New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-07-30
THE FAMOUS LETTER TO GEN. BUcKNER.

D'~-''
Mr.. WEBSTER BUYS TIE ORIGINAL CoPf-iio
GESuINENFss ATTEsTED.
The original COPY of Grants letter to Ueh-
cral = g. Buckner, of tho Confederate Army demahulhs
ian unconditional and Immediate surrender" OF foi'
Donelson has been acquired by the publishers Oh 'o
Generals memoirs c. H. Webster bought II lew u"SS
20 for 5000 OF DIR. j. X. Wallace OF Bantah' .o"',
VIII received IL from General Rawlins Grants chei Oh
STAFF Mr.. Webster showed the letter 10
TRIBUNE reporter yesterday. IL Is "c'i
preserved and every word plainly legibls Tbs aooro
vations, lid Qta," with which the date limo peSihs'
are written spot where another word was care
fully erased and the last figure In "lS62 was hko"so
substituted for another one The water marx III the
paper is distinct, and consists OF National shieiu
above which is the motto 81 Pluribus Uhuin' """
below stars. Mr.. Webster said:
al am satisfied that tho letter Il In the hand
writing OF General Grant. But Iet ns
sTow ", owner yUa to be the orrn" copy ana witch
know written by the General. DO you sec any "ii
ference In the sgnaturcsr "a,
I'm the fac simiie the letter - is crossed with
flourish making loop. while In the other 1t Is crossed
with a straight mark" said the reporter oro.,
You've got It. Now General Grant began to cross
thc without taking his pen from the paper D,,r
General Buckner is signed 'BrigadierGenernl,
ana that is how, know o,gt.r to coD DS
come ssnSi INTO existence Oh friend of tho Generals
probably asked him to write copy and he qua So III
iaci admitted to me that ho had written seVerai
copies In that manner. . -, ,ho
have tho original document oi 'no
terms OF lees surrender In General Grant y manu-
writing II disproycs General Baleau in bis history;
where he attempts show that Grants disposition OF
Lerssword was AN afterthought Tho terms relating 10
IT, Won will Sec interlined, as recoIued ~
Bsdcau. but contained I'm the body OF me matter IN
fact General has made direct statement hooul
the sword OF Leo in book different from all others
aud which Will finally settle that muchcohtes'eu
point" ,...n.,,
Is It true when the General needed shorthand
man he dared not even trust your private S'ehos'
rapher " l., o.,,
Not exactly. The young man who Il meant
by that had been only short time IN my
employ and my business manager. +. j. Hal, was
finally COMM for the work. At tho "nd OF tho
first day General loosely said to him: Now Mr.
Hail. II you steal any of tho manuscript MI "eps'et
will hang you. aud will draw aud quarter YOU Ana II
am not strong enough Harrison VIII attend To H. mar
iison VINO stood near smiled broadly. Then again.
few DAYS before his death the General took the stenog
raphers notes. and placing them I'm drawer oi ms
desk said. promise you that none OF my iaIny shaH
read them. ~
You 20 20 Europe next Saturday,
Yes, and shall stay ABOUT three months. nave
offers from nearly every house in England. ana from
book concerns IN Paris. Leipsic and other cities Tho
TRANSACTIONS viii be done abroad, while the plates Tor
England and Australia Will be made here. nave even
received propositions TO translate the DOCK Inlo Scahu
nayian and Portuguese