Weekly national intelligencer., 1864-03-24
GENERAL ULYSSES s. GRANT.

Truthful Biographical Sketch Of ms Lve'
Charactcr and Services by Dho has tno"n lam from
his Boyh0od.'
Itis common but mistaken idea that great occasions
always produce great 1t is, however, true ina
great occasions srd opportunities to those who are 'or
tunate enough identify themselves with them To e3bo
their weakness strength The present civil war IN the
limited States marked by its bloody, rapid and thrilling
incidents presents strong contrast with other wars oi
the Republic this truth, and stamps It with dlstncness
upon our history Men have up and gone down with
the rspdity of the waves The graceful plume OF the
officer which but yesterday at the head OF his
ambated egions to day transferred to another, While
its possessor sinks to the level OF the commoner
Some there who have risen with the OCCASION and SO
steadily and surely advanced their regulations that they
are now regarded as the leading splits of the country
upon whom its present safety and future welfare, in
great measure must depend Prominent and first among
these is Gen. u. s. GRANT, who as military captain,
tactican and administrative officer has gained for himself
impsrshab,e glory and for the of the Union the
greatest advantages
A character so distinguished, and stamped with SO
many evidences Of uquesonable ability who previous
TO the present unfortunate and sangunsy contest brought
uDon the country by insurgents comparatively un
known necessarily has drawn to him large share OF pub
lie attention. and led to the inquiry who he was and what
he was So sudden his appearance, so like meteonc
flash that many bewidered and astoduded that the
peaceful unpretendng quiet citizen, engaged in the or
dnary avocatons If civil life hiding away from the
of the multitude should NIL at become the successful
hero If the age leading the vast undiscpned armies Of
hi Government through swamps and deflas aud over
hostile fields success Writers have speculaed upon
hi some of their statements have been true and some
are fabulous For while his victories sscribed to
kaI;ay ,k.ta nLnn,.
subordinate who had withdrawn from military life could
achieve such astounding results have marked his
reer But years and half Of active service, crown
ed with seventeen victories have the deuslon,
and placed the of Grant at the top OF the st on
which enrolled the of Generals and he s now
every where acknowledged to be the Corscan Lieutenant
OF America who has from obscurlty To leadership
II be has accomplished much the great Napoleon
he has achieved more in the length of time and il
invested with continued confidence and supplied with suf
fcent means who doubts the future His life has been
one Of actions and not words He known by what he
has done and not fom what he has said His reputation
therefore, rests upon enduring basis than that o
the prosy writer ephemeral decamer talking politician
When called upon for speech he tells his admirers ths
he s no speaker and has speech to make aud there
so,s bile others violate the evidence Of good the
ruIas ot 2roprety rhetoric and grammar 10 bunglng
snooev for rot speaking His modcsty is only equaied
bv b sound discretion hs unostentaous manners by the
vigorous prosecution 0f his duty in the dlscharRr 9" when
ha aI. power az Sent and reSislless as Inc
mighty river which he has redeemed from The trammels
of rebel foe by the and skill Of his military genns
General Grant does not to be aware of hiS own
merit striking proof of this ID found 10 his recent letter
to his friend Mr. washbun which he he has no
aspirations or worthness beyond his present position
when speaking of the effort being made in Congress to
he phic of
him ~ the proper man All it, Since the letter Of Gen
Grant to his friend written Congress has passed hr
resolution providing for the appointment OF Lieutenant
General but is to be regretted II did 20 in very gues
touabe form. Since its passage the President has n"mt
mated Cen Grant 10 the Senate and he may be pre-
snmed to be the incumbent Of the ofice. What the
country lodncd and demanded was that he shouli be
placed at the head of armies The resolution conerF
upon him only the empty title and emoluments, without
augmenting hs command civilian by profession Is still
Genera-iu Chief and he who ought to be first il but
subordinate under Presidential nomination How will
the people be proed by such disposition of the ques
tion The office without the authority incident to il and
Indispensable to its proper exercise but medal which
can add nothing to the fame of one who by his genius
and exerons far above It's empty effect and who
has gathered his lsurels upon many bloody fields. Ger
tainy our arms derive profit advantage in thus
honorng the aud ignoring the most vital interest o
the Government The performance or the 6rst duty was
all right-Gen Grant deserves to be h,nored-but the
omission Of the last all wrong for the country needs
his services where they be the most beneficial The
true friends Of both will regret that Congress stopped far
short Of its duty. Why throw him gltterng robe
az the insignia of Office aud deny to him the right to
else the functions Of The plece1 Place coners honor
upon Cen Grant, and how he confer honor place
il forbidden to exercise the powers belonging to t7 So
far useuness growing out Of he late appointment lie
concerned he might well be General Scott General
Grant Major General Grant as Lieutenant General
Grant This episode is believed not TO be out Of place
here, and is alike due t. Cen Grant himself and to just
be hoped that Congress will reconsider it's action, aud
give us the substance and not the shadow Of Lieutenant
Generalshp. This is what req Iired, and what we
should have-what - due to the country and to Gen
Grant. Any thing short Of il answers no useful public
purpose and will be like the rays the sun falling on an
object capable Of fertilization and yet forbidden by an
arbitrary decree, from yielding it's fruit
In no instance has Gen Grant sought position but
osition has sought him Each which he has filled be
nas adorned by bis integrity hs taIents and HIS sinte
rested patriotism Although the past has shown that he
possesses endowments Of very high order honesty
certy simplicity, and truth the cowning virtues
This sketch was written while Gen Grants nomina.
ton pending boiore the Senate. Since his corrma
ton Cen Halleck has resigned Generain Chief aud
been assigned 10 duty Washington chief Of staff Of
Cl. nrJn q