Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1888-03-18
NO. 251
GRANTS MEMOIRS
CORRESPONDENCE With BADBLU.
The Wal Worn Heros Brave and Honorable
Stand.
The LITERARY WORK HIS OWN.
Badssu's Insulting Proposals REJECTED With
Scorn.

New YORK. March 17.-Colonel Fred
erick Grant answers the various stories
that have been in circulation about the re-
lations between General Badeau and his
father, the late President Grant, bv max.
ing public the whole correspondence.
General Badeau was engaged by General
Grant in 1884. 10 assist him In the prepar-
alton Of his personal memoirs. His work
was 10 be that Of an amanuensis
This General Badeau explains AID ad-
mits in one Of the letters, when h, says:
81 have no desire, intention or right 10
claim the authorship Of your book. The
composition is entirely your own"
After General Grants sudden relapse, in
1885, General Badeau, impressed with the
magnitude Of the sale Of the proposed me.
moirs, and seeing immense gains, made, ~
appears il the correspondence, a demand
upon General Grant to the effect that he
should be paid q certain sum per month
and likewise q share in the profits TO help
the General 10 build o monument Of en-
during fsme. This proposition General
Grant evidently regarded as q suggestion
that General Badeau should practically
write his book and he General Grant
assume the credit
General Grant, In q long letter under
date Of May s, 1884, In rcply 70 Bsdeau's
proposition, says: ''Since pondering over
the contents OF your letter, and more par
ticularly over the conclusions ! have
drawn from It, and reflections based upon
what you say, and my knowledge Of your
temper and disposition, I understand the
letter better than you do. / have con-
cluded that you and l must give up oil N
ISOLATION rs far as the preparation of any
literary work goes which is to bear my
signature. In all other respects | hope
our relations may continue rs they have
always been, pleasant and friendly. ."@t
81 did not contemplate you writing any
thing, except in case Of my death, but sK-
pected you to help me arrange and to
criticize my work, so that l could correct.
The work which I wanted you
to do I did not think would take over two
months Of your time, working on IN
average Of four hours a day, ak daysin the
we elk. For your work, It being under
stood Is above, / proposed 70 give you
IS, 900 GU. of the hnt $40, 900 received
from its sale, and IS. 900 out Of the next
$4,000. For the compensation you ask
could get very able work done by persons
who would not regard the work a. either
drudgery nor a. degrading. II would be
degrading to me TO accept the work from
you as you regard II. ***
lyon say that 4 an o man of affairs,
&C., and can tell q simple story &c. You
imply that Q literary man must supply
some deficiencies, and thst you are the only
mar who can do it. If this IL the case.
General, ] do not want q book bearing my
name TO 10 before the world which 1 did
not write to such In extent 10 be fully en-
titled to the credit Of authorship. | do
not want O 6cret between me aud some
one else which would destroy my honor II
IL was divulged. ] cannot think Of hold
ing myself rs dependent upon any person
TO supply O capacity which / am lacking.
| may fail, but / will not put myself In
any such position. II Isuccesd In telling
my story 30 that others can see as I do
what attempt to show, l will be satisfied.
"Yourl letter affords an abundance ofother
reasons why you should not help me In my
work, which Is to bear my name. But
these are sufficient. I add only what In
necessary TO make q part Of what has been
already said plain, You' ask for O contract
and demand 81 900 per meath In advance
until the work IL completed, md ten per
cent. Of the entire profits arising from the
sale Of the work after Ii 10 put upon the
market. This would make you q partner
with my family m long a. the book found
a sale. This Is preposterous. Not for one
moment has your proposition been enter
tanned by me. This, with statements enu-
merated In this letter and Others contained
in yours, makes IL imposiblo for Ms 70 be
associated In q work which 10 TO bear my
name. II would be q degration for me 10
accept honors and profit from the work of
another man while declaring 70 the public
that 1t was the product Of my own brain
and hand.
81 write frankly, because I want you to
know why ! cannot receive your services
new on any terms. I hope that Il will not
disturb the relations which have hereto
fore existed between us In all particulars.
Your prosperity in life will crafty NE.
'Tbis correspondence between rs may
be unknown 10 the world if you choose.
l do not ask secrecy, bat the necessity Tor
publicity will not occur through any fault
Of mine. Repeating my assurance Of tbs
best wishes for your success IN life and
health and happiness TO the End, ! sub
scribe myself as ever,
Your friend and well wisher,
us. GRANT,