Grant, Ulysses S. (Ulysses Simpson) (1822-1885) to Joseph R. Jones re: a "blackmailing operation", re-election campaign
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC05975 Author/Creator: Grant, Ulysses S. (Ulysses Simpson) (1822-1885) Place Written: Long Branch, NJ Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 1872/09/05 Pagination: 3 p. 20 x 12.6 cm Order a Copy
Jones identified by the U.S. Grant papers. Discusses a "blackmail operation" and the "soreheads and thieves who have deserted the Republican party have strengthened it by their departure." Grant refers to the reform Republicans like Greeley, Carl Schurz, Lyman Trumbull, Andrew Curtin, David Davis, Charles Francis Adams, and others, who bolted the Republican Party because of corruption. Grant observes that "[t]he few Greeley Republicans buzzed like so many mosquitoes immediately after the nominations.... [However] [t]here was to[o] much time between nominations and elections to keep it up." (Recipient identified by Grant Papers.)
Notes: Jones served as Grant's minister to Belgium. The blackmail attempt involved charges that Jones sold Grant land in Illinois at an extremely low price in exchange for a position as a foreign minister. Jones defused the charges by writing letters to the newspapers, published in the New York Times on 16 September and 12 October 1872. Nominated at the Baltimore Convention, Horace Greeley ran for President against Grant in the election of 1872. An uneasy coalition of democrats and liberal Republican supported Greeley on a platform that criticized the corruption of the Grant administration and the controversies surrounding reconstruction. Greeley captured only 66 electoral votes and six states (Kentucky, Texas, Georgia, Missouri, Maryland and Pennsylvania) against Grant's 286 votes. Greeley died three weeks after the election.
Long Branch, N. J.
Sept. 5th 1872.
Dear Jones;
I inclose you some papers which explain themselves. It looks to me like a "blackmailing" operation. I have made no answer to the man nor will I until I hear from you.
I see by your last letter, just received, that you are quite uneasy about the result of the election. There has been no time from the Baltimore Convention to this when I have felt the least anxiety. The [2] soreheads & thieves who have deserted the Republican party have strengthened it by their departure. If the election was now Greeley would [struck: probably] carry Tennessee & Texas, and probably Maryland. West Va. Geo. [struck: &] Ark. & Florida doubtful with the chances in his favor; Va. Ala. Ky. & Mo. somewhat doubtful with the chances largely in our favor. Whether Greeley will get any state in Nov. depends upon [struck: the] [inserted: no] changes [struck: that may take place] [inserted: for the worse] between now and then. The few Greeley Republicans buzzed like so many Mosquitoes immediately after the nominations [3] giving the impression to the hearer that there was a great many more of them than there was. There was to much time between nomination and election to keep it up.
Give my kindest regards to Mrs. Jones and the children,
Yours Truly
U.S. Grant
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