The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1868-01-16
GENERAL GRANT.


lie attention as General Grant. His name
is kept constantly before the people, and
a large portion Of the republican press
have announced him as the candidate of
that party for the highest Office in the ma
ton therefore his character and qualif-
cations become Il proper subject for dis
cussion and scrutiny. He is West Point
graduate, who arose, after varied career
Of disaster and success, during our late
unhappy war, to the rank of general of
all the armies Of the United States. As a
military commander, his tactics consisted
simply in brute forcc,-in hurting superb
or numbers against his opponent, and fiji
ling his broken ranks with reinforce
ments. In all his successful battles his
forces greatly outnumbered those of the
enemy; and in his campaign before Rich
mond his army outnumbered the rebels
three to one. During that campaign he
sacrificed the lives of more soldiers than
Lee had in his entire army; and yet Lee,
with his small force, held him at bay for
months, outgeneraled him in every en-
gagement, and only yielded when his re-
sources had become exhausted.
When the impartial historian writes up
the history of our late struggle, he will
write down Grant, general who lacking
skill, made the most reckless sacrifice of
the lives of his soldiers As q military
commander he does not compare with
Mcclellan, Roscncrans, Sherman or Han
cock. He happened to be the officer in
command when the rebellion ended, and
The north in its great rejoicing over the
event, forgot the means employed and the
sacrifice made, and the man who, had he
Jailed, would have received their execra-
tons, became the hero of the hour. The
Americans, as a class, are given to hero
worship; but of thom all none has been
more overestimated than Grant. With
out experience as a statesman, he lacks
those fixed political principles SO neces-
sary in public life. His last vote was
cast for Buchanan, but now he is an eng
ma. When some anxious individual
breaches politics to him he replies by
talking horse" When the president
proposed to remove Stanton, he remons-
trated in the strongest terms, and yet ac-
cepts Stantons place himself. He op-
posed the removal Of Sheridan and Sick
les, two of the most contemplate military
despots that have yet cursed the south,
and threatened all sorts of calamities as
the consequence, yet he mcekly sits in the
war Office and promulgates the presidents
orders. And this is the man whom ma
jority Of republicans present as their
presidential candidate. The honest por-
ton of their party detest him; Wendell
Phillips denounces him Greely's paper
describes him as "the bay horse U. S.
Grant; age -; dam, Victory; sired by
West Point; ridden by +. B. Washburne;
colors, red, white and blue, with black
hoop; Butler hates him, and Wade curses
him; but Thurlow Weed, Jay Cooke &
Co., the Wall street brokers, and bond
holders generally, have found in him a
man just suited for their purposes;-o of a
yielding disposition, easily Influenced by
the wire pullers who control him, know
ing nothing of civil affairs, in their hands
he will be as wax to be moulded to their
will. They hope to elect him on his mill
tary glory, or sing" him into Office as the
wings did Harrison in 1910.
If the people desire to be hcwers Of
wood and drawers of water for the bond
holders the rest of their lives, and leave
their bondage as an inheritance to their
children, then let them vote for Grant.
In that case he is their man. If not they
had better think twice before committing
the destinies of this nation into the hands
Of c man whom even his friends dstrust.
sc WHILE THE Mp HOLD0 OTT