Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-03-29
BApEAu.s STORY.
General Badeau Airs His Grievances In tine
Matter of Preparing General Grants
Book-He Claims n Large Share OF Credit
the

General Badeau Airs His Grievances In the
Matter of Preparing General Grants
Book-He Claims n Large Share OF Credit
For the Literary Work.
NEW York, March 21.-The Sun publishes
General Adam Baieau's yer sion OF the con-
troversy which has arisen between himself
and General Grants family in regard 10
the cla 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 He says
that 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 W 'uld occu-
Ply three months; whereas it had Sccupled
seven months when he retired; that Gen.
eral Grant supposed he might rt'ai4ze from
$50, 900 To $4,000 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 (Badeau) the already
published contract TO pay HIM 5000 from
the first $50, 600 profits and 5000 from he
next $4,000; that General Grant insisted
on this matter being kept secret; that when
paid General Badeau $3.50, thus ratifying
the contract; that be (Badeau) finding that
the work was to be such a remarkable sue
cess and realizing that his own work on
which lie 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 TO finish the work, suggested that
Baieau complete it and allow il to be pub
lished as his (Fred Grant's) work. He says
that love and loyalty to his chief has sealed
his mouth as TO the part which he actually
took in the preparation of the work and
that he waited and negotiated for a settle
ment when he might have gone at once into
court and enforced his contract He de-
clares that the family az first offered him
81. 500 and that this was subsequently raised
TO IS, O0O and he agreed to take that sum,
but IA condition was attached to draw
from him statement to the authorship
OF the work, which he refused 10
sign and negotiations were broken of.
His part in the work he states as follows:
For months spent four or five hours a
day at his side, and many hours besides in
my own room at work on his book. When
we were together we sat at the same table
ana O1Uen, as SOOn as ne uaQ WTlUJen Il 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 the
original draft OF the language. But sug
gested much. 1 told him when TO
insert descriptions of scenery, where
to place account of character
how to elaborate a picture OF a bat
tie. 1 recalled scenes and incidents
to his memory in which 1 had partici-
pated, with the story OF which l was
familiar, and / verified his statements I
did not compile data as Colonel Grant sup
poses. The data were compiled and ready
IN nv own history, and that he always took
as his authority.
''And then when the subject matter was
settled took this rough material to my
own room and made any changes saw fl
in language or style. l took out whole
pages. I transferred others from one part
of The book to another. l modified any inn
pressions which I disliked or disapproved,
and there was not page IN the first
volume nor one in the second down to tho
Wilderness campaign which did not con-
tain dozen alterations or notifications
entirely mine. 1 broke up sentences, 1
softened or heightened the effect cor
rected the grammar, and all with the
knowledge and sanction and by the ex-
press and repeated desire of General
L
General Grant had very good
power of clear and forcible expression in
matters with which he was familiar, or in
which he was interested; and passages OF
his were often fellcitous. These always
retained, and always sought to preserve
his simplicity and directness, and even
ruggedness of 1anguage-never to betray
my own share in the work. But he never
knew whether what he wrote was good
English, and his slips in grammar were
constant. He had, besides, no idea what
ever OF building up chapter or book, or
of treating theme SO as 10 lead up to
point, or to make complete picture or
argument. If he struck out u good SEN
tence at the first trial, much the better;
but he could not repair or improve Il, as
rule.
There was nothing dishonorable in this
relation either 10 him or to me. The work
was a labor of love to me, and he appreci-
ciated 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. But
The book could not have been made what It
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 allowed TO do
what did, but he knew how I loved him
and how devoted 1 was to his fame,
and he trusted me. ! did my
work loyalty if ever a man did, and never
ed HIM. have done nothing TO pre-
cipitate this question. 1 would not have
told what I am now writing II 1t had not
been extorted from me by the imputations
referred to by his son. General Grant
once said TO me, 'Badeau, I know could
not do this work without you think
could tell plain story; that people would
understand what / meant; but l could not
write such a book as this without you You
have been invaluable and Indispensable,
not only in verification and revision but in
suggestion, and am very grateful"
Watchman Murdered.
NEBRASKA, CITY, Neb., March 21.-Dou e