Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-01-30
A GENEROUS OFFER.

Dollar.
NEW YORK, Jan. 12.-Gencral Grants
| financial affairs were materially straight
| ened Saturday by the generous gift of Will
| lam Ii. Vanderbilt. who transferred the
bills of sale and mortgages on General
Grants estate to Mrs. Grant in trust. The
money kings generous intentions were first
| revealed in the following letter:
No. $40 FIFTH AVENUE. January 10. lssrMrs.
ULYSSES S. Grunt-Dcar Madame: So m;nN
misrepresentation have appeared in regard
to the loan made by me to General Cram and
rejecting unjustly upon him and myself that
it seems proper briefly to rccite the facts: ON
Sunday May 4 last. General Grant called at
| my house and asked me to lcnd him Sl5O.oa0
for one day. gave him, my check without
| question. not because the transaction was
fortunes which overwhelmed him in the next
twenty-tour hours aroused the sympathy and
! regret OF the whole country. You and he sent
me. within IL few days after that time. deeds
to your joint properties to cover this obligH-
tion. and urged my acceptance on the ground
General had personally incurred. and these
deeds returned; During my absence in Eu-
mortgages upon all his own real estate, his
household effects, and swords. mcdu!s and
works of art, which were memorials of
his victories and presents from Governments
an over the world. These securities were. in
his Judgment. worth sliO.oJ1. At his solicita-
ton the necessary steps were taken by judy
session, and the articles mentioned have been
this day bought by me, and the amounts bid
applied 70 the reduction of the debt; Now
that ] tm at liberty to treat these things as
my own the disposition OF the whole matter
most in accord with my feelings is this: [
1a,e. the TO dc Go"' and d S%uf ssn'r'fe bo eSl
against General Grant. also the mortgages
| upon his real estate and all his household tnr-
cond ton that the swords, commissions,
medals. gifts from the United States, States,
cities and foreign governments. and, all
at the Generals death, or, if you desire it.
sooner. be presented to the Government at
Washington, where they will remain as per-
! peJual memorials OF his fame and of the his
tory of his time.
inclosc herewith assignments to you of the
mortgages and judgments, the bill of sale OF
his personal property. and the deed of trust in
enumerated. y copy of this trust decd will,
with your approval, be forwarded to the Prcsi-
dent of the United States for deposit in the
meet with your acceptance lld approval. and
with the kindcst regards to your husband, L
| w. II. VANDERBILT.
Mrs. Grant found herself unable to ac-
cept the gifts. and in respect to her feelings
Of gratitude for the offer of MI. Vanderbilt
General Grant sent in reply the following
letter:
NEW York CITY, Jan. 10, 1Ss5.-Dear SIR:
Mrs: Grant wishes me to answer you letter
OF this evening, to say that while she appre-
GATES your great generosity in transferring
TO her the mortgage given to secure my debt
OF $50, Hu she can not accept ii in whole. She
accepts with pleasure the trust, which applies
to the articles enumerated in your letter, to 30
TO the United States at my death. or sooner,
At her option: lntilis matter you have antici-
plated making OF the articles. They will be
delivered to the Government as soon as ar
engagements can be made for their reception.
The papers relating to all the other property
VIII be returned, with the request thai you
have it sold and the proceeds applied to the
owe you. You have stated IN your letter
with the minutcst accuracy the history Of
the translct:on which brought inc in Your
debt. ! have only to add that ! regard your
giving me your check for the amount without
inquiry, as an act of marked and unusual
friendship. The loan was to me personally.
! got the money, as / believed, to carry tho
Marine National Bunk over a day, being
assured that the bank was solvent. but,
s siS1ngce to nr rhH n + nnm'd calls calls needed as
! was assured by Ferdinand Ward that the
firm OF Grant y Ward had over $4,000 to its
Sl.aWL.0N OF unpledgcd securities in the firms
own vaults.
can not conclude without assuring YOU
that Mrs. Grants inability TO avail herself OF
your great kindness in no way lessons either
her sense of obligation or my own. Yours
truly. L. S. GRANT.
10 w. Fl. Vanderbilt, Esq.
When Mi. Vanderbilt found that his offer
was defeated by he refusal Of Mrs. Grant
to accept, he determined to take the matter
into his OWL hands and apply the estates to
the creation OF a trust fund that would ac-
crue to her benefit. lie announced his i'm
te2tioH ina letter us follows:
$40 FIFTH AVENUE, Jan. II, SSh-Gcncral l..
): Grant, Dear Sir: On my return home last
night founc your letter i'll answer to mine
to Mrs. Grant. l appreciate fully the scnti-
mems which actuatc both Mrs. Grant and
yourself IN declining the part of INV PROPOSE
ton relating to the real estate. l greatly re-
gIct that she feels it her duty to make this
decision; as earnestly hoped the spirit in
which the offer was made would overcome
It. but must insist that | shall not
be defeated in the purpose to which /
nave given so much thought and in
which have so much at heart. ! will, there
fore. as fast as the money is received from the
sales OF real estate, eposit it in the Union
trust Company. With the money thus real
lIcd | Will at once create with that company a
trust with the proper provisions for the in
come to be made to Mrs. Grant during her
life, and givingthc power to hcrro make such
disposition OF the principal by her will as she
may eject. Very truly yours;
GENERAL U. s. GRANT.
General Grant at first accepted this last
letter. but Mrs. Grant, on further delibara-
soi Ali " u dll Sl!lS. treating lie
DEBT as one of honor, Which the General
should pay without attracting compassion
or deserving it:
NEW York CITY, Jan. II, lSS5.-Dcar Sir:
Your letter OF this date received. Mrs. Grant
ana ! regret that you can not accept our prop.
osition TO retain the property which was
1nortgaged in good faith to secure II debt of
hot0r., But your generous denomination
compels us to no longer resist. Yours truly.
w. II. Vanderbilt. L.. S. GRANT
New York; Sunday, Jan. H., 1sS5.-My
Dear Mr.. ' vanderbilt: Upon reading your letter
this afternoon General Grant and myself felt
II would be ungrncious to refuse your prince
~ ana generous offer. Hence his note 10 Won.
But upon reflection l find l cun3not. i will NOT
accept your mnniticcncc in amy form. beg
you VIII pardon this apparent vacillution and
consider the answer definite and final. With
great regard, and IL sense of obligation thar
WIN always remain, l an yours very CRATE.
fully. JirIJ. n al Wv "a
10 Mr.. William II. Vanderbilt.
Fatal Tug Explosion.