Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1868-10-29
GRANT.

in carly summer of 1865, one sentiment to-
ward the Army pervaded the country--a SEN
timrni Of enthusiastic gratitude and admira-
tion. No words were then too extravagant
for the brave men who, through the long
and bitter struggle, had remained faithful to
the end, and the guerdon of whose tolls and
sacrifices was a. redeemed nation. But a
political contest came on; and with II
strange forgetfuness of their own recent
praises, some of those same journals and
public men who had been loudest in eulogy
of the soldier, now fancied 1t to be for their
party interest to decry him, TO betite his
deeds and insult his cause. What used to
be called ''loyalty" they now sneeringly
spelled "loilty :" when a crime was commit
ted, they asked If 1t was not done by some
'sBoy in Blue;" they had only words of ex-
cusc for Confederate violations of the laws
Of war, and only words of misrepresentation
| for the conduct of our own officers.
| Finally, ii happened that General Grant,
the leader of the Union armies, was nomina-
ted by IL great political party for the Presi-
dency. AT once, instead of opposing that
officer on the ground of the political doc
| trines whose representative he had become,
these Journalists and public men set upon
his personal and military character. But
the reaction was very prompt. A man to
whom party IS no more than country, can
easily bring himself to the task ofblackenipg
the character of his country's most signal
| defenders; but the people, who had not yet
forgotten what they owed to Grant and to
the men whom Grant led, were offended at
| this conduct. 1t was an audacious enter
prise, and il has rccollcd against its under
takers.
The onslaught upon the national renown
| and the private character of General Grant
AT once brought to his service all of his
friends, The people have learned some
thing which, if never brought to notice be-
fore, is now put beyond question-namely,
that those who most intimately know Gen
eral Grant, and who are best qualified to
judge, are those who have the profoundest
respect for his character as soldier and
man. AS his own Incompatible magnanim-
ity toward friend and foe shines the more
lustrous in contrast with the petty arts of
dctraction, so does the influence of his dis
linguished friends and endorsers become
| more impressive by contrast with the ignO-
rant and ignoble scribblers who abuse him.
Take, for example, the letter of General
Schniield, who is by nature conservative,
and who has been the special subject of
praise from those who attack General Grant
can anything be more convincing than the
grounds on which he addresses this officer?
And what Schoficld thinks, Sherman, Sher-
idan, Meade, Thomas and a host of brother
officers think and say. Their testimonials
to Grants political views are another matter
hut the great point is that they, from per-
sonal and intimate relations with him. bear
public witness to his splendid qualities as a
man.
Nor is this all. The leading political op-
ponents OF General GRANT, the men of most
character, have hastcned to give their testi-
mony, too, to his personal and military
worth. In what II sorry plight are his early
yilifiers now, when the very men whom they
counted on following them in this dirty work
OF detraciion, have repudated and denoun-
ced them! General BLAIR has taken special
pains to speak publicly of the high respect
that he en'ertains for General CHANTS pr-
vaie and soldierly character, and to declare
that he opposes him solely on political
grounds. General McCLELLAN in his first
public letter, says of him: "Separated as |
thus am from the distinguished soldier who
has been chosen as the leader of our oppo-
nens. know that You will agree with me
in the highest respect for the services he has
rendered our country" Mr.. Pendleton has
especially denounced those who made war
on General Grants personal character, or
strive to dim his fame or belittle his achieve
ments. Mr.. ]. @. Adams, the Democratic
candidate for Governor in Massachusetts, in
a public speech lately said -
81 have seen General Grant sigmaizcd
as a bad general. an incompetent man, aud
confirmed drunkard have not the honor
of his acquaintance, but when am told he
Is no soldier, | can only say .'Donelson !"
when you say hc is u dolf, my heart re-
spends "Vickshurg," and when hear of
his intemperance, ! can only quote Mr. Lin
coin, and wish hehad had more generals in the
war who knew his iipple. No, gentlemen,
he finishad the war, and that is enough to
entille him to my respect and admiration.
And the Democratic Convention in that
State, struck with The meanncss of the ca
lumnies already uttered by INSCRIPTIONS
journalists, deprecated" in formal resolu-
ton, that sort of warfare, declaring il only
disastrous 10 those who cssayed it.
II these and the other distinguished men,
political foes as well as friends of Gen. Grant,
take this ground, what shall we say Of those
who deal only In aspersions and SANDER?
Which of the two sets of men is right? If
the latter are indeed slanderefs. what shall
be the public Judgment upon their base en-
deavors to fich away good name?
For, il must be remembered, that il is not
alone General Grant who suffers in this tln-
lcrhand warfare. With his fame is inter
linked that of all his brave Boys in Blue"
who followed him over many fields, and
with him suffered and triumphcd. To con-
tinually represent the valor of the enemy as
SO extraordinary, our obstacles TO victory as
so slight. our numbers so overwhelming, and
the like, is work as unpatrioiic as il is un-
grateful to the memory of the dead and the
merits of the living defenders of the country
1t is uphill work for those who are trying
to prove General GRANT ga diunkard and
dolt." So was it uphill work for the wise
acres who undertook to prove that Welling
ton was no soldier. The stubborn words
Donnelson, Nicksbnrg, Chattanooga, Peters
burg, Richmond AppomattoX, keep coming
to the surface of the discussion, and while
his opponents are ciphering their states full
of figures, the lisiless auditors hear, out of
the distance of years. the roll of the drums
and the neal of tho bells and see, in fancy
the waving of the banners that told of
Grants great Victories They find in Grant
only wooden man. Wooden men do not
do what Grant has done. Whenever any
thing In history has been done like what
Grant has done or approaching to it. it was
done by no wooden man. Review the
worlds military history, select whatever
examples you please of achievements at all
resembling Grants-thcn name the hero,
tliht Wt may Spe Wiiat II is III ne = WOOt-
en- man. .-Army and Nary Journal.
A Great Historians Views of "a Great Gem
ernl.
The first of the lect Tres before the Parker
Fraternity of Boston was delivered on Tues
day evening October 90 by the well-known
| historian Hon. John Lothrop Motley, who
! took as his subject the grave issues involved
in the present political contest in the United
States. From the very able and brilliant
address Of Mr.. Motley we cextract the follow
ing portions:
IMPORTANCE OF THE PRESENT ELEoTIoN.
| doubt whether it be possible to magnify
the Importance Of this Presidential election
As citizens Of free Commonwealth, there
| fore, whose peculiar privilege it is, alone
| among great nations. to elect periodically
| chief mags' rates for those functions which
in most co ntries are discharged by rulers
I appointed yer the people according to per-
manent ans ingenious fctions, it is fit for us
| on this OCT aston to scan very closely the