Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1868-02-03
GRANT At GALENA.
Come Account of 7Ifs Life I'm
That City.
Sis Present Clncquers "Didn's
k<no 49, Him az All
From the Galcpa elll.l Democrat,


We are repeatedly calei upon. in com-
munion with others Of our fellow citzens'
by letters from the different parts OF the
Uaion, for Information IN regafu " 'as
auteeedeuts. moral. social. aud political, VI
C.n n : (;rsnt. or Gen Samuel Ulysses
C,.n, according to a late newspaper wri-
81, ubo ~. be derives tie information
| f,a., sans own father, who, " lie knows
.nvthing. ought to know his own sons
| name.
Having no personal feeling against U. s.
Grant, or 8. U. Grant, We have consequent
ly no objections to give an answer 70 these
queries, and 10 state fairly oil that is known
or can be brought forward, in regard 10 the
politica! opinions Of this gentleman. Az TO
his social and moral status, We have little
say at present but, as to his politics, |
We have excellent authority TO whom We |
can refer for proc, THAT 10, il Gen. Grant
ever had any fixed opinions while no re-
sided in Galena.
| u. s. Grant or s. U. Grant came to this
city about nine years ago. lis father was
a resident Of Co ington, KY. had lesth-
CT store here. and was engaged through
his two sons, Orvillc and Simpson Grant,
in the purchase Of hides, which we're ship |
ped to Covington. Ilither came Ulysses,
after hc wandered out Of the United STATES
army, and was employed ~ KIND OF POI
ter about the establishment. lie was
equally unknown to fame or TO society hs'c'
I'D 50 remained until his good luck came
INTO play with that OF the black republican
dynasty Of A. Lincoln.
| has been repeatedly stated that Grant |
voted for Douglass at the presidential cleo.
zion Of 1860, which resulted in the triumph
Of
..Black Old Abe and the eternal Niger =
Again, it has been said that both he and
hin brother voted for A. Lincoln. His
brother did vote the republican ticket, but
Sam did not vote all lie tod one gentle
} man that, If he did vote. he would prefer
to 90 80 for Bell and Everett, the know
nothing candidates. 10 another gentle
man he expressed his preference for Judge
Douglas, adding, however, that he did not
like to oppose the wishes Of lis father aud
, brother. Who were republicans thus sx-
hibitlng the came vacllating course in po-
itics that he does ct present. know-noth-
ingism appears at ali times to DO his pre-
dominating political characteristic.
but few of our citizens knew U. 8. or 5.
L. Grant during his residence there; and
A., il vas not until the title Of General was At
taohed TO his name that they began to in
auire "Who and what is tits Gen. Grant
, who is announced as = distinguished citi-
zen Of Galenay" I'VE never knew him T.
"What is he, and wha, did he do here :"
Everybody seemed astonishsd TO End that
~ "had . Bourbon smong u.s." and had
isuorantly been nursing . military genius
: in our midst, who Was destined POLITICALLY
. at least) to overslaugh oil competitors.
!. II is generally understood that there is.
and has been for some time past, in fact
: ever since Gen. Grant doomed up into the
0 political horizon, quite a contest or rivalry
as to tbs particular individual who first lent
Grant n helping hand-both f. b. Wash
: burne and Dick Yates claiming the merit OF
! being his beuefactor.
, Ii appears that on the breaking out o
Q tho rebellion, U. 5. or s. L. Grant Eve hac
r better call him Sam, for short) wandered 4
G Springfield, aud obtained temporary EN-
i poyment as a clerk or peace adjutant in tn
r office Of that moral, sober, and excmplar
chief magistrate, Gov Richard Yates, thei
o busily attempting to organize the militia o
|. Illinois. 1t WAS here the first stroke o
j. good luck occurred to him. A regimen
&c was being organized and Dick was abou
= to appoint certain A. B. colonel thereof
h against whom the officers OF the embry,
y corps rebelled stoutly. "Who then, shal
) appoint - said his excellency. ANY
IL body but politician, responded the cap
e tains and lleutcnAnts present. "There':
/ Capt. Grant, how will he do-hc's a W est
. Pointcrf" says Dick (Sam was writing at a
d table in the room). Content answered
n the officers, and Grant was immediately
. commissioned 10y the governor colonel 0
Il tho 2lst Illinois regiment, and who proba
|. blv IN that c.p.citr the best appoint
u msnt that Dick had made.
Ulysses Sam or Sam Ulysses, after BIZ
y s,nguIarly accidental fortune in getting tn,
II regiment, had next to raise the fui De 4
II equip himself Ills present admirers wer
d not the men to assist him they stood alooi
If although many Of them at the time wer
VI making money out Of army contracts. II,
. was poor they were rich. His own fnmi
. " refused to aid him. and, had il not bse
n for the kindness of n gentleman who was
4 democrat, and had been at one time con
10 nected with his father in business, h
{. would not have been able to purchase hi
: outfit;
u Up to this time it is said that San
is Grant had never known L. b. Washburne
y or Washburne known Sam, although som
lc members Of his family had politically stoo,
II by Washburnc. The congressman Ia,
10 often passed and repassed the unknown he
&c TO in blessed ignorance Of who and what b
pr WAS.
A When and where they found out their re
h spective merits, il unknown TO us. So ais
ID others Of our citizens, who now adulats
faWu upon, and worship Grant, hailing hin
= as the "Agamemnon" Of the army, neve
recognized him, patsonxed him, or extend
10 ed TO him the right hand OF fellowship, un
Is I'll Washburns led the way. after he hat
I, been manufactured into General, and thei
" il was that he Was first deemed worthy O
q their distinguished consideration.
Such is . brief sketch Of tho Galcna ca
, rcer Of "Uncle Sam" Grant, o. be was wont
> to DO called by his old comrades Of the reg
) wlar army. We have 'naught sxtenuated o.
+ set down in malice" His good luck ia
!: things personal has adhered to him thus far
I As We have before remarked, the very meu
e who knew him not, who never extended Il
d him their hands 10 friendship, or their hos
. pitality to him or his family, or even visited
2 them.-who, in fact, while he was in ths
% humble employ Of his father, under the di
J. rcction Of his younger brother, gave him
the cold shoulder,-are now HE most OBJ
/ sequious servants, and. in conjunction will
II and At the nod Of +. b. washburns, Dur
b chased aud furnished for him house. a
10 the enormous expense Of some "a. 900, ma
/. king the whole country ring With their zen
D. srosity. On the other hand, the few who
ID out Of pity for his poverty and fsrloru con
o. dision, showed him kindness, appear I,
Of have been totally forgotten by this distin
Of guishsd ''citissn Of Galena."
10 We speak only Of Grant in connectio,
,e with this city. Although be has shown
O. Christian spirit in forgivine his snsnie
ID and doing good 70 those who despitefuily
used him, this fact may entitle him tossl
election as an honorary member Of tn
= Young None Christian Association. DO
certainly does not at him for the office o
Detator over the ten Southern States. o
10 President Of the whole Union.
e 1t is promised here very generally, ant
1 s-b H.