palsnal Tor q poor man. The EGG
6sh public was given TO understand that
Grant mus; have pecalated when in Office
10 live So he die ia private life Untortu.
nately had given one Of the Grant family
several months before, and when | was not
in Paris, letter OF introduction to this
brilliant correspondent, whose Imagination
Often Runs Away with Her Honesty,
bat | was not sorry TO learn after Rs-d that
this letter wss presented for the express pur-
pose Of telling the lady what at least one
member Of the party thought Of her inpu-
dent gossip.
1t was necessary when Grant FIRST came
10 Paris tha; be should occupy decent apart
meats in decent hotel-and be did nothing
more than this, Notwithstanding the exsg-
geraIions OF TrGth-for he was then the OBJ
jeCt Of much attention and was receiving
the visits of the high state officials and many
OF the leading members of social, literary
aud artistic life. Il was during this visit
that the General dined at the Elysee Palace
With Marshal MacMshon, who was then
President OF the Republic. After the ele-
giant repast, the two old soldiers retired to q
nlN Errhf II 81 eTr nfrr nd
through the medium Of .? interpreter
fought their battles Ger again | was
told by q person who listened 10 this re-
marksble conversation that the hero OF the
MalAkof and Magenta never wesrie1 IN
plying the hero Of the Wilderness and Ap
pomattoX with questions concerning the
campaigns o: the Civil War, and that
Gran replies re always as clear IS they
were modes.
During HIS Last stay In Paris
he stopped a, the Ho;el Liverpool as have
already said lie had made the grand
rounds OF me French world during his first
visit and be Vas now living like any simple
American tourist, seeing the sights and en-.
loving the society OF his fellow couurymen
resident 10 Toe city. One Of these invited
him 10 be the guest Of the evening at some
private theA.ricals. Bstveeu acts. young
laiy then in her teens but who has since
made her deoJ- on the boards OF New
York theater. recited some original verses
in his honor. They were very compliment
tary, perhaps a little too gushing, aud
were delivered with all the coQuetushless
that a self possessed Yankee maiden knows 80
well how 70 utilize. 1t was curious 10 watch
Grants face daring this trial Not mus
Gle moved. The praise Of the verse aud
the smiles Of The Young girl seemed alike
lost on this Enimpressionable and imper-
turble soldier, who bowed gssyely at the end
Of the poem, and appeared glad that there
was no more OF l..
That Grant Is known in France is due
chiefly 10 8 very curious and unfortunate
set OF circumstances. 1t is 50 much al odd
81, Ct history that it
ID, serves a More Complete Treatment
han can give IL here. l have already
stated that General Grant was President 81
the time O.! the Franco German war, and
was applied 70 OF Jules Favre, Minister Of
Foreign Affairs IN the provisional republi-
. can government which supplanted the en-
pire after the disaster of Sedan, to uss his
good Offices Jointly with those OF European
powers in the interest OF peace. The Pres
ident in his annual message to Congress IN
December, 1879, stated that be- had in,
formed the French Government that the
establishment policy and the true interests
Of the United States forbade them to inter-
Cere in European questions jointly with
European powers. And as for the nited
States acting alone and offering her aroitrs-
lion IS between he belligsrents, this too was
out of the question, the President said, be-
cause he had private information TO the eft.
feet that Germany was not then disposed 10
listen to such representations from any
ROVER whatsoever.
When this reply TO Favres request was
made public here, il created a great deal OF
INDIGNANT comment We were accused OF
having forgotten the generous manner IN
which France came to our aid IN the war tor
indapeudeuce. The situation was still fur
Their aggravated by Grant sending later his
Official
Congratulations to Emperor William
on the uniica,ioa of Germany. and by an
other message 70 Congress on the same sub
iect Susceptible Frenchmen could only
see in this sn insult to France. IL was said
that the President was currylng favor with
the German voters of the United States, and
that in order 10 secure q second term OF
Office he was ready to PROSTATE himself be-
fore Bismarck while be turned the cold
shoulder on the native land Of Lafayette.
Victor Hugo then came forward TO add fuel
10 the flame. The fiery bard, Just returned
from exile 70 besieged Paris, enrsged at
Napoleon, who had brought sn this misfor
tune on France, and at the Teutons, who
held the nation By the throat, heard Of the
conduct of the American President, and
forthwith csstigs,ed him numerically IN 3
sbort poem called Grants Message which
"a included to-day in the volume of the
noer's WORKS entitled "L'Annee Terrible
-, 49, axtraondinAry things found in