St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-01-13
GEN. GRANTS REFUSAL.

Gen. Grant has addressed the following
letter to whom it may concern, and particu-
larly to certain individuals who are going
about with begging subscription paper to
save him from a pnuDef's fatc
NEW YORK CITY, Jan. 6, 1ss5.-My Dear Sir:
Through the press aud Otherwise | learn that
you, with few other friends Of mine, are en-
gagged IN raising subscription for my bcnedt.
/ appreciate both the motive and the friendship
which have dictated this course on your part,
but on mature reflection I regard Il due to
myself and family to decline this preferred gen
erosity. l regret that did not make this known
earlier. L. ;. GRANT.
Better would Il have been for the fame Of
Gen. Grant If he had srlf-respect and sense
Of propretv enough before, during, and
after his Presidency to have refused the in
Vulnerable gifts showered upon him. But
he accepted everything, proIered with
thanks" from bull-pups to horses and
houses, and brc-a-brac gewgaws and
baubles Of no com mercial value, and no In
trinsic worth so far as debt paying capacity
around the world be took, in the way Of
presents, from rulers and princes, and rich
suobs and cranks immense treasure In the
way Of bric-a-brac, practically useless TOYS,
and when he set up housekeeping in New
York, unloaded some ninety or a hundred
boxes Of foreign dnselry bestowed upon
''tho greatest General in the world"
With this trash he overloaded and over
crowded his house, disclosing H proud, vul-
gar rather than modest, refined taste. To
save this, his comparatively worthless
personal property, Us well rs houses and
lands bestowed upon him by lashy admirers
like George W. ChilIs. Of Philadelphia, the
highth Of whose ambition Is to rub against
noted, II not notorious men), from execu-
ton, that parvenu millionaire, Cyrus W.
Field. started out with a subscription paper
to raise an cleenosynary fund for his benefit.
WHAT has changed Grants vOrlcious prupen-
sity to absorb presents, that he should spurn
this pr,trcrsd benefce OF the milhonaires'
Simply because the milionaires proposed 10
place barriers around their bgneiaction so
that Grant could not squander il. b. i'm
provIdeut financial transactions and foolish
speculations. Warned by experience they
proposed to hedge about their beuefaction
so thst il could not be recklessly expended
lie has already s2ou-ed out two or three for
tunes, the gifts OF wealthy friends, and these
last donors. we're determined that thr fund
raised should not 20 into gambling opera
tons 10 stocks. b pamper his idle, pOmpOus
sous. through devious operations like those
carried on by Ward in the name Of Ulysses
s. Grant This touches the old mans pride,
and be- thinks IL ''due to himself and family.
10 reject the profsre! boon. lie ijsdaius TO
have trusteesaip. or 4 guardianship placed
over him. His spirit aud pluck in this re-
spect Is to be admired, while his unfortunate
impecuuosity brought about by bis treacherous
irm i calculated % excite mingled pity
and contempt. After this rejection Of these
latter day prOTers'l beuefsctions an organ Of
tSe millioaaires plsiat,vcly asks. what
should Dow BE- doue,n aud suggests that
Gen. Grant have the military position and
emoiuments restored 70 him, that he en-
ioyed before be vas elected President
The GLOBE i not opposed 70 granting
pensions 20 e1-Prssidents. On the contrary
q fav0rs e, and thinks It due to the dignity
q the Government. sad 10 The incuubenls
Of its CREATES: Office. that they may uos De
compelled 20 en- barS in p-ecAri0us business
struggles, and that the bat may no, hare to
be passed arolni among milliouaires, who
delight 70 air their oste1tztioGs generosity. to
kcep such retiivd iucu1hents from peuury
r al means lei General Grant EOs be pen