New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-11-28
GRANT IN PEACE.
BY GENERAL ADAM BADEAU.
PALACE AND PRESIDENT.
1904

carriage placed at his disposal TO convey him 10
the capital In that city the members OF the gov
eminent Immediately paid their respects and the
royal equerries brought invitations for the Cen
eral and his entire party to dinner at the pal
ace. The Kings carriages were offered TO the ex-
President and an aidede-camp was ordered to re-
port TO him during his stay. General Grant. how
ever availed himself of this courtesy only when nc
paid official visits In calling the members OF
the government and the foreign ministers he went
in the royal carriages. attended by the Kings OIL
Ger. and also in his visit to the palace, but at no
other time.
Tho invitations to the dinner were in French,
and translated they read follows
"By order OF Their Maiesties,
The Grand Marshal Of the Court has the honor TO
invite
Their Exceences. General and Mrs Grant,
| to dinner at the palace OF Brussels, sunday, Gun
July, 1877, at IL o'clock.
| Froclx dress"
The words "frock dress en froc) signifed
that court costume was not required The noti-
fcation was written. not engraved. on the card,
and was doubtless intended to make the etiquette
as little onerous as possible for the democratic ex-
President Invitations were also sent not only TO
| the American minister and his family but TO Mr.
Sanford, the former minister and his wife. and to
all the American officials in Brussels down to the
vice-consul who was an Englishman and never
went to court at home
| On the dav of the dinner the King himself
called on General Grant at his hotel. The visit
had not been preannounced and there was not
time after the carriages drew up for the General
to descend the staircase to welcome His Majesty
but in every other way the King was received with
the usual honTs
| lie was attended by several gentlemen or his
court who remained standing during the inter-
view, and when they Were presented to General
| Grant they made him the same obeisance which
they we've accustomed to offer TO their sovereign.
/ The visit was short, as such ceremonies usually
are among persons Of exalted rank Mrs. Grant
was present and the King conversed with her as
well as with the General His Majesty speaks
very good English so that there was no difficulty
| about the language.
PERHAPS just here may repeat story that MIR.
| Lowell once told me about Mrs. Grant Mr.. Low
ell was Minister to Spain when General Grant was
| in Madrid and made dinner for the exPresident.
Mrs. Grant was placed between two personages
who like herself spoke only their own language
but Mr. Lowell described her and self posses
sion as quits inimitable She appeared to CON
verse continually, was bowling and smiling all the
evening. and apparently as much interested in her
companions as any one at table; an instance OF
| fine breeding which it seems to me was worthy OF
a Queen or of the wife of an ex-PrCsident
But TO return to Belgium. The Kings visit
was made on the day OF the dinner and as such
civiities are TO be returned Immediately Geneia
| Grant inquired when he and Mrs Grant could pay
their compliments to the Queen. His Majesty
knew that General Grant was to leave Brussels the
next day. and accordingly proposed that the ex-
| President and Mrs Grant should come to the PAL
| ace a few moments before the hour for dinner.
| when the Queen would be ready to receive the
| formal visit.
In the evening the royal carriages were sent for
the party. which consisted Of the General and Ms.
Grant Jesse Grant and myself. On arriving at
the palace we were shown through what seemed
an interminabe suite Of lofty roOms
and finally entered one where several of the ladies
and gentlemen of the court were already present;
the other guests of the evening had not arrived 1t
was July and the windows overlooking the park
were all open; the sun had not yet set and, of
course the candles were not lighted the effect OF
the great rooms on the warm afternoon, with only
half dozen people in evening dress and
hall costume scattered here aud there, was
peculiar The men were either in military uniform
or frock dress that is dress coats. knee-breeches
black stockings and low shoes, with buckles,
chapeaus and swords. Full dress would have re-
o1ired white stockings, gold lace and em brOdery,
and other paraphernaia. The General aud all the
American gentlemen wore plain evening clothes
We remained IN that apartment while the COM
panv was assembling. No one seemed authorized
to receive formally for their Majesties, though the
guests greeted each other as they arrived.
Every one remained standing; indeed. | can
not remember that there were any seats
in the room. After few minutes
the King entered to conduct General and Mrs. Grant
to pay their visll to the Queen. He gave his arm
to Mrs. Grant the General followed, and they dis
appeared. but soon returned the King now comm g
only TO the door, which was Immediately closed
upon him.
Shortly afterward the company were requested
take positions to await the entrance of their Majes-
ties General and Mrs. Grant stood next the doors
bv which they had come in from the
Queen. These doors were now again
thrown open. and cOurtIer announced
in loud voice: lie ROi ct Ia Refine The King and
the Queen. Their Majesties entered bowling,
every one else. of course, making obeisance. The
King was in uniform the Queen. except for her
Jewels, was no better dressed than Mrs Grant. The
roval pair spoke first to General and Mrs Grant as
if welcoming them for the first time, the previous
visit being considered separate occasion from the
dinner Then their Maiesties passed around the
circle and each in turn addressed every one OF the
guests, talking few moments with each, althougn
the party was large There were about twenty
people present, members of the Government and
other high functlonaries. besides the Americans
After every guest had received some courtesy
from the sovereigns the King approached Mrs Grant
aud offered her his arm and then requested Cen
eraI Grant to take the Queen to dinner. The King
preceded the General; then the other guests fol-
lowed in the order assigned them had the honor
of going IN with the wife of the Minister for War;
suppose out Of compliment to my military
| title. There was curious little question
OF etiquette among the American ladies. Inc
Minister was Hi he had no wife. but MS
daughters were invited To the dinner Now ac-
cording the etiquette OF courts the aausn'ei' "a
| ainIomatsc persoua yes cannot enjoy the rank Of
yv,ve.. and Mrs Sanford. the wife of the former
Minister. was, therefore, placed above the daugh-