Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1868-05-29
A Democratic Eulogy.

The Democratic papers have Of course been
down on Gen. Grant, ever since it was plain
that he was to be the Republican nominee,
and since his actual nomination are redoub-
ling their assaults upon him. They now al
low him no genius asa soldier, no intelligence
as a man, no capacity as a statesman, and at
tribute his advancement and success to sheer
luck. In the words of one of these democrat
ic lights before US, ''Grant has been simply
and solely, in army parlance, lucky cuss. "
Against this senseless driyel we may fairly set
some Of the former eulogies Of these same
journals, when they supposed that Gen. Grant
might possibly become the democratic nom
inee for the presidency. In April, 1865, the
N Y World, the leading organ Of the demo
cratic party, discussed the merits Of Gen
Grant as follows:
Grant stands pre-eminent among all the gen
erals who have led our armies in the late war, in
that he has exhibited the utmost strength Of Will
of which the highest type Of manhood is capable.
Nothing could be more clean and complete,
even in Imagination, than General Grants mas
terly execution.
If ANYBODY is so obtuse or so wrong-headed as
to see nothing great in General Grant beyond his
marvellous tenacitv Of will, let that doubter ex-
plain, if he can, how It has happened that, since
Grant rose to high command, this quality has al
WAYS been exerted in conspicuous energy precise
" NJ the point on which everything in his whole
sphere OF operations hinged. There has been no
display Of great qualities on small occasions no
expenditure Of herculean effort to accomplish oh
jects not Of the first magnitude.
He has won his greatest triumph over hemost
skillful and accomplished General on the other
side: over a General who foilcd him long enough
to prove his great mastery Of the art OF war; and
the completeness Of whose defeat Is a testimony
to Grants genius such as q victory over any
other General of the Confederacy, or even an
earlier victory over Lee himself could not have
given. Apply to General Grant what test you
will; measure him by the magnitude Of the OBJ
stacles he has surmounted, by the value OF the
positions he has gained, by the fame Of the an
tarouist over whom he has triumphed, by the
achievements of his most illustrious co-workers,
by the s1reness with which he directs his lndom-
table energy to the vital point which Is the key
Of a vast field Of operations, or by that supreme
test Of consummate ability, the absolute corr
pleteness Of his results, and he vlndlcateS his
claim to stand next after Napoleon and Yelling
ton, among the great soldiers Of this century, II
not on a level with the latter
Again the World said
Ofthc -teadiness and staunchness Of Gener a
Grants patriotism, or the uprightness aud solid
itv Of his character, no man IN the Country
douhts or affects 20 doubt.
On the score Of loyalty and solid public ser
vices, no man in the country can come into COM
petition with this illustrious soldier.
1t is the nobest reward Of great services like
his that it exalts the character to this high level
that it enables q man TO act nobly without ap-
pearing to be pretentous. General Grant Is un-
der a moral necessity of respecting the grpst re-
nown of his past services.
The Presidency can be nothing to him he has
a more valuable office. But if, in the hands Of
Providence, he could be an instrument for tran
QUILTING the country, that is an homer for which
he could afford to sacrifice ease coIgenial pur-
SUITS and the possibilities of still greater fame as
a soldier.
As Washington was elected and reelected on
the strength of his character and services, with
out pledges either asked OF gwen, we trust that
General Grant will be elected, if at all, in the
same way anu Win tne Sil1t generous cOpnuence.
Having. restored the authority of the Govern
ment, We hope that he may add the highest civic
to the highest military fame by restoring long
lost cordially of feeling
Gen Grant has not charged, since the
World could truthfully utter these words Of
instituted praise. 1t has only become evident
hat his high name could not be used to help
,ebels and copperh~ads back into political
power. and that he is willing to be the stand
lrd bearer of the loyal masses, in peace, as in
var.