St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-03-21
And Is Somewhat Severe in
His Structures on Col.
Grants Course.
The Work Practically That Of
the Now Abused Gen.
Badeau.
How the Work Was SmOOthed
Over by His Skillful
Hand.


risen between himself and Gen. Grants
family in regard to the claim which
Gen. Badeau makes for compensation
for his services to Gen. Grant in the
preparation of his Personal Memoirs"
The statement is addressed 1.-THE Amer
lean Public" and fills several columns
of the Sun Gen. Badeau is somewhat
severe in his structures on the course
pursued by Col. Fred Grant in the mat
ter. He says that Gen. Grant called him
away from his own literary work to as
sist, first in the preparation of magazine
articles, and then in that Of the ''Me-
moirs;;" that they thought this would
occupy perhaps three months, whereas,
in fact, it had occupied seven months
when he retired; that Gen. Grant sup
posed he might realize $4,000 to 1900
from the work, and, OF his own motion,
since its publication would estop Gen.
Badeau from realizing fully on his in
tended Life of Grant," gave him (Ba-
deaW the already published contract to
pay him $1,000 from the first $4,000
profits and 5000 from the next $4,000;
that Gen. Grant insisted Oh this matter
being kept secret; that when he re-
ceived
HIS FIRST INSTALMENT
of 81 COO he paid Gen. Badeau $3.50, thus
ratifying the contract; that he Badeau),
finding that the work was to be such
remarkable success, and realizing that
his own work, on which he spent six
teen years, would be correspondence
injured, he wrote to Gen. Grant sug
costing new contract; that to this he
received his dismissal, all in the hand
writing of Col. Fred Grant, except the
signature. Gen. Badeau asserts that
Col. Grant, when it appeared that his
father would be unable to finish the
work, suggested that Badeau complete
it and allow it to be published as his
Erred Grant'S) work. Gen. Badeau
goes on to say that love and loyalty to
his chief has sealed his mouth as to the
part which he actually took in the prep
aration of the work, and that he has
waited and negotiated for settlement
when he might have gone at once into
court and enforced his contract. He
declares that the family at first offered
him $500; that this was subsequently
raised to $1,000, and he agreed to take
that sum; but condition was attached
to draw from him statement as to the
authorship of the work which he re-
fused to sign, and negotiations were
broken off.
HIS PART IN THE WORK
he states as follows: For months I
spent four or five hours 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,
and often, as soon as he had written a
page, he handed it to me. did not
write the original matter, and in that
sense did not compose the book. The
thoughts were Gen. Grants. and, in
most cases, the original draft of the Ian
guage, but [ suggested much. 1 told
him when to insert descriptions of
scenery, where to place an account OF
character, how to elaborate picture of
battle. | recalled scenes and incidents
to his memory in which L had partici-
pated, or with the story of which [ was
familiar, and l verified his statements.
| did not compile data, as Col. Grant
suppOSeS. The data were compiled and
ready in my own history, and that he
always took as his authority. [ read up,
| however, several works on the Mexican
war. and then went over what he had
written on that subject, verifying or
correcting it and almost remaking this
portion, so far as construction and style
are concerned. l discussed his state
ments and the ACCESSIBILITY of his eX-
pressiOns of opinion, and often per-
suaded him to change the one or with
hold or modify the other. And then,
when the subject matter was settled. L
took
THIS ROUGH MATERIAL
to my own room and made any changes
/ saw fit in language OF style. | took
out whole pages. | transferred others
from one part of the book to another. |
modified any expressions which L dis
liked or disapproved, and there was not
page in the first volume, nor one in
the second down to the Wilderness cam
paign, which did not contain dozen al
teratiOnS or notifications entirely mine.
| broke up sentences, | sOftened or
heightened the effect, corrected the
grammar, and all with the knowledge
and sanction and by the express and re-
peated desires of Gen. Grant. l espe-
cially constructed the work. Gen. Grant
had a very good power OF clear and forci-
bic expression in matters with which he
was familiar, or in which he was inter
eSted and passages of his were often fe-
licitOuS. These | always retained, and
and directness, and even ruggedneSS Of
language: never to betray my own
share in the work. But he never knew
whether what he wrote was good En-
gliSh and his slips in grammar were con-
slant. He had, besides, no idea what
ever of building up chapter, or a
book, OF of treating a theme so as lead
up to a point, or to make complete
picture or argument. If he struck out
good sentence at the first trial, so
much the better, but
HE COULD NOT REPAIR
or improve it, as rule. There was
nothing diShonOrable in our relation,
either to him or to me. The work was
labor OF love to me, and he appreci-
ated this and enjoyed seeing the book
take different shape and color in my
hands, or rather seeing his own
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 al
lowed to do what [ did. But he knew
how | loved him, and how devoted [
was to his fame, and he trusted me.
did my work Loyalty if ever man did,
and never betrayed him. [ have done
nothing to precipitate this question. l
would not have told what l am writing
now if it had not been eXtOrted from me
by the imputations referred to by his
son. Gen. Grant once said to me-:
'Badeau, | know / could not do this
work without you. Think | could tell
plain story SO that people would un-
derstand what meant, but | could not
write such book as this without you.
You have been invaluable and indis-
pensable to me, not only in verification
and revision. but in suggestion, and l
am very grateful
EDITORIAL COMMENT.
New YORK. March 21.-The Herald,
speaking of Gen. Badeau's statement,
says editorially: 'Gen. Badeau AYERS
that Gen. Grant, drugged, diseased and
on tho 1.ar0p of the praNa SIGNED a LET