The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1868-09-17
ADDRESS Of JUDGE SLOANE,
On the Life and Character
OF General Grant.
CCoNCLUDEDO

was the most prudent. There was NJ
political empiricism in him. Hc
showed no disposition to usurp thC
I powers and functions of other officers
of the Government. He went straight
on in the faithful performance of the
duties of his own Office. Let me give
you an example. We have seen that
at the very commencement of the war
he believed that one of its cOnse-
quences would be, and should be, the
abolition Of slavery.
But he did MT issue a proclamation
to announce this opinion. That was
the Presidents business. But Ere
mont and Hunter no sooner procured
important commands than they hast
ened to proclaim that the existence of
slavery was incompatible with state
of war, and that, therefore, it was abol-
ished within the limits Of their Tespec-
tive commands. Grant, it is evident,
held the same opinion that they did,
but he had the good sense to see that
it was not his right to proclaim it, but
that il belonged to the President to do
so, and the President had the good
sense TO see that the people of the
north were not then prepared for such
a measure, and probably wOuld not
sustain it. He, accordingly, s'mOdif-
ed'' Fremont and Hunter, and after a
time those two prOclaiming gentlemen,
so craving Of a little nOtoriety, disap-
peared from the scene entirely, At
no time during the war did Grant un-
dertake to thrust his own opinions on
political subjects upon the country.
Nor since the war has he become a
dabbler in politics. Possessing high
command ia the army, and liable at
any time to be called upon, in his mil
itary capacity, to enforce the laws of
Congress, he has perceived how gross
ly improper it would be for him to an
nOunce to the country his opinion as
to the policy or cOnstitutonality Of the
laws, either passed or proposed. He
has preserved discreet silence.
And this very silence, by which he
has merited the praise of all sensible
men, has brought upon him the de-
nunciatiOn of all the little, scribbling
Paul Prys who, for years, have, been
futtering around him in the vain hope
of getting him to say something on
which to found a political letter. and
who have found themselves constant
iy repulsed with a gOod-natured con-
tempt.
They have picked and published al
most every body else. Even the
sOlemn-looking and Oracular- Chase,
with all his imputed wisdom and Yam
kee cunning, has been the victim of
their fiattery and address. They can
"pluck out the heart of his mystery"
They know the ''stops" of the rhetOri-
cal and conceited Sumner; they can
set clustering old Ben Wade tOswear-
ing any time, and anywhere, and
"sound him from his lowest note to
the top of his compass" but Grant is
not an instrument that they can eth
er "fret" or "play upon" 1t is my
aud earnest conviction, that
Grant has more good, plain,
common sense, than any
other man, now prominently before
the American people, in any capacity.
GRANT Is A MAN OF GREAT sELF-RE-
LANCE.
This his whole military career proves;
and yet it also proves him to be a
man wholly destitute of presumptuous-
ness. He never Obtrudes his opinions
upon others, nor does he slavishly
adopt theirs. When called upon to
act, he acts promptly upon his own
opinions. Take a few of many in
stances his military history affords.
When he landed his army in Missis-
sippi, below Grand Gulf, it was the
opinion of Mr.. Lincoln and his Cabi
net that Grant should turn to the right,
down the river and help Banks take
Port Hudson. Grants opinion was.
that he should go to the left, up the river,
and take Vicksburg. "If I take Vicks-
burg" said he, sport Hudson will
aIl without a fight, and L will take
There is no need, then, Of
TWO fights, when one will answer the
;"
He followed his own opinion. He
took Vicksburg, and Port Hudson did
fall without a fight. off you want to
lake TOulOn," said Napoleon, stake
Little Gibraltar, and TOulOn will fall. "
The officers in command took the ad-
vice of the STRIPPING Brigadier, and
the event demonstrated the correctness
Of his opinion. Little Gibraltar be-
ing taken, TOuIOn did fall. We can
admire this incident in the history Of
but a precisely similar one
Ia that of Grant his cOuntrymen pass
over without notice.
The noble plan, indeed, in'the exc
cutiOn of which Grant took Vicks-
burg, and thereby broke the enemy's
line of defences, and opened the navi-
cation of the Mississippi, was suggest
ed and devised by himself; and what is
more, it was condemned by the chief
officers of his command, and was not
at Washington. It was
to be too complicated and too
hazardous. The Government never
did approve, but only permitted it.
But Grant, throughout, was confident
in his opinion, and SUCCESS. "Once at
Grand Gulf" said he, 81 do not feel a
doubt of success" The result well
Justified this selfcqnfidence Indeed,
Il may be said Of him, with almost as
much truth as it was said of Napoleon
sTo inferior intellects, his combina.
ions appeared perfectly impossible,
his plans perfectly impracticable, but
in his hands simplicity marked their
Ievelopment. and success vindicated
their adoption"
When called upon TO take command
In the East, he told the authorities
that they must not interfere with his
plans, and his arrangements for their
execution; in short, that he must have
bis own way. On those conditions he
promised to whip Lee, take Rich
nOnd and drive the rebels out of Vir-
ginia. The Government agreed to his
terms. Grant went to work, and i'd
lOt ORly all he promised, but more