New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-03-18
GRANT AND BADEAU.
A REMARKABLE CORRESPONDENTS BE-
TWEEN THEM.
arxrRAL BADFAU MAKrs LARGE CLAIMS f"n M
sIsrANCE on THE MEMOIRs-iHt GENH"A'
STRIKING REPLY

STRIKING REPLY.
The press of this ciIy has had frequent references
during tie last dsy on two to an apr" '""t sun
,,oucb. by General Adam Bad an against the es
49,. -, ,.rnc,ar Grant 10 recover large sum for
ossi TANGO which he asserts given by him to the
General In the pr pa'a ion OF the FAMOUS N'ihonN'
Colonel Frederick d. Grant has now made public
,b,oucb the columns Of " The He,ald' al the cor
rcspondcncc bearing on This matter II Is OF re
markab,c interest. especially the long letter in
which General Grant replied to the claims which
General badeau presented in letter to him dated
Nav - 1850, only few weeks before General
Grants death. which occurred on july 90 Of that
THE ORIGINAL AGREEMENT.
The following agreement between General Grant
and General Ealeau had been made in August.
lest and was put in writing In February, 1888:
IN consideration Of the fact that the book which am
now engaged upon will be In competition with Badeau's
history my campaigns, which written with my con-
and with the expectation that II would take the
place Of all ! would have upon the subject;
81 further consideration Of the fact that shall Use maps
which had prepared with great and at great eX-
leIsc basis Of In further consideration
q the which he l. 20 give in the preparation
Of my forthcoming book, have voluntarily stipulated
small compensation for his various services rendered
to me- proposed propose and bind myself to give
him General Bsdcau. five thousand dollars (&3Oool rom
the first twenty thousand dollars 100000 realized from
the sale II my book and additional five thousand DOL
lars $4,000 from the next ten thousand dollars tsloooo
realized l. ;. "hANI
Ncv-York CITY. Feb :. 1885
ALETTER WHICH AMAZED GENERAL GRANT.
General Badcau became dissatisfied with the terms
OF his agreement. and sent To General Grant Oh May
Q. ls55. this letter:
Dear General: l beg 70 lay before you few views
which am very have not occurred to YOU sb'
sosbel YOU been in your illness and recently IN
your renewed present them in writing. because
can hus make them clearer and because
you can carefully consider them and detect if am in
error.
when you sent for me August last said that
YOU had always given suppose that my work should
only authorized expression Of your views on the
but that were now about to write your memoirs
sud 10 make Of my work for your facts and dates
saving yourself all the labor OF re-
search consideration OF these circumstances
and Of assistance in preparing your own book you Of
f-led $4,000 Of the profits they should amount
$50 coo The labor expected TO perform was such
enabled revise with both the Shiloh and
the Vcksbure campaigns $50 pages. in little more
fortnight, FOR both these chapters were sent
he Century while at Long Branch In August
In October came TO you IN New-Nork before was
ready. giving up my work or yours and have since
devoted myself your service happy and proud 70 all YOU
Your Illness protrac,cd and then Interrupted the
work and been detained from all other avocaron-
Tor l tiled twice 20 Write for ms
tlf bur THIS up impossible while was doing such
work d. Your book demands for put whole soul and
ahniy IT, Ny novel j. unpublished to-day, solely for
th!-
Vow that you happily in degree restored ana
tlle dictate entirely state Of affairs arises Your
hook l. Gu
volume and The original composition on volume two
makes necessary eight months more labor. You
propose dictate and 20 piece and prepare and con
disionted fragments into connected narrative
This work lneres literary druicory. such a. would
never consent ID for ono hut you-1ve times as
lshorou- a original composition. with none OF the
Interest: times difficult under the circumstances
~ What have hAeIto done with you. It ,souot pos
sbly BE- completed you It ana as should DO IN
before 1856 ! have pay until the profits ~
your book IN. the earliest in March next In
the Of things have no reputation or CON
sderation from my connection with the book. must
eface myself and vet intensely halt without h-
creased pay any al oil until year md hhf nom
the beginning Of my iabors
Let me- say just here have possible desire FOR tho
reuufaon of writing the book The prepostrr-
Gus assertions newspapers will I,fue themselves
desire fame Of my own book not of yours Yours
y. rot and will be the work Of literary man. buy
TIE simple story Of Of affairs and great general
Proper Tor YOU hut such As would adi 70 my credit
4, alI With your concurrence have -uiven 20 make
Il such.
But your took has assumed importance which
neither YOU nor anticipated It Is 70 have
circulation Of lundrci, Of thousands, and the larger
st. circulation the 10 Its impcrance-the more com
yeteiy will supIant and stamp ont mine Inc better
help You 70 make 1t. the more efec'ual'y destroy
what have spent ny life in building up-Ey reputation
Your historian
IL military knowledge; military man has the literary
s.te.llcte no literary military man living, not one
sf your IA has one 1.-THE Of my Ano"l'iee
aud experience this sub ect the result OF twenty
year. study and devotion and labor. Resides which DO
nan alive but your sons loves You ~ we'll No
one but ny.eIf esn destroy my own book. II don't
h..p YOU win retain - place fT you have hel'L'f
the physical strength nor the habits II mind youfsrf
f. max, IA. Ic~e.rch-, verify - correct your own
memory If YOU cannot yourself finish the work nobody
d. II nty Oui ne
INSISTING ON A NEW CONTRACT.
Oar General. ! say this frankly 70 show You what
f. ENACTED u ue-to give VI year Of NY li'e. at the
-
considerations 70 trample NY fame, 20 receive no
yay at present, and none at all proportionae 70 my po
,on or claims for ! could easily earn $4,000 OF sIVOVV
year with importance and consideration besides mere
,. only o ndccuent IN the and that f. 70 serve
you But | have al eady written your military history
md / can s,in write your political history ana earn
nofe vouf fame quite a. Wei VINO O' any
,lanc your woiK houi1 be unfinished or W hnlshed my
,uu would retain place Your name sells your WORK.
your deeds are your own story iod by Youi9
4, vh,, the roopic want this f. indisputablci but
A. d,uieery f. an mine, ana the druig'ry Is ~ nd4N
.ensall~ as your name OF a. the publishers Iair
Under these circumstance, considering the inneh-'
r,le assured ire unexpected WORK put upon me- the
snautc paed damage done to my HES labor II IL uhla
.or me to ak that bargain be made
am willing TO agree to complete work from your
s.,ation in the first person with all the superv sion
you may be able give but in any event 20 complete
4, y am alive ana we'll within the present year 70
claim OF course. credit whatever for h" composition
lu. 70 DECLARE l have always DONE 'hat you write II
Absolutely.
For thi. labor I ask a. month to be paid In an
vance unt the and af"r"aid Ten per cent
., the entire profits. The publishers Fed tod me lohs
go have offered to al vance any SUM you 1''f' ~ ~
xou would D, DC inccnvcnrocd ny the 'arrl payments
and unless YOU receive enormous gains my share "oud
ttI sm1lL
would engage % help you ound -uch monument
a. 10 nan vet put ny To his iai"c anu 40 """'
would ever appear connection with II but your own
Your arectionate and faithful friend and servant
cono,aI Can. ADAM BADFAU.
TIE GENERALS SEVERE ANSWER
This letter delivered 20 General Cram "h'h h'
was very ILL., The reply written three days later Is
a. follows