New-York tribune., 1888-03-21
GENERAL BADEAU'S CLAIM
urs VERSION OF THE TROUBLE WITH GEN
ERAL GRANTS FAMILY.

ERAI CHANTS AAuAAc
vsrs arsoNo LANGUAGE IN srEAKINd OF COL
oNEL '. D. GRAST-HIs VIZ" o
coyNrcrroN WITH THH NE
MoIRs EXPLAINED
&c.,, p.acau has prepared and sent 70 tno
- ~. nx,rrre,v long statement addressed TO tne
Am,rican people, giving In great de'a,, h'o ~ n.s
~ the controversy concerning the Saiue u A'@
sss,stance TO General Grant in the preparaaoh u
.bc famous Memoirs. In this statement nc a''"'A
~",.n.I FREDERICK D. Grant at the outset ana
lin rcneatcdly in the bittercst terms lie says
sss, no has endcavored ut the sacrifice OF potn
money and reputation t. keep back the secrets
,bich he shared with General Grant, ana no
.dds that he now comes forward only to pro-
sect his honor and name against that son VINO
has done so much to degrade them"
In going over the history Of his relations WIN
scncral Grant and his work on the Memoirs
General Badeau says that the frst suggest'op
came from General Grant. in August. 1884, when
ne invited General Badeau to his Long BIanc1
home. / -
GENERAL GRANTS PROPOSITION.
General Badeau's statement then goes on as
follows:
Then he told me that he had been requested to write
Ma memors ana would like to consent he had al
v.vs promised me that my history should be the only
expression Of his views on the war; he ola not
feel at liberty 10 write without consulting me- He sara
that II would help he would give me e5 600 out OF
49, soo 600 proat he received 900 out OF
the next $40 but II did not receive as much as
go 600 1 would get nothing. He was bankrupt anu
could nothing better He also said that ne shouo no
think Of attempting the work without my ASSISTANCE anu
he desired keep the agreement secret
between him and me-
The proposition was great for had looked
forward going into history as his mouthpcce ana spohe|
man. and Of course. II he wrote new work himself my
sspecal authority would be superseded But he was my
chief and my friend and in trouble. The book might
bring him In money and the work at least would distract
him from his misery We both considered that ms me-
might $50 900 to ESQ ooo and that In TWO
months the furthest it would be completed
IL was not to elaborate history. but personal me-
ncr consented TO aid him. and when we returned
after our drive. at set about the work.
FAMILIARITY WITH THE CAMPAIGNS
had devoted energies Of my life for seventeen
years the study and exposition Of his campaigns anu
knew history at this time more thoroughly than nc
ala himself laid out . plan OF his book, and revised
srzn soms magazine articles which he had already pre-
pared which had corrected and worked over win
hin. spent week ten days st his house. ana thcn
to the Catss In October General Grant went
70 New-York the winter. and Immediately wrote ask
ine TO stay. and TO with his book
was time engaged n the composition Oh BOOK
my own novel, In which very much Interested ana
told would prefer finish this frst but no was 80
urgent that finally postponed my own laoors ana plans
and went TO his house In NewYork / remained there
from the 18th Of October till the second week In May en-
Ragod his meulOrA which proved as aruuous h'eiay
labor i attempted.
In February rs General had become dangerously
N asked him 70 put agreement into writing and he
az 10 the samo day. in tho following days
In consideration Of the fact that the book which am
engaged upon will be In competition with Badeaus
Military History Of my Campaigns. which written
with my consent. expectation that IL would
take the place Of all that would have the sub
1ect In further consideration the fact that shall
maps which prepared with and expense
basis OF In further consideration OF the
assistance which he is TO give in the preparation OF my
forthcoming book have voluntarily stipulated as small
sompensaon for the various services rendered TO e pro-
>osed propose and bind myself to give him. General
Bdeau Eve thousand s5ooo from the first twenty thou
snd $50 Ooo received sale Of my book, and
sddona Ave thousand dollars Cs5ooW from the next ten
thousand (e1O, 000) 30 realized. U. S. GRANT
sNewYork City, Feb 2, 1885,
showed his paper to my legal adviser, Mr. il. NJ
Alexander who pronounced valid but said 1t was most
important that General Grant should make 1t known to
HE family Accordingly requested the General to do so,
but he refused positively He said he did not wish our
agreement TO be known to anybody but ourselves lie
declared he did not intend give check for the
money. In ~-sA Il uIs0a 'iraV ins ianin5
might think advantage OF them that my honor was
stake but he mmovable. He said that his family
knew there arrangement between u.s. ana II ne
got very much would let them know the details
ADVISED BY HIS COUNSEL TO BE SILENT.
There was nothing do but to sebnis or make scene
while he almost dying; and proceeded with my
work told my lawyers Of his refus.l. and both Mr.
dsy his with his publishers was signed
(Mareh H. General Grant received $1,000 consideration
money. and when were alone the next DAY he handed
$3.50 In cash. saying IL was my share OF what be mao
received under agreement
In May, after he recovered from what seemed for
while his athbed. General Grant informed Inc that he
had notified family Of the agreement with and that
they approved He said this In the presence Of his
con Jesse. At the time he told me that he had
determined to dictate stenographer such matter as
he might be able remember and then give to me to
put shape There about half Of the second
volume to be completed I'm this way AT this 1uncure
Also IL was announced q prominent New York
the real author Of the work This statement
apprehen OF the publishers who requested
General Grant deny it. and an application was made 70
10 say that had not written q limo In the book
refused this the lawyers and then to Colonel
Grant; after which General Grant who was weak and
shattered with disease and drugs and entirely under the
influence Of Colonel Grant, persuaded 70 make tho
request Of me- thereupon wrote the following
letter. which different from what had been
aAked TO prepare;
"New-York, March 4, 1885,
"Dssr Generals As stated TO you in my letter Of
Saturday have desire intention or right To claim
the authorship OF your The composition is entirely
your own What assistance have been able to render
has been suggestion. revision or verihcaton With
great respect, yours faithfully. ADAM BADEAU.'
General Grant said this satisfactory His own do
pal published but my letter Was withheld from the
world
Two days before this had written H. General Grant
the letter which Colonel Grant has published In which
stated In effect the CT cums'ancs under which our
Original bargain had been made were entirely changed
thu had spcn; .'abs at his house Instead OF
three, giving OWN work for him, and that
book. which had supposed might bring In $50 900
$50 900 the utmos now certain to yield four
tms that amount that its circulation being so
much greater than either he or had expected, the
Damage done To my history would be proporuonately
greater asked him kindly and respectfully If. under
these altered conditions. was not entitled TO new
bargain. / said that be expected me 70 take his
disjonted uttersnces aud them into connected
narrative and In reality finish the book. declared
myself willing do this. and repeated. had already
assured him, that had desire 10 claim the Literary
msrft OF but asked for 81, coo month I'LL
the complete he publishers having offered 70
any necessary the prepsraon and one
tenth OF eventual profits. What he mad originally
p6ered me amounted 70 from one-third 70 one-hfh
of the profits which the tine Of the proposition we both
sntir I no IL