Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-05-16
Gen. Grant Compared to Probst.

[From the Chicago Republican
In compliance with the request of sew
eral of our subscribers, we here reproduce
the a~trocious article in which, on the 22d
ult-, the Chicago Times drew an elaborate
parallel between the military career and
character of Lieut.. Gen. Grant and the
murder OF the Deering family by Probst
in P~hiladelphi2, 1t is as follows;
From the Chicago Times, April 22d.
HERO AND A HEROIC ACT.
"The slaughter of the Deering family,
neal Philadelphia, rises beyond the mere
crime known as murder. 1t was no COM
mon operation it was something which
may be regarded as q chef dGuUre; and
the individual who executed it as one of
the masters.
HWhy not? Murder, rs everything
| else, depends for its character upon some
thing besides the mere moral quality
which it devolves. The qualities which
go to characterize human action are mani
fold. Much depends upon extent, time,
circumstances. Putting a period to the
lives of a good many men is, as every one
knows, quite a different thing from kill
ing one or two. The former mounts often
into what we call heroic; the latter sinks
into what is termed crime. The Deering
slaughter is among other slaughters what
the dead of Waterloo or the WILDERNESS
are to the dead of skirmishes. Units mag
nitude, it has a distinctive quality which
gives it an alto reLieeo effect. 1t stands
out prominently in this respect, and thus
possesses one of the features which go far
towards the making up of all great &C
tons.
ave generally find, in examining OF
a~nalyzing those actions called great, that
there is a good deal depending upon what
may be called scarcity. The brilliancy of
the diamond IS something, but the rarity
of the diamond does still more to make it
valuable. So of actions. One of the es-
sential qualities Of great actions is rare
ness, the exceptional character. In re-
speet to being uncommon and exceptional
the Deering Slaughter is perfect. It has
few, if any imitators, and no rivals.
Regarded as a human action, the kill
ing OF the Deering family has a msgni.
tide, a rareness, an exceptional character,
that places it on q par with the most dis
tinguished actions of modern times. Elk.
amined beside battles, and we know Of
none that viii bear comparison with it,
unless it be some of those fought around
Spottsylvania Court House. 1t has all tht
breadth, the sa%nguinary wholesaleness, o.
one of those memorable contests.
"lf we ind this slaughter of this fami,
ly to be on a par with heroic actions anC
great battles, the individual who did the
killing is entitled to a niche among heroes
He is, so to speak, the very lieutenant
general of murderers. He exhibited al
the qualities of g great general, or of SOM
great generals. He had an object TO nc
complish. That object was TO obtain
$500 and u pair of second hand cavalry
boots. This money and these boots lay il
what might be called the Richmond 0
the murderer's plans. Between him anC
the Richmond lay the Deering family
"Now right here is where the murderea
showed the possession of such qualities a
are found in our greatest, or in some 0
our greatest military leaders. He con
cluded TO take the boots and money b,
what may be, or rather what has been
called 'attrition.' This tattrition' resulted
in the killing Of a great many people. 1
was q success. 1t resulted in the gain b,
the assalting party of the Richmond il
which lay boots and money. The patl
was doubtless q bloody one, a most tire
mendous, and, many people will think
an unnecessarily bloody one, but it wa
crowned with success. If the end doe
Lot excuse the means in all cases wher
success results, then we have read histor,
to little purpose.
We have, in The murder of the Deer
ing family, a great act, and in the mu1
/, derer, a great hero. What shall we d,
with him2 The former will take it
place in the chronicle of the heroic; tn
latter is unassigned. He needs honors Q
some sort. 1t would be an sufficient &C
= acknowledgement to make him a brigade
general of murderers. a major. general
ship in the grades of slaughter would still
be beneath his deserts. We must Loo
higher. He outranks the regular an
highest of the customary official distinC
+ tons. He should be at the very least
lieutenant general"
1t was in reply to our exposure of tn
almost inconceivable malignity of thi
article that The Times shamelesslv ao
cused us Of having ourselves made thi
Z attack upon the honored fame of tn
Z Lieuteuant-General The audacity {
this falsehood has of course not deceive,
: any one; but as persons who have sough
l for copies of Tie Times containing the al
ticle have not been able to procure then
we now put it in their power to perus
= one Of the most remarkable efforts o. hu
l man depravity that the malice even {
t The Times has ever been able to produce