The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-04-19
The Lesson Of n Life.

EFUN AAHtESF VtNNt'
II II is pleasant 10 contemplate ule
simple, sturdy, upright character OF tue
late General 1'llOmas-his silent devotion
10 duty, his sagaclty, his mOlesty, his
tensclty-it Is not less agreeable TO observe
the profound anl sincere appreciation al
that character upon the part Of the colln-
try. We are II good deal given to rhetoric
and eXtrnyntSlnt expression, anu puOllc
men who choose the sensational style DO
not want great applause and troops OF
admirers. But here was one Of the least
rhetorical Of Americans, and no man
could bU more truly admired nor more
universally dCplorcd. Every body felt
that the country WIS stronger because Of
General TlOmRs. Tho quality that held
him "p0nnding away" nj ChiCkamauga
when the rest Of the army was In retreat,
md tic day WAS supposed to bc lost, was
precisely the quality which commands the
sinCerest public confidence lndomitablc
bravery and good sense, Il scOrn OF prclense
and hlIlstcr, Il character slcadEIst as rock
these stcallied the whole country WHEN
it thought Of him.
There Is this lesson for public men IN
the career of General Thomas, and the
immense respect and tenderness with
which his COuntrymcn have hid him IN
the grlvG-tlIat public admiration Is Us
surely won by solid anil modest merit ms
hy IN&turing md shouting. lie did mo-
thing for effect. lie hal IN newspaper nj
hand to catch every attitude and record
every word. lie Ind evidently an antique,
sOldfcrly disilAin Of intriguing for noto'
ricty either IN his profession 0r dlIt Of It,
and he could hNrlly llavG dcspiScd any
thing more heartily than the conduct OF
some excellent gentlemen during the war,
who did not move without stall
Of newspaper correspondents, ami VINO
kept II newspaper reporter always ut hand
10 transmit The heroic md witty remarks
ut headquarters to MI admiring public.
Without lhcseapplianCcs and cOntrivancGs,
without thinking 0E himself or caring for
Ills reputation, but intent only upon his
highest and trucsI honor, General Thomas
wis always ut the front Of duty; and
whether supported or alone, whether the
lines advanced nr rCtrcAtcd, he stood tiIst
and "pollntlrtl away" nj the enemy. lie
was q soldier, indeed; but irsOmc civilians
would mediate his career and do likewise,
they migIa lie sure rtlc same respect and
regard, If they did their work us he did
his.
And the national feeling for General
Thomas has this further anil kindred les.
son for conspicuous men, tliat il shows
how catholic the public regard is. ltd0es
not require that one man shall duplicate
another, but only that he be honestly
himself. plularClI says that the young
ThcmistOclcs exclaimed that the trophies
Of Miltiad(s would nOtSutIrr him TO sleep.
But II he had, therefore aimed TO become
Miltia,lcs instead Of ThcmistOclcs, Plu.
tarch wWull never hive told his sLnry.
The public heart Is large enough Tor
every kind Of excellence. II admircs
Webster, Clay, Calhoun; but the
Young statesman need not therefore try
ia mNIcl himself upon those men. They
did not mWlrl themselves upon each 9TH
or. II the young statesman dGvOles his
powCrS 10 the questions Of his time with
fidelity and industry and the highest pur-
pose, liz tlOtS all that any statesman Can
do; and III the degree that those powers
nrc great and well used, not in the degree
that they reproduce sOmctOdy cl@', may
Iln I've sure OrpuhliC recognition. General
Thonuls'S career, anil the regard Of the
country for him, are the fullest vindiC0-
ton Of the oil prOvcrb, often obscure, Of
ten unfairly interpreted, hut profoundly
true, Honesty is the best policy.