Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1868-10-28
GENERAL GRANT as PRESIDENT,
Henry Ward Beecher's Opinion.

The allegation of that blatant revolu-
zionist and demagogue, Frank P Blair,
that Gen. Grant VII attempt to play the
part of a military dictator, if elected, IS
we'll answered by Henry Ward Beeeher
in his receat speech in Brooklyn:
What them they say, 6 You must
not put military dictator in the W hlte
Housep' There is no man on the good
Gods globe that is so far from being Il IN
the spirit of dictator as General Grant;
there is no man more tender; there is no
man less self-seeking; there is no man
who so unoyes dctatorial power as Gen
eral Grant No He won't need to send
a soldier to the South-he wont need to
draw sword. When they Enow that
Grant is there, that is enough. Ap-
plause.] 1t is said that General Grant
knows nothing of civil affairs. 1t IS GER
tain that Governor Seymour knows moth
ing Of military affairs. It is said that we
need statesman Is there not good
deal Of deception in this matter of the
word statesman | have always thought
aud taught that what is wanted to make
a President is a great deal of common
sense and a great deal of uncommon hon
esty That is all. Now if General Grant
is not misrepresentation of, common sense,
who would you select? and if he is not
honest: ge.tlemen, | think we may give
up all trust in human nature. He IS not
a genius in the sense in which General
Sherman is--the most brilliant genius In
war matters Of our era. But General
Grant is a man without imagination. But
he is a man Of Genius, and 1t is the gen
ius common sense. Less res plendent,
more useful, less shining, truer, deeper,
far more comprehensive and enduring
Now, wnat has been his career Where
can you find man SO modest, SO unself-
seeking, so magnanimous to his equals
[ believe Grant -eminently man OF
[ believe not only that
he has laid the country under obligations
which we shall never repay for the ser
vice he rendered in our great and trying
war, but believe he is destined yet to
lay the country under greater obligations,
and give US an administration SO temper
ate. SO djveStcd Of passion, SO free from
maliqg influence, so wise in the selection
of men, SO forbearing in carrying out Of
necessary measures, that we shall see,
dated from his administration, the con
tjnlsatton Of the administration Of FaSh-
iagton himself, man who, in many i'm
portant respects, be resembles, and in
none more than This wisdom of taking
counsel of wise men, and making his per-
sonal decisions reflect the wisdom of
the counseliors he can gather round about
him. [Appause.] IF General Grant
sits at the head of the government, tn ere
is not one single workingman in this ma
ton, there is not one poor emigrant who
comes here, there is not one dusky crea-
ture that by his pine knot camille reads
his spelling book, that will not tee5 that
he as safe, that he as secure. For General
Grant is the President; that Republican
party, which is the party Of the common
people, the party of universal suffrage
he is the President of that. party. and
every creature in these years will know
that the power of the government and the
D wer of al enlightened Christian public
sentiment will be in favor of the greatest
liberty and the greatest security to all"