Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1868-06-03
VERMONT wATCHMAN AND STATE JOURNAL
Character of General Grant.

A. u. Richardson, in his forthcoming Life
of Grant, says -
Some still see in him only the darling of
fortune-energctic mediocrity which has blum
dercd into success. think such are msled
by two Of his peculiar qualities -
al. His unimagnativencss. When he
has nothing to say, he says nothing. In pri-
vate he fills no ntorstices Of conversation by
remarks uuon the weather, or inquiries after
the babies of his visitor. In public he can
make no speeches simply Of form or compli.
mcnt, and since the world cared TO hear his
opinion ON affairs his official position has
never allowed him to speak freely. But in
public or private, when he has anything to
utter by tongue or pen, he says it with extreme
rapidity and clearness, in terse, marrowy, idi-
omatic English Even then he clothes his
thoughts in no flowers of rhetoric, but presents
them in the plaincst, homeicst words. Napo-
Icons memorable sayings are all of this order :
From these SUBMITS forty centuries look
down upon YOU We will carry our yicto-
rious eagles beyond the pillars Of Hercules.
Grants are the exact antipodcs; | have no
terms but unconditional surrender. ! pro-
pose to move Immediately upon your works.
shall fight it out on this line il it takes all
Summer. | found the army like balky
horse Gen Butler was bottled up Said
the dramatic Corsican after Austerliz ;
Soldiers, am satisfied with you. You have
decorated your eagles with immortal glory.
said the matter-ot-iact American to his shout
ing men after Port Gibson; Soldiers, |
thank you. That is all | can say You
have done good day, work to-day, but You
must do better tomorrow No shining
rhetoric, no poetic gushes only the simple,
unadorncd fact
IL He IL the most undramatic Of men.
Scott was uicknamcd by his enemies Fnss
aud Feathers Grant has less fuss aud fewer
feathers than any other public man Of his
day. He believes with the Chinese provcrb
that That which is, u.s. He accepts things
just as he finds them, not troubling himself
about the Eternal Neritie., but doing
promptly. thoroughly and subordnately the
/ duty which lies right before him, however
prosaic aud disagrecable. He acts his CON
yctions instead Of talking them
He is utterly genuine and
guilelcss. lie still preserves in his high cs-
tate the sweetness and simplicity of his couu-
try boyhood Altogether free from cant, his
lips obeyiug the teachings Of his mother, hay,
uttered no oath, been soilcd by no eoarseness
lie is a miracle Of serenity and soll-poise
During the terrors of Belmont, when an aid
with paliid checks, cried, Why General, wC
are surrounded! there was no perceptibl,
change in his pleasant face or calm voice a
he answered, Then we will cut our way out.
Three years later, as he read Lees dispatcl
proposing the surrender of the Army Of Nor
thern Virginia, he was equally unmoyed; M
citation shone in his face, or sounded in ia,
ordinary tone in which he asked, Well, Gen
Rawlins, how do you think that will do 2
Tried by both extreme. Of fortune and neye
disturbed by either, he remains as simple an,
unaffected to-day as in his years of poverty
aud obscurity"