Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-03-21
IS. GRANT MAY RECEIVE
THEM.
A Partial Promise Made to Welcome
the Veterans Next Year,

the veterans Next Year,
Washington Post: After nearly ten
years of secllIsiOD, during which time
she has steadfastly refused to attend
any public functions, Mrs. Grant has
made a partial concession to the
wishes of the old union soldiers, and,
while she will not receive this year.,
it is possible that New Years day of
1896 will see her first public reception
of the union veterans since the death
of General Grant a decade ago.
This partial promise was brought
out in some recent correspondence be-
tween Mrs. Grant and members of the
Union Veteran legion of this city,
when it vas hoped that Mrs. Grant
could be induced to grant the old SOL
| diers of the national capital al audi
! ence on the coming new year. But for
certain private considerations this
would have been done, and, as it is,
the members of the Union Veteran le-
gion feel gratiied to know that they
may next year be able to pay their re-
spects to the wife of their honOred
commander. ">..
While it was known that Mrs. Grant,
since the death of her husband, had
refused to either receive or be received
in public by any of the military organ
izations of the country, the members
of tie Union Veteran legion in this
city thought that the present year,
when Mrs. Grant was in Washington,
at the headquarters, so to speak, of
all the veterans OF the country, would
be a good time to suggest a change in
her resolution to which up to this
time they have all deferred. The fol-
lowing letter was accordingly sent to
Mrs. Grant by Major Wright, the adj
jutant general of the Union Veteraf
legion:
Washington, D. c., Dec. 81, 1894
Mrs. General Grant-Madam: AS the
representative OF this organization Of
three years soldiers of the war Of the
rebellion, in which your loved husband
was so distinguished a participant, L
make bold to ask whether it be con-
~venient for you and in harmony with
your ideas of propriety to appoint an
hour on New Years day, or, any other
day, when we, in a body, may pay our
respects to you, and in 1oing so. pay
homage to the memory of the soldier
who, more than all Others, is e~yerlast-
ingly enshrined in our hearts, there to
remain until the last one of us shall
have responded to "taps." Very re-
spectfully,
/ NJ. B. G.. Wright,
Adjutant General.
Major Wright, who had been a par
ticular friend of General Grant and
who had entertained Mrs. Grant and
her husband at his home in Colorado
some years before, sent with the for
nal letter of the legion a personal let
ter urging Mrs. Grants acquiescence
in the wishes Of the old soldiers.
The reply of Mrs. Grant was kind,
and expressed her appreciation Of the
request. It was as follows:
No. 21OS r Street, Dec. %, 1894.-My
Dear Major Wright: In reply to your
J most considerate communication of
Dec. 81 l beg to say that, circum-
! stanced as 1 am at present, l find It
quite impossible-much as l would
love to do SOTO receive the honored,
the beloved comrades of my husband,
General Grant.
Hoping in another twelve months to
be so situated that I may have that
great pleasure and fully approaching
all that your kind letter conveys | am,
with best wishes for the New Year,
yours gratefully and sincerely.
Julia D. Grant.
The members of the Veteran legion
are accordingly looking forward to the
following New Year as the one that
shall see the fulfillment Of one of their
longest and most sincere wishes.