Beschreibung:

GRANT, ULYSSES S., President. Autograph letter signed ("U.S. Grant") as President, to former Secretary of the Navy Adolph E. Borie, Washington, D.C., 26 January 1876. 1 1/4 pages, 8vo, on lined Executive Mansion stationery, the top third of the letter cleanly separated (not affecting text), two clean fold tears [ With :] Original envelope addressed in Grant's hand, with the word "champagne" written at the left margin, stamp and circular cancellation. PRESIDENT GRANT ORDERS CHAMPAGNE FOR HIS CABINET AND "50 QUARTS & 5 PINTS [OF CHAMPAGNE] FOR MYSELF" Approximately six months before losing the Republican nomination for a third term as President, Grant requests that his personal friend and former Secretary of the Navy Adolph Borie supply the Cabinet and himself with champagne. "In writing yesterday I forgot to send you a commission to order some champagne for me, which you were kind enough to offer to do. Will you please order 15 cases q[uar]ts, 2 p[in]ts for Sec[retary of State Hamilton] Fish; 10 qts. & 10 pts. for Sec[retary of the Treasury Benjamin H.] Bristow, 5 qts. & 5 pts. for Sec[retary of War William W.] Belknap, 15 qts. & 5 pts. for Sec[retary of the Navy George M.] Robeson, 15 qts. & 5 pts. for Sec[retary of the Interior Zachariah] Chandler, 10 qts. for General [Philip] Sheridan, and 50 qts. & 5 pts. for myself. The entire bill for the wine, and duties, with all other charges may be sent to me." Prior to the June 1876 Republican convention, political cartoons depicting Grant as a drunkard were used by his detractors to garner support for other Republican presidential nominees.