Bloomsburg democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1867-1869, 1868-09-16
[coNrINUEp FROM FIRST pAaE.l

have secured. They were constantly chang.
Inc the generals; they had four or five in
command of the Army Of the Potomac, and
were always quarrelling or differing with
them. 1t became u necessity--and so
thought members of Congress on both sides
to put some general in control OF the
armies, by giving him adequate rank, and
relieving Mr. Stanton and General Halleck
from that connection which they had previ.
ousy had with the actual management Of
military operations General Grant at that
time by his successes at Chattanooga and
at Vicksburg, was in situation to be looked
to and to be selected and he was so Sc
lcctcd mainly at the instance Of Western
members of Congress in the two Houses.
lie was put in chief command Of the armies
Of the United States. He went on and
had his campaign from the Wilderness to
Cold Harbor, losing more men than Cen
cral Lee, his enemy, had at the commence
mcnt Of the campaign in his whole army
lie failed. He then crossed the river and
was before Petersburg, for long time un-
successfully assailing the enemy's works.
Subsequently, the advance of General Sher.
man from the South cut off the supplies of
General Lee at Richmond, both Of men and
of war materials, and by vigorous push
Lee was compelled to retire from Richmond
and the war was substantially brought to a
conclusion by his surrender. The general
returned to Washington, bearing with him,
as it were, peace in his hands. He was well
coined with the acclaim of the country
Every body was willing not merely to do
him justice, but to do him generous honor !;
and sometime afterward, when il was asccr-
tanned that it was agreeable to him and de-
sired by him, he was voted the rank ofGcn-
cral instead of Lieutenant General. A new
rank was created and conferred upon him, u
rank never borne by any man in the United
States before, a rank superior to that which
was borne by General Washington himself.
What next? The rich men Of the country,
those who had large means, manifested their
feeling with regard to the termination OF
the war by magnificent presents to the prin-
cipal general who had, toward the latter
part Of it, conducted it, He was presented
with purse Of 100000 by the wealthy
men Of New York, at the instance Of Cen
cral Butterfcld, (who, by the way, was pro.
NOTED in rank shortly afterwards). lie
was presented also, by the rich men of
Philadelphia, with valuable house thor
oughly furnished, which is now rented and
the income of which he receives. He was
presented with properties Of similar char
acter in other cities. These constituted a
princely estate of themselves. They were
bestowed by individuals out of their own
means; nobody has any right to complain !;
but the result was that this general, who
had been given by the Congress of the
United States rank above that which had
been borne by Washington, was made, com
paratively speaking, wealthy'man by pri.
vate muniliccnce. What more happened? T?
The office assigned to him Of Generaloi the
Armies was an Office for life; he holds it
yet and what is the compensation attached
to it by our laws? The general command
ing the army has yearly compensation Of
$l9,2S9.30, besides certain allowances not
in the fixed and ordinary items-longevity
rations, mileage upon journeys, &c. When
off command, on other duty, the pay is
Sl4,9 4,90l.30. Here then is an office for life,
with compensation princely in magnitude,
assigned this officer. Nobody can hold him
up as an object of commiseration, or as an
example Of republican ingratitude. No
body can ask you to vote for him as an act
of justice or Of generosity, because the de-
mands Of both in his case have been fully
met. Both by the government and by the
people he has been treated US never man
was treated by them before. lie has been
made rich beyond the limit of ordinary de-
sire; he has had official honor conferred
upon him. above that conferred upon WASH
ington. We do not desire to abuse General
Grant. Ordinarily our speakers even pass
by some matters which might be made sub.
jects Of criticism and remark. Let him
ctop1 ,rbora ha 10 yu;tb oil tho bonn,, ,nl
tavors that have been heaped upon him;
upon to do. We are not called upon to put
and William ID. Kelley and Robert G..
because the mantle Of General Grant has
Great applause. Let this candidate taken
for purpose, who has mo policy" of his
own, and who is to give no just direction to
the government Of the United States, let
this candidate enjoy his honors, and his
wealth, and his Office for life; and if here
after he do anything worthy of public com
mendation, let him have full credit and full
honor and the applause Of the American
people; but let US, who are concerned in
the payment Of taxes in this country let
us, who are concerned in the preservation
of our system of government, in the purity
Of our elections, in the maintenance Of that
system of regulated liberty which came to
us from our ancestors,-let Us see to it that
by electing proper men we shall have con
stitutional and honest policy in our public
affairs, that we shall have men who will
bring our government back to the ancient
landmarks Of the Constitution, and to an
economical and honest administration of its
powers. Great and continued cheering.