The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1868-10-22
Mr.. MotIey,s Lecture on Gen. Grant.

The distinguished historian and formerly
Minister to Austria, J. Lothrop Motley, de-
livered, on Tuesday evening, before the Par.
ker fraternity, in Music Hall, Boston, a mas
tcrly lecture, applicable to the times. The
following is what he says of Gen. Grant;
Who is Grant, who is that mani
My friends, there have been times In our
each other who is Mr.. So.and.So, just nomi.
mated by this or that party as a candidate for
the Presidency q the Omitted states But has
II eyer occurred to any child throughout the
summer, who is General Grant
There are but few among the sons Of men
whose history 10 identical with the history Of
their country. But the record OF this Republic,
during the most eyentful years of its existence,
is the record of the candidate whom we hope
l believe that from the time our generals
simo received the surrender of the rebel armies
up to the period when he became the candi-
faro enouSh To 10
from his fame. For one, ! confess that the
sentiment l find most necessary to guard
against when contemplating hi, wondrous
OF his character, is tendency to over-snthu-
siasm. Through the misty atmosphere which
belongs to the past conspicuous personagss
are apt to dilate into more than mortal pro-
portions, while we are, not unfeasonably, In
clined to scan very. closely the defects and the
professions OF cotemporary greatness In
character makes the great things which he did
seem simple too. There can be no surer test
OF power than the ease with which 1t accom-
plishes herculean tasks; yet the spectator,
deceived by symmetry itself, often mistakes
the colossal for the commonplace.
We all seem afraid Of uttering that one word
man which really characterizes him-the word
genius. The very modesty Of the man himself
seems to rebuke all tendency to exaggeration
Yet, after all, this is exactly what Gen. Sher.
IN an famOus
while avoiding the phrase: MY only point OF
doubt was 10 your knowledge OF grand STRAIT;
cgy and Of books OF science ana history; but
confess your common sense seems to have sup
piled all these" And what Is that common
sense which supplies strategy, science, his
tory, but genius
In the little affair of Belmont, where he frat
showed his incapscity to accept defeat; at
Donelson, where he converted impending rout
Smith; on the dark and bloody April after
noon when he told sherman at Pittsburg
Landing how Donclson WAS won, and organ.
ized out Of apparent panic and ruin that mag
from Nicksburg to Chattanooga, from the VIII
derness to Richmond, he pursued the rebellion
to Its doom-never \ footstep backward-un-
firing, unimpassioncd, tranquil, relentless as
destiny.
have no prctension to be judge Of mill.
tary affairs, but, to my humble apprehension,
the campaigns OF General Grant, especially
those Of Nicksburg, OF Chattanooga, and OF
Richmond will, the more closely they are
studied, the more decidedly reveal capacity
OF the highest order In the man who conducted
them. That they prove perfect nrmness, tc.
nAcity, and self-devotion is beyond dispute.
To be great soldier necessarily implies mani
OF the highest intellectual faculties. No man
can be great soldier without being 4 thinker,
and this is the very reason why successful
soldiers are apt to be dangerous in republic.
'They think too muchi such mon are dangerous. =
Not because he is great soldier-deep as
the debt of gratitude Is which the nation owes
] because whole A.
reer he has manifested those civic virtues
which inspire confidence, do we wish him for
our Chief Magistrate. Chcerfulness and pro-
Ehetic hope when danger and disaster were
thickest; self-command in the hour OF i'm
mcnse success; patience and sclfforgstfulness
under Inmerited oDlo@pymthese qualities arc
fame which might we'll dazzle and lead
astfay the strongest intellect. He seems ut
why he is one Of the few successful soldiers OF
history whom It will seem safe for the people
to have trusted. From the hour when ne was
surprised to md In the newspspers that he
unteers down to the moment when q higher
grade than ever known in our armies was
created for him he never felt the least anxiety
for promotion. But selfcontrol under unmef-
tied and preposterous disgrace, however tenn.
porary, seems to prove more than any of his
deeds the greatness of his character.
Remember that Immediately after the fam
Gus victory OF Fort Donelson, In which he had
presented fifteen thousand prisoners, seven.
teen thousand six hundred small arms, and
sixty five cannon to the United States, he was
most unjustly and causelessly threatened with
arrest and deprived of his command, and that
he did his best, while claiming justice from
his commanding officer before he would with
draw his resignation, to further that expedi.
aon In the coFJRaRS Of. which. be. esa ,effR
smith, "can feel more pleasure than myself al
your richly-deserved promotion. Anything
you may require send back transports for, and
II within my power you shall have It,"
Aud at Milliken's Bend, when preparing tn at
last magnificent movement against Nicksburg,
through which he saw his final triumph as
surcdi when he country, weary OF delays and
nghast at his bOldnsss, was clamoTing for his
removals when our enemies all over the world
were shouting, "As well pluck the stars from
when even his friends turned from him; but
when one plain man, who sat in the White
House, said: ~ rather like the man; think
wen try him little longer,"-how could =
soldier prove greater claims upon the conf.
dence Of the country than he did at that mo.
meat OF almost universal despondencyt
Seeing already in his minds eye what no
other eye could see, that quickly-coming pro-
cession OF victories, that twenty days cam
palgn, the passage of the great river, the I'VE
Johnson and Pemberton, he DESTROYED ono
army and drove the other into tho citadel soon
to surrender to him thirty.two thousand
strong; even when at that moment OF Antici-
pated triumph he heard the loud cry for his
removal, he was incapable of any tho hit save
for the good OF the country.
az iOhs as lHc Drtsuh hucn oltlzen1
her destiny is safe. Such soldiers are not
dangerous. Certainly he did his part toward
putting down the rebellion, but the approval
Of his course has been q little less quiet tn n
he desired.
But forbcar. His career lie a history In II.
sell, and has already engaged the labor OF
brilliant and able writer's, some of them the
partners OF his toll and of his fame; but have
thought 1t not amiss to call your attention to
those qualifications of his qualities as s citi-
zen which ontitle him to the post OF our Chief
Magistrate.
with such man for the frat offlco, and wit
our kindly, hlgh-minded, experienced, pa
triotic and sagacious Speaker of the House,
schuyler Colfax, whose very name 10 SO Buy.
sestivc of Revolutionary memorles-a man
who, placed four yeaIs long on a pedestal
where defects as well as virtues are closely
scanned, has never made an enemy or lost
| iriend-wlth such a genuine Republican for
the Wee Presidency, 1t is impossible to admit
doubt of our success.
We have only to remember the device of the
clan Of Grant, to which, whether belonging to
It or not, he has himself been ever faithful
/ "Stanl last and stand sure, Craig Ellachie.'i
THH READERS particular attention Is In.
Vited to an extract from the letter OF J. Lo-
throP Motley in reference to Gen. Grant.