Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1868-06-12
GEN. GRANTS SPEECHES.
IFrom ths Nsw ZOE Trilnne.l ]

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critics is Gen. S. B. Buckner, now the
editor of The Louisville Courier, the chief
Pendleton- Democratic organ of Kentucky.
Editor Buckner sharply reviews Gen
Grant style and ideas, and thinks he won't
do But Mr.. Buekner possibly may re-
member one little speech or composition of
Gen Grant 1t was as follows
HEADoUARTERs Army IN THE FIELD,
CANP NEAR DoNELsoN, FEB. l6, 1862.
To Gen. S. B. BUcKxER, Confederate AYaty:
Yours Of this date, proposing an armistice
aud appointment OF commissioners 10 settle
terms of capitulation, is Just received. No
other terms than an unconditional and iHsme.
diate slureRdsr can be accepted. / propose to
more Immediately upon your Corks. am,
/ Sir, very respectfully, your obedieut servant,
Z. S. GRANT,
/ B'igaclier General q. S. A., Commanding.
Gen. Buckner called these terms un-
generous and uncivil bit he made haste to
accept them. For once, at least he clearly
comprehended Gen. Grants style.
/ Some time afterward, Gen. Grant was
visited in his camp before Yicksburg by
Gen. Pemberton, who was anxious to know
upon what terms that city could be relieved
from siege just then pending. Here are
the speeches:
PENBERToN.-Ge Grant, | meet you in
order to arrange terms for capitulation.
/ What terms do you demand?
CRAM Unconditional surrender.
PENBERToN. Unconditional surrender!
Never, SO long as have man left me. I
viii fight rather.
/ GRASr.-yery we'll
! But Gen. Pemberton reflected little,
and as soon as the full force of Gen. Grants
brief speech became clear to his mind, he
too, made haste TO comply.
Again. on the road to Richmond, after the
battle of Spottsylvania Court House, Gen.
Grant INDUCED in a speech or dispatch 10
those tolerably clear works:
'We have now ended the sixth day Of very
heavy fighting, aud the result to this time is
much in our favor.
Propose 10 .tigH il ont on his line If
1t takes all Summer"
We believe Gen Lee was in no doubt as
to the meaning of this speech. IF he was,
those doubts we're settled by the next which
we shall quote of Gen. Grants speeches.
The scene this time is at AppomattoxC Court
House:
l propose to recstcs the Surrender of the
Army of Northern Virginia upon the follow.
ing terms"
We need not quote the terms. It is
enough to say that Gen. Lee very clearly
understood them. and lost no time in com
plying
Since that time Gen Grant has made few
speeches. but few and brief as they are,
they are by no means 50 ambiguous as these
Democratic critics would have us believe
His late and noblest speech reads as follows
Mr.. President, and Gentleman Of the Ma
tioRaL Union ConrsatioR: will endeavor in
a very short time to write 70 a letter accept |
ing the trust you have imposed upon me-
[Applause.l Expressing my gratitude for
the confidence you have placed in me, l will
now say but little orally, and that is to thank
you for the unauimity with which you have
selected me as a candidate for the Presi-
dental Office. ] can say in addition, looked
on during the progress of the proceedings At
Chicago with q great deal Of interest, and am
gratifed with the harmony aud unanimity
which seem to have governed the delibera-
tions of the Convention. If chosen to fill the
high Office for which you have selected me,
will give to its dnties the same energy, the
same spirit, and the same WILL that l have
given to the performance of all duties which
have devolved upon me heretofore Wheth-
er | shall be able to perform these duties to
your entire satisfaction, time viii determine.
You haze truly said, ja the course Of gour
address, that shall hare no policy ofn1g olCn
10 enforce against the ,oiH of the people
We have had four Generals in the Presi-
dental chair, not one of whom was brilliant
as an orator. George Washington, when Civ
en- the command Of the Revolutionary Army,
could scarcely say II thank you. The
only real speech he ever made was written
by Alexander Hamilton Andrew Jackson
was no orator; but when he said:
By the Eternali the Union must and shall
be preserved, y
hawas very fairly understood even in South
Carolina. Gems. Harrison aud Taylor were
men of little oratorical ability. yet they made
out to use ineligible English. julius
Caesar was an indifferent speaker, yet there
was solid pith in his Teat, rid. rici. -
Napoleon (the first was a wretched orator.
and still men of every tongue found no diff
Guilty in getting at the meaning Of the few
brief speeches he had occasion TO make
There are other notable examples that
speech is silver. but silence is golden. -
These, however, viii suffice; and a. to Gen
Grant, We think our Democratic friends will
manage to understand what he NAV hereaf
ter say, quite as clearly as they did his hum
bic efforts at Fort Donelson, Eicksburg.
Spottsylyania, and Appomattox. Mean
while, we recommend them to careful
study Of his very latest effort-the brief and
noble letter accepting the Republican nomi-
nation, the text of which Is in these words:
TO Gen. JosEPH r. HAwLEY, President
National Union Republican ConreHtjon: In
formally accepting the nomination of the Ma
tional Union Republican Convention of The
2ist Of May inst, it seems proper that some
statement Of views beyond the mere accept
ance Of the nomination should be expressed.
The proceedings ofthe Convention we're mark
ed with wisdom, moderation, and patriotism,
and believe express the feelings Of the great
mass of those who sustained the country
through its recent trails. I indorse the Reso-
latioRs. If elected TO the Office Of President
Of the United States, It viii be my eudeavor
% administer oil the lars IN good faith ,cith
economy, and loith the rie1c Of gicirg peace,
qadet, and protection ecery,csere. In times like