Benjamin Harrison - Typed Letter Signed - Declines Unveiling of US Grant Statue

Description

BENJAMIN HARRISON
.  Important typed letter signed by, “Benj. Harrison,” notifying Charles H. Howell that he is declining to attend the unveiling of the Ulysses S. Grant statue at Fairmount Park in Philadelphia: “I beg to acknowledge the receipt of the invitation of the Fairmount Park Art Association to attend the unveiling of the equestrian statue of General U.S. Grant, on Thursday, April 27th, and to express my regret that I cannot be present on this interesting occasion.”  The letter is one page, measures 9” by 8”, signed on April 11, 1899, and in overall fine condition.
IMPORTANT TYPED LETTER SIGNED BY BENJAMIN HARRISON DECLINING TO ATTEND THE UNVEILING OF THE ULYSSES S. GRANT STATUE AT FAIRMOUNT PARK IN PHILADELPHIA
The Grant statue was created by Daniel Chester French, the well-known sculptor who designed the Abraham Lincoln statue at the Lincoln Memorial, and dedicated on April 27, 1899, Grant’s 77th birthday.  The unveiling was attended by President William McKinley and thousands of Philadelphians.
THE FAMOUS GRANT STATUE WAS CREATED BY DANIEL CHESTER FRENCH, THE WELL-KNOWN SCULPTOR WHO DESIGNED THE ABRAHAM LINCOLN STATUE AT THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL
Although Harrison served as a Colonel in the 70th Indiana Infantry during the Civil War and later represented the federal government in the U.S. Supreme Court case Ex parte Milligan at Grant’s request, he still declined to attend the dedication of one of the most famous statues of the former Commanding General of the Union Army and President of the United States.