The Irish republic. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1867-18??, 1868-02-22

One after one and at last in crowds the excited and
outraged peope-who were baed before in their
onslaught on public characerspassed before his gaze
and questioned him on the national events transporting
and those which looming up in the near future;
but travellers gaze into the face of the Sphynx and
are answered by the silent tranquility of the changeess
face SO were those who delight in tearing mems char
acters to taters journals and rosrums subdued and
irritated by the silence of Grant.
Empty heads wear open mouths. Great minds are
felt only in great emergencies. Had there been no
French Revolution, there had been Napoleon. Had
there been no treason to the Republic, there had been
no General Grant All generations, and all nations,
have their Napoleons and Grants hidden away among
the people, and waiting until their calls come.
The country farmer and the rugged miner who traded
with the plain and unpreendng citizen, Grant, few
years ago. never dreamt that in that silent brain slept
the genius that when roused should spring above the
level ways of men, to unravel the tangled web of War;
and weave it into the golden garments Of Peace that
should take up the attered and trampd banner Of the
Republic and set above the fallen rampars of slavery
and despotism to light the future world to liberty and
happiness It is doubtful whether those who the
country neghbors of Grant and who chatted COM
mon-place subjects with him, and saw him come and go
from his business like Tom, Dick, and Harry can fully
appreciate his greatness So used to have heroes
born in palaces, clothed in gold and associated with
romance that we scarcely believe that the man who
walked by our side through the ways Of life,
i" can be much of fellow after ALL"
In Republican country like this, is it not anom
ally to find the Republican simplicity of men set down
to their credit as common place. The very unpretend
ing greatness of Grant, his utter violation of the regular
rules that form the popular hero has been tortured by
his enemies and the enemies of liberty into sign of me-
docrty strange to say thepeope above whom Grant
wishes SOAR and the protection of whose inter-
ests is his highest ambtion-strange is it not say,
to find some of these peope-few, we admit-take
up the intentional insult to themselves and echo the cry
"This man is no hero; he moves and talks like
mon man."
Let us take that beau ideal of hero and the pet of
the Grant calumniators General Mcclellan. In the
field he rode surrounded by his aides-foreign lords
and counts and princes for the most part-like the
great Napoleon He had studied all the and science
of pictorial war He knew where to place this and that
count, or lord, so to make picture. His reviews
were magnificent, and his mess ten" monarchical
In fact his field eyolutions grand scenes The blue
lights and red lights were all displayed as to shine
upon the hero and the disastrous retreats in the
background glauzed with the halo of
Nevertheless the hero was failure and the man in
military undress, with few soldiers of the Republic
for his aides dashed in through the retreatng counts
lords and princes in dshabe, and 10 the retreat
changed to victory
There certain portion of the citizens Of this
great Republic who never doubted Grant through all
his silence. They the who had seen him on
the battlefield and learned to connect his name with
victory.
Ah messieurs these bronzed and batte-scarred vet
Grams had heard him speak at Vicksburg and at the
a. he