The National tribune., 1892-08-11

4
risked and of the services we had rendered. h,
built the house which, You have Just admired
and conveyed it'to me by deed in which il
was called, and sso.c led to this day-Heroine
Hail." "ydh
PUBLISHED LETTERS.
Gen. Grant Acknowledges a Loan after the
Failure Of Grant " Ward.
Mayor Bradley, Of Asbury Park. N. J., gave
banquet to Mr. Charles Wood, of Lansing.
burg, N. Y. There were present members oil
the Grand Army Of The Republic, of Asbury
Park; Congressman Amos Clark, Mayor Stuart
of Philadelphia; Gen. Patterson, of New Jer.
sey. and other we'll known men.
| The banquet was given as mark of esteem
by the Mayor and the GA r. for the generosity
of Mr.. Wood TO Gen. Grant soon after he was
made penniless through the failure of Grant
| & Ward.
When Mr. Wood heard of the Generals down
| fall he Immediately sent him a check for $500,
which was followed by two other similar
checks. The $1,500 was the means of tiding
| the General over for the time being and event
ually placing him on his feet again.
The following letters which the General sent
to Mr.. Wood were publicly shown for the first
time at the banquet.
| This is the first one, sent after he had re-
ceived the first donation from Mr.. Wood:
NEW YORK CITY, May -, 1884
| DEAR DIX, our more IMAM Rlnn IeltcT OF
| Saturday, enclosing check for $780, and pro-
| posing to send like amount on my note. pay
able in one year, without interest is received.
| The money at this time would be Of exceeding
| use to one not having enough to pay ones
servant hire or room If were to leave my
house, and nothing coming in until the 1st of
August. / therefore accept the check just re-
ceived, and this is my acknowledg cement of a
debt of 5000 one year from this date on the
terms of your letter. Very truly yours,
u. S. GRANT"
The next letter acknowledges the receipt of
two checks for $500 each and indicates the
stratened circumstances to which the express
ident had been reduced:
NEW YORK, May 10, 1884.
"MY DEAR SIR: / am in receipt of yonr
very kind letter of the 18th inst, with two
checks of $500 each You have conferred an
obligation more than l can ever repay. The
money. of course. do not doubt but can re-
turn; but being caught without a hundred
dollars in my pocket, and nothing to come in
until August, it became n serious question what
to do. You, in the generosity of your heart
have relieved that anxiety. Every preparation
was at once made to reduce expenses to a mini
mum. Ny house at Long Branch-Mrs.
Grant's--is offered for rent, and the one we
occupy here will be in the Fall, if prospects are
no brighter than at present. Hoping that pros
perity may attend you and yours, l remain.
faithfully yours, U. s. GRANT"
The third letter contained the Generals
check for 81 .000 in part payment of the loan.
This money, the General intimates was re-
ceived from the sale of his book. Here is the
letter in full.
NEW York CITY, Jan. 5. 1885.
my DEAR Mr.. WOOD: take profound
pleasure in inclosiDg to you the check which
you will find with this. l wish to state to you
also how great was the relief afforded by your
timely loan. At the time of the failure of
Grant & Ward Ihad not a hundred dollars in
my pocket. ] hadpaid my bills the previous
month with checks on the firm. Most of them
were not presented until after the failure.
Your checks enabledcme to meet the seco nd
call, and gave me something to go upon until an
other turn could he made. Mrs. Grant was
fortunate enough to own couple OF small
houses in Washington. one of whicn she sold
for the sum Of $500. since which we have
been comfortable in means to live upon, but
with nothing to pay my past debts.
Il return you. with the greatest pleasure,
s., 900 of the $500 which yon so kindly and
without solicitation or claim upon you sent me.
1t affords greater pleasure from tho fact
that have earned this by my own work. /
hope in the near future to send you the othor
$500 70 n
With my best wishes to you and yours
am. very truly, sJc -e& u. s. GRAN
Gregor on July g. 1885, which was but a short
time before his death:
am very sorry that l am unable to con-
verse even in whisper. / am reclining in bed
as long as it rests me this morning because
yesterday had very trying day. My worst
hours, most painful ones, from to in the
afternoon. Yesterday we had number of
particular friends call and stay through those
hours. had to converse necessarily with my
pencil. About the close the Mexican editors
called in a body and delivered speech in
Spanish that had to BIO translated and spoken
in English. l replied. My speech was read in
English then translated and spoken in Span
ish. Then there was second speech and re-
ply. By this time l was nearly exhausted. /
am badly off this minute, because the doctor
has been dressing my mouth, and this is always
painful.
81 feel very thankful to you for the kindness
you did ME last year. am glad to say that.
while there is much unbushng wickedness in
this world yet there is a compromising gener-
osity and grandeur of soul. In my case have
not found that republics are ungratefal nor are
the people"