Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1866-05-17

SOiupbIOiitI WAS uiIeNIeu ny tuS grave
full Queen TO rear for him the stately
pile of Blenheim, which remains until
to day a splendid monument of the gen.
ius of the architect and the gratitude of
the nation. For his subsequent VIC
tories an annuity OF $4,000 year,
charged upon the post-ofiice, was settled
upon him, and his Dukedom, which was
originally limited TO his heirs male, was
extended to his heirs female, in order"
as 1t was finely expressed, chat Eng
land might never be without title
which might recall the remembrance
of so much glory" 1t has been esti-
mated that the sum total of these grants
exceeded 100000, Some orus can re-
member the Peninsular campaign; how
with every packet we learned that the
guns of the Tower were hearlding some
new triumphs of the English arms in
Spain how London was all ablaZe with
bonfires how the Prince Regent az the
opening of every Parliament, announces
some browning victory OF Wellington,
and that he will raise him another step
In the peerage, and solicits from his
faithful Commons another el00 600 to
sustain the style and dignity'of the in-
creased rank. Some of us remember
that on the night when the news from
Waterloo first reached Parliament El00,-
600 were instantly voted, and that the
gratitude of the nation descended upon
the Iron Duke in munidcent grants and
golden showers. Places, palaces, offices
and sinecures are fairly thrown at his
feet. The aggregate of sums given to
him, exclusive Of salaries, exceeds $780,
600, to say nothing Of snug little an
nuity of $4,000
HOW WE HAVE REWARDED OUR OWN RE-
ROEs.
Our institutions, it is said, are popu-
lar, and that these regal benefactions
/ are hostile TO their genius and spirit;
and yet the American people have not
in the past been insensible to the claims
of great military service to solid and
substantial rewards, and have constant
ly solicited expressions of gratitude in
harmony with the simplicity and frU-
gality OF our system. They rewarded
Gen. Washington for his military ser
vices in the revolution by twice electing
him to the Presidency. They rewarded
Gen. Jackson for his military services in
the war Of 1872 by twice electing him to
the Presidency. 1t was his services in
the same war which contributed vastly
to the elevation of Gen. Harrison to the
same Office, and but for his Mexican vic
tories, Gen. Taylor never would have
been President of the United States.
The heroism of Gen. Scott in two wars
directed the attention Of q great party
to him as their candidate for the Presi-
denCy, and all parties united in confer
ring upon him the rank of Lieutenant
General as the only reward they could
bestow upon his lifelong devotion to
the defence and renown Of our flag.
LAURELs WON BY GRANT.
Now could safely challenge each one
Of this long line of heroes to come forth
and present claim upon national graft
tude which cannot be met and over
matched by the claims upon US of that
modest and reticent soldier who scatter
ed the armies and destroyed the military
power of q rebellion whose success
would have buried the great republic of
the world beyond the hope of resurrec-
ton. Tried by the criterion of success,
who Of them can present q brighter,
farer more unsullied record? Tried by
the interests at stake, upon which of
their swords did interests so momentous
hang? Tried by the valor of the adj
versary, who Of them ever encountered
q foe so worthy Of his steel If in the
sad and dlsheartening summer of 1868,
it had been asked you what rank will
you confer upon the General who 81
lences the batteries at Vicksburgb, that
the Mississippi, through the bisected re-
belliOn might course unobstructed from
the prairies to the Gulf; if it had been
asked US at the close of the last session,
what will you do for him who breaks
the lines at Richmond ana receives the
sword OF Lee, what soul in the House
would have placed any limit or qualif-
cation upon its obligations Find a
single martial enterprise in the whole
history Of mankind more serious in the
obstacles to be overcome, more lumin-
Gus as an example of heroism and endu-
rance, more fatal to an enemy, more
magnificent in its results than the single
enterprise Of opening the Mississippi
river; search the tide Of time for a ma
ZION which was ever delivered from such
depths and exalted to such pinnacle of
exultation by one single blow, as by that
struck at Richmond in April last, which
at the same time broke the head and
paralyzed the extremities of the rebel
lion. War has been defined to be con-
tention by force for the purpose of Grip
ping or overwhelming an enemy; and
in glancing at the history Of our war. it
seems to me that we had made but lit
tie progress even in gripping our enemy
until the infiexible will and martial en-.
ergies of Gen. GRANT entered as an ami
mating and directing soul irto the ar
mics Of the Republic. Prior to his
conspicuous appearance upon the grand
arena we had met with many reverses
and few successes, but the reverses
were most depressing to the national
spirit and the successes had hardly pen
etrsted the hide of the defiant monster
which was confronting US. War had
surged and re-surged with alternate tri-
umph and defeat over the devoted plains
of Missouri. We had gained a lodg-
ment on the coast of South Carolina: |
We held the sand-pits of Hattpras and |