The Union flag. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1865-187?, 1868-02-21
Grant.

FA~eNNN NNNNAf"N''A w RNN ny
thing to the philosophy Of the world
on the subjeot either Of civilian sol.
diers or military politicians, let three
things DO said in respect TO Ulysses s.
First. he has displayed, beyond
eavil, a penetration into character and
a practical wisdom in the choice Of
subordinates which no man since the
great Napoleon has possessed. From
the very first, when no himself was
hardly known, he put his eye upon
Thomas as among the best men in the
army. Yet at hat time tho hero of
Nashville had not as muCh popular
reputation as scores of men whose
names are almost forgotten now.
When Sherman was only known to
the country as Crazy Sherman, Grant
had taken him to his heart, made him
the confident of all his plans, and Sc
lected him to do the wonderful work
he afterwards performed. When
Sheridan was D Colonel Of volunteer
cavalry, the same ineisive glance had
marked the hero of the Shenandoah.
To the immense disgust Of older OH
GERS, gallant Phil was brought for
ward, measured for n coat with eigh-
teen buttons, and put in command Of
a division Of infantry, then of the Po-
tomac horse, and sent %gaIloping off to
rout Stewards cavalry, and kill j. e..
B. himself at Yellow Tavern, When
the question came, whom to send to
the Valley to change the miserable
luck that for three years had there at
tended us, Hancock was the senior OF.
ticer, tar the more ~pretentious, and at
that time had the greater popular reps
utation. But Grant knew better.
Sheridan, before the war had done
more against the Indians with a squad.
ron of horse than Hancock did last
year with ten or fifteen thousand men.
Which went to the Shenandoah Z
Trust Grant for that he picks out
/ the right man as lightning strikes the
right tree, without stopping to ask
the way. So it was with great and
good Mcpherson. So was it with the
brilliant array of younger officers
who came up in the last years of war
when Grant had command of the
whole army. Now this is a great
fact-we might almost say, the great
fact-in all administration, civil or
military. To organize and officer the
State we'll is no less a step towards
success than to organize and officer an
army. 1t is not so much what the
President does in his W person, as
the manner in which he distributes
the posts of power and assigns the du,
ties of others, that determines tie Ell
fcicncy of government.
Second. Grant has invariably dis
played a greatness Of soul that never
vet went with ittleness Of mind. Wal
pole hated SO to have a rival that he
drove every brilliant man into oppo.
sition, and secured his own downfall
because he would not share. OF what
subordinate, except General Butler,
was Grant ever merely jealous Who
has said as much as he in praise o
Sheridan, Sherman, Mcpherson, Thorn,
AS, Meade ? Remember bow be lay
with his gallant army, batlcd before
the Notifications of Petersburg, in the
fall of 1864, when popular impatiencs
IN vain goaded him to attack, wher
the press and the people began to de,
aand his dismissal, and to stigmatizt
him "the butchsr"-how, then, when
Sheridan won his great victories II
the valley, and every cap went up fol-
Little Phil, Grant capped the whole
by telegraphing he had always re-
carded him rs among the first OF living
Generals-how, then, when Hood in.
vaded Tennessee, the Lieutenant Gen
eral gave Thomas all the men he
could, and all the means, and contrib
uted in every way to the splendid
successes at Nashville, yet scrupulous.
ly RETAINED from doing anything t.
the glory from Thomas, as-he nigh
have done by simply going on in per
son-how, then, when Sherman haC
gone
Grant gave him a brothers welcome
" tenderIy" covered his sad blunder a
diplomacy, and presented him to The
nation ~ the great strategist of tht
war. Now, is it possible thas such 1
man as that could conduct a Presi
Dental administration like Andrew
johnson, James Buchanan, or Frank
lin Pierce E; bRs II is not probable. No
it is not probable:
Third. Grant knows how to say
no! lie knows, also, how to say moth.
ing. Why, the best friend Of Presi
dent Lincoln does not pretend TO just
ify many Of his appointments, and
many of bis military and civil orders
on.any other grounds than that the
pressure of public sentiment of popu'
Jar feeling, Of political influence at the
national center is so powerful, sc
pitJess, that human nature cannot
rysisi it. Who supposcs that any
one Of our last six Presidents, want