Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1868-07-04
SATURDAY MORNING, JULY 4, 1868.


why Grant should bc President.
Providental influence and guardianship
over nations generally appear in the charac.
J ter of the persons brought up for their safe
| ty and defense. Moses was endowed and
! peculiarly fitted for the task of leading the
lsraelites out from Egyptian bonda age, while
Cyrus was especially prepared for the resto-
ration of that ancient people. But the most
important event in the history of the human
race was the introduction of Christianity.
Ihis new religion occupied at least three
hundred years in its formation alone. Du-
ring this eventful period, and the seven hun.
dred years following, the noblest portion of
humanity passed from the ancient religions of
paganism tn a worship of the true faith.
This heavenly doctrine had grown up under
shelter of the Roman power, and by tho
middle of the fifth century had overspread
all its provinces. The worship of idols
which fo RACES had been looked upon as a
sacred duty. now began to be neglected
but the advocates of these ancient su.
persttions, like the shave drivers of Ameri-
ca, were determined to make resistance to
the further spread of Christian civilization.
In A. d. four hundred and forty five, At.
tia the Hun founded Budo on the Danube
six years afterwards he was furnished with
material aid from the entire heather world
to wage an extermnating war on the fol-
lowers of Jesus. Styling himself "1h0
Sc0urge Of God," Attila, at the head of sew
en- hundred thousand pagan troops, was de-
termined tn crush out Christianity in the
Western Empire. A great and important
event in the affairs of mankind was then
about to take place. Urged on by the au-
gures of the heather priest. hood, in COM
mand of this immense army, he commenced
the invasion. Although the civil power of
Rome was fast declining. yet sufficient vital
ity was left to enable the Roman General
Aetius and Theodoric, King of the Visigo,hs,
to gather the Roman legions to repel the
invaders. The two armies met on the plains
of Chalons, where the great battle was
fought that decided the fate OF Christianity
in the fifth century. Attila's intention was
first to crush the army under Aetius, and
then advance with overwhelming power to
extinguish the last spark of Christian civil
zation in the doomed Roman Empire. King
Theodoric while leading cavalry charge
against the right wing of the heather army,
lost his life, but under the guardianship of
Divine Providence Aetius Qike General
Grant, raised up for n mighty purpose) TIL
, umphantly defeated Attila in his gigantic
effort to destroy Christianity. The good
that resulted to the human race from this
great victory can never be over.esimated.
' osueT nave SlDCe DCeu
! fought, such as Tourn, A. d. 732, which res.
cued Briton and Gaul from the civil and
religious yoke Of the Koran. Then comes
the battle of Hastings in 1866. and Joan of
Arcs great victCry over the English, at Or.
leans, 1899 then we have the defeat Of the
i Spanish Armada, 1885; ; the battle Of Blen.
helm, 1904 that of Pultowa, 1909; then
comes the victory of the American RGvulu-
tionary fathers over Burgoyne, at Saratoga,
l777; and Waterloo in 1916
In the above battles, extending through
a thousand years, some of the commanders,
: like Napoleon, have left impershabe lau
rels. But when in any age of the world
docs history record such q galaxy of bril-
liant military successes as those achieved
by General Grant2 While we are all reve-
renee the never to he forgotten names of
Washington and Lincoln, we must consider
it one of our chief mercies to have man
left with us whom Providence has mracu-
: lously preserved through fifteen hard fought
battles, man who everywhere has shown
!, that he possessed that felicity the Romans
SO much valued in their generals: a Chris
tian would call it smiles of Dirine Provi-
, dence, which seems to render auspicinus all
- his undertakings; a man with caution and
intrepidity, with patriotism and enterprise.
with modesty and tirmness a man with
7 cool, penetrating judgment and prompt de-
4 4 cision. Every American citizen who looks
upon the old flag should remember that
y Grant and the brave army under him carried
:. it on from victory to victory from Fort
= Donelson to Corinth, from Corinth to Vicks.
i burg, and from Vicksburg to Richmond.
" This was done to strike the shackle from
: the slave, and in defense of the best govern
ment ever instituted by man; while Lee,
his antagonist, represents Attila the Hun
= fighting Cor slavery, the twin brother of bar
: barism.
Grants name will ever be associated with
the salvation of his country. 1t was he who
: waded through fire and blood to free it,
. and leave it undivided to posterity. Who
= is there to speak against him 2 Some say,
= other Generals might have done the same
; but other Generals did not Go it. And
what though Rome might have possessed
:. other Senators beides Fabius, who could
. have vanquished Hannibal, or besides Fa
!, bricius who could have withstood the bribt
of Pyrrhus Is that any reason why these
old Romans should be robbed of the glory
} with which they have been crowned by the
!, consent of agesa Who can view the presen
= Unsettled condition of the United States
: knowing the strength of the contendine
. parties, and not agree with us that it is one
'. of the noblest acts of patriotism in Genera
= Grant to forsake his sure situation on thu
> summit of fame, to accept the dubious heln
= of government, and for the sole good of hi
country risk reputation which history al
ready secures him untarnished and immor
, tal.-Dye's Life Of Grant