The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1888-03-29
RADE6UPS STORY.


General Badeau Airs Ills Grievances in the
Matter OF Preparing General Grants
Book-He Claims Large Share of Credit
For the Literary Work.
NEW YORK, March 2L-Tbe Sun publishes
General Adam BaIeau's yer sion of The con-
troversy which has arisen between himself
and General Grants family in regard to
the c'a m which General Badeau makes for
compensation for his services to General
Grant in the preparation Of his personal
memoirs. The statement is addressed 10
<The American Public" and fills several
Columns Of the Sun.
General Badeau is somewhat severe in
his structures on the course pursued by
Colonel Fred Grant in the matter. Ho says
chat General Grant called him away from
his own literary work to assist in the prep
a ration Of magazine articles and IN that OF
Memoirs They thought this would occu-
by three months; whereas it had occupied
seven months when he retired; that Gen.
eral Grant supposed he might realize from
$4,000 to 5000 from the work, and Of
his own motion, since its publ
cation would estop General Badeau
from realizing fully on his intended "Life
Of Grant" gave him (Bddeau) the already
published contract 10 pay hlm s. 90 FROM
the first $4,000 profits and 5000 from ha
next $4,000; that General Grant insisted
on this matter beng kept secret; that when
he received his first instaiiment OF $1,000 he
paid General Badeau i2JJ, thus ratifying
the contract; that ne (Badeau) finding that
the work was to be such remarkable sue
cess and realizing that his own work on
which he had spent sixteen years, would
be correspondingly injured, wrote General
Grant, suggesting a new contract; that to
this he received his letter of dismissal, all
In the handwriting Of Colonel Fred Grant,
except the signature.
Badeau asserts that Colonel Grant,
when it appeared that his father would be
unable 10 finish the work, suggested that
Baleau complete it and allow u TO be pub
lished as his Erred GranJ's) work BE says
that love and loyalty To his chief mas sealed
his mouth Is to the part which he actually
took in the preparation OF the work and
that he waited and negotiated for d settle
mcnt when he mlght have gone 4: onre into
court and enforced his contract. H. de-
clares that the family at first offered hin
81 800 and that this was subscqUen' ly raised
10 5000 AMI he agreed TO taKe that sum,
but Il condition was attaclet to draw
from him statement as to the Guthorsh .
sign and negotiations were broken OF.
His part in The WORK he states As follows:
''FOr months l spent four or five hours a
day 1t his Side and many hours besides IN
my own room at work on his book When
we were together we sat at the same tabls
and often, a soon as he had written page
he handed it 10 me. did not write the
original matter, and in that sense did not
compose the book. The thoughts were
General Grants, and in most cases tho
original draft of the language. But l sug
gesied much. l told him when 10
insert descriptions of scenery, where
to place an account OF IA character.
how to elaborate d picture OF a BIT
tie. | recalled scenes and incld.nfs
TO his memory in which l had partici-
pated, or with the story OF which l was
familiar, and l verified his statements.
did not comp lie data as Colonel Grant sup
poses. The data were compiled and ready
IN my own history, and that he always TOOK
as h 5 authority.
''And then when the subject matter was
settled l took this rough material to my
own room aud made any changes saw lit
in language or style. | took out whole
pages. transferred others from one part
of the book to another. l modified any i'm
pressions which disliked or disapprOved,
and there was not page IN the first
volume nor one in the second down to the
Wilderness campaign which did not con-
tain dozen alterations or notifications
entirely NINE l broke up sentences, l
sofiened or heightened the effect, l cor
rected the grammar, and all with the
knowledge and sanction and by the ex-
press and repeated desire of General
Grant. l Especially constructed the work.
General Grant had very good
power OF clear and forcible expression III
matters with which he was familiar, or in
which he was interested; and passages Of
his were often fehcitous. These l always
retained, and always sought to preserve
his simplicity and direcness, and even
ruggedness of language-never to betray
my own share in the work. But he never
knew whether what be wrote was good
English. and ms slips in grammar were
constant He had, besides, no idea what
ever of building up u chapter or book, or
of treating u theme 50 as 20 lead up to u
Joint, or to make a complete picture or
argument. If he struck out good sem
tence at the first trial, so much the better;
but he could not repair or improve 1t, as 4
rule.
There was nothing dishonorable in this
relation either TO him or to me. The WORK
was labor of love 10 ne, and he appreci-
ciatcd this and enjoyed seeing the book
take different shape and color in my hand.
or rather seeing his own thoughts and
dreams brought out more clearly and more
absolutely according to his own idea. Bat
the book could not have been made what i
is without me. There was no one else who
had both my peculiar knowledge Of the
theme and literary quality. There was no
one else whom he would have allowei - 40
what did, but be knew how l loved III
and how devoted / was 10 his fam =,
and he t.ustcd me- l did ny
work loyalty if ever a man did, AMI never
BETRAYED INN. have done nothing 20 pre-
cipitate this question. / wouli not have
told what 1 am now writing if 1t had not
been extorted from me by the nnrutatlous
referred to by his son. General Grant
once said 10 me, 'Badeau, I know could
not do this work without you l tnnk l
could tell plain story; that people Huuld
understand whal l IN ant; but l could not
write such a book as this without YOU. You
have been invaluable and Indispensable.
not only in veriication and rev.s.og but IL
suggestion, and l am very grateful"
Waterman Murdered.