Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1867-12-25
lonIitirnI.
roR rnEspENr. uLYssEs S. GRAN1


war. After recting the successes IN the West
which brought Gen. Grant into the front rank Of
military commanders Mr.. Rice proceeded as
follows '--
After these great achievements, General Grant
had been raised from the rank Of colonel with
which he entered into the army to the rank Of
hrigadicr-peneral, had been presented with rcsolu-
lions, swords and various testimonials for his con-
spicuous services AZ this time he was called To
Washington that he might have conferred upon
him the title Of Lieutenant general Of the armies
Of the United States, an office that had been held
by but two men before him-General Washington
and General Scott. He was Immediately put IN
command, not of a single army, but Of all the ar
mics of the United States, and their control and
direction was put almost without condition in his
hands General Grant, after he had been appoint
ed to this rank did not set down his headquarters
at Washington. lie announced at once that there
would be an official headquarters in the city OF
Washington, where il had always been. but that
the real headquarters of the army would be in the
field, wherever he was, [applausel lie went at
once to the field and established himself in the
ncighborhood OF Richmond and laid out the plan
for gigantic series Of military operations which
have no comparison and no approach and no paral-
lei ia the martial achievements of mankind. Il
was there that he was, and directed not only the
operations Of the Army Of the Potomac, but Of
the various great armies Of the United States,
carrying out the gigantic scheme for the utter
overthrow and annihilation of the rebels, and he
himself with the assistance Of General Meade di-
rccted aud controlled the Army Of the Potomac.
Well in that month Of May, 1864, when active
operations commenced, how rapid and how bril-
liant was the succession Of victories After the
bloody battle OF Spots yvania you will all remeu-
Der his marvellous telegram which was sent to the
Secretary OF War az Washington. announcing the
progress thus far. He said. We have had six
days arduous and bloody fighting, and have made
some progress and have also met some defeats I
intend 90 fight it out this line il it takes me all
summer" IAppause7 You all remember how
that dispatch filled the hearts of loyal men in all
parts OF the republic, who felt that the beginning
Of the end Of the rebellion had come Tapplausc ,
and that there was man at the head of the arm
les who ii he did not fight according to rule as
General Lee sometimes complained, and as Gene
raj Buchanan complained Of old Farragut down
at Mobile Bay, because he didn't fight him accord
ing to the rules laid down in the books rapplausel
the loyal people Of the country felt that was a
man who, by rule or without rule, would make one
mighty and irresistible assault upon the forces Of
the rebellion till they were driven back You
know very well how rapidly the rebellion did con-
tract its quarters, till after months Of lighting
armies entered into Richmond.
After the confederacy had fallen, after Lee had
surrendered and the safety of our government was
no longer in doubt, what did General Grant do?
Without stopping to 90 into Richmond and see
the scene of his great triumphs, he Immediately
returned TO Washington and reported himself to
the War Department, and If | mistake not, ON the
very day when he arrived inWashington, he coup-
scled and advised the issue oil a notice to all the
military posts throughout the loyal States that the
war OF the rebellion was substantially az an end
and that rctreuchment Of the expenses Of the gov
eminent should Immediately begin. IL has bacn
one of his characteristics not only that he has been
equal to all the eNigences of the field, but that he
possesses the power OF administration equal TO The
responsibilities of all the duties of the highest
position in the government OF this country Not
only did he seek TO retrench the expenses Of the
government in connection with the military affairs,
but lac also sought 10 reduce the army itself as fast
as possible and in the whole field Of operations
over which he bad command that there should be
such economy. such prudence exercised as should
make the smallest sum suffice deiray legitimate
expenses Well now, fellow-citizeus, the time
has come when we are to select a who shall
not only administer the civil affairs of the govern
ment, who shall not only advise in regard to the
rctrenchment OF the expenses OF the army, but
who shall have the supervision and direction Of all
the departmentments of the government. And if
there be any man in this country who has earned
more profoundly the gratitude and the homage Of
his ellowcitzens than has Ulysses Grant, the gal
liant and successful leader of our armies against
the rebellion, would like to know who that man
is. Why, how soon after the close of the reyolu-
tionary war did the American people seek to show
their gratitude and confidence in Washington, and
their pride in making him President OF the United
States Also after the warof 1872 how Immediately
did the mind OF the country turn to Gen jackson
and think to put him in the presidential Office as "A
reward for his military services! 1t is sufficient
to say that it also the military services aud
achievements. of General Taylor and OF General
Harrison that directed the attention and gratitude
,lfI Of lao ia.
candidates Tor the presidential flice. Gen Grant
has achieved glorious results results before which
those of Washington begin to grow pale, and be-
fore which none Of the others are to bee brought
into anything like legitimate comparison. After
he has accomplished this, who is more entitled to
be the President OF your county-to hold the
highest Office in the gift OF the people OF the
United States than General Ulysses S. Grant?
Applause.
Some people have asked whether General Grant
is capable of filling the presidential Office
Well. gentlemen, do not know as | can Judge of
General Grants ability, but inviting the bighest
criterion that know Of judging the ability of a
man rs to whether he is equal to positions in which
he has been placed there is no man in this coun-
try can say that General Grant ever held any posi-
ton, either military or civil, in which he did not
show an amount of ability entirely correspondent
to the eNigency of the station in which he was
placed. Applause. And there have been some
VINO doubted WntlHtr ne was rlgnt on the man
question before the country. Well, | do not
know whether he agrees with the theories of this
man or of that man, but do know that a man
who in the time Of war, when the liberties of the
country were in danger, counted his life not dear
unto himself, but from the beginning to the end
of the gigantic struggle exposed himself wherever
the eXigencies OF the war called him; who by the
force of his own abilities raised himself from one
of the humblest to the most exalted position in the
army, do know, il he is with the cause of free
government and the cause of liberty, he is suili-
cienty right for me- and tell you, fellow citizens
that he is right in the opinion Of the majority of
the people Of this country, who await the oppor-
tunity when his name shall be presented for then
suifrages, to 60 to the polls and make public ex-
preston OF their appreciation of his services and
their gratitude for the great blessings which he
has conferred upon his country This meeting
here in old Faneui Hall is 20 present his name to
the people Of Boston man who is entitled to
the affections OF his country, who in the hour OF
trial has proved worthy to receive the suifrages of
the people of the United States, and who. when
he shall be elevated to the presidential office, will
meet all the eXigencies Of the position as he has
been able to meet the eXigencics of the war !
tell you that the interests Of the country will be
entirely safe in the hands of General Ulysses S.
Grant as its President He will do for the men
of the North and the South that which impartial
justice demands at his hands. lie will see that
these States are reconstructed upon the basis of
LOYALTY and freedom and he will fpbt il out an that