Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-10-09
GRANTS ENTRY TO WEST POINT.
Copy Of His Fathers Letter Of Request
to General Hamer.

~ 0CAcEak hbIucf
/. The New York Tribune publishes the fol-
lowing communication from Henry G.
Badger, of Cambridge, Mass.
In General Grants Memoir, vol. 1, page
81, there is a singular error. Young Grant
was appointed to West Point by General
Hamer, then a Representative from the
Georgetown pis..s1cr OF Ohio. As a Demo.
crat Hamer had been vigorously opposed
by Grants father. The General in his
Memoir refers to some earlier differences,
and says that his father would not write to
Hamer soliciting this appointment for his
son.. But that is an error. 1t is largely
my W fault if General Grant died with
u having seen the original of the siDgu-
larly manly and characteristic letter which
his father did write, and which proved to
be the key that opened to Grant the door of
his career. That original l secured in the
summer OF 1868 from the daughter of
General Hamer. the wife of William Lou
don, Esq, of Mount Vernon, Ind. Her
kindness enabled me to place it with the
treasures of the Massachusetts Historical
Society in Boston. | also sent copies TO sew
eral writers who are in error as TO Grants
original name. But it never occurred to
me that the facts the letter reveals were
ullhLOhA u1Lu nAOlA iilCl LiOob oAiO14A
His words, however, now give the letter a
new value. On page 80 Grant speaks of
the Hon. Thomas L. Hamer, one Of the
ablest men Ohio ever produced".' He
speaks of the rupture Of relations, -" after
which they never spoke until after my ap-
pointment." He continues "Iknow both
of them felt badly over this arrangement,
and would have been glad at any time to
come to a reconciliation, but neither would
make the advance. Under these circum-
stances my father would not write TO
Hamer for the appointment, but he wrote
to Thomas Morris, United States Senator
from Ohio, informing him that there was a
vacancy at West Point from our district,
and that lie would be glad if / could be APP
pointed TO fill it. This letter, l presume,
was turned over to Hamer, and, as there
was no otller applicant, he cheerfully ap-
pointed me. This healed the breach be-
tween the Two, never after re~opened."
The following letter supplements the
story it was postmarked February 22d
GEORGETOWN, February 10, 1859.
Hon. Thomas L. HGmeT-DEAR SIR In oonse-
| ouence of a remark of Mr.. Morris while here
last fall, I was induced to apply to the War De-
partment through him for Il cadet appointment
for my son, II. Ulysses.
A letter this evening received from the depart
ment informs me that you only are entitled to
the nomination, and thai your consent would
be necessary to enable him TO obtain the ap-
pointment.
1 have thought it advisable TO consult you On
the subject. And if you have no other person
in view for the appointment, and feel willing to
consent to the appointment Of Ulysses, you will
please signify that consent to the department.
When | last wrote Mr.. Morris l referred him 10
I you to recommend the young mar if that were
necessary. Respectfully yours,
JESSE r. GRANT.
Hon. Thomas L. Hamer, NJ. c., Washington City.
Read with the Interpretation Grants
Memoir gives, this letter seems to me a
masterpiece of elf-respecting magnanimity,
! willing to heal a breach by asking and ac-
cepting a favor from a foe. " He that is
slow to anger is better than the mighty,
and he that ruleth his spirit han he that
taketh a city"