A Memento of the First Ever Visit of a US President to China, Signed by Ulysses S. Grant and His Delegation

We are aware of no other autographs of Grant from this trip having reached the market

Richard Nixon was not the first President to visit China. On February 20, 1979, the New York Times reported: “When President Nixon arrives in China today on an unprecedented state visit, he will not be the first American President to have set foot on that nation’s shores. Nearly one hundred years ago, while the Manchu dynasty still held sway over the crumbling Chinese Empire, Gen. Ulysses S. Grant entered the gates of Peking and was borne in an imperial palanquin into the heart of the Forbidden City. Just one month after the expiration of his Presidential term, General Grant embarked on a worldwide tour which took him to Europe, Asia Minor, India and Indochina on his way to the two great realms of the Far East. In all he spent six weeks In China, visiting the cities of Canton, Swatow, Amoy, Shanghai, Tientsin and Chefoo, with a full week in Peking, from June 3 to 10, 1879. During his stay he was entertained in the royal manner and granted interviews with Prince Kung, the ruling regent of the Manchu Court —the real Emperor was only 5 years old at the time—and Li Hung‐chang, the Western‐oriented strongman of North China.”

The Chinese had hopes, largely unrealized, that Grant would help them handle diplomatic and military crises with Japan and Vietnam, where the French had influence. He went with a delegation of his own, which included his wife and son, officers of the US Navy, and one of the earliest US ministers to China, Chester Holcombe.

Document signed, Swatow [Shantou], China, May 13, 1879, a place card for the dinner held in Grant’s honor that evening belonging to a Mrs. Scott. Signed by Ulysses S. Grant, his son Frederick Dent Grant, his wife Julia Grant, Charge d’Affaires Chester Holcombe, two representatives from his naval escort.