The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-10-18
An Old Story.
From the Louisville-courisr Journal,

An Old Story.
From the Louisville Courier Journal.
When the late General John A. Quit.
man was running against Henry s.
Foote for Governor of Mississippi, in
1851, he, not unreasonably or unnatur.
ally, mounted his war horse, brandished
his sword in the air, and fought his
campaigns over again. He made . bat
tle-ield of every stump in the State
from Holly Springs to the Louisiana
line. "Fellow-citizens," he said, i
have been, all my life, q soldier in the
service Of liberty and my country.
When the bugle call of freedom re-
sounded in Texas I raised command
and rushed to the front, sharing the
glories of San Jacinto and the Lone
Star. When the tocsin of war was heard
upon the Rio Grande. I again obeyed
the summons, and proceeded at once tn
the scene of action. At Palo Alto and
Resaca de Ia Palma I was In the thick
of the fight at Monterey and Buena
Vista, before the walls of Chepultepec,
all along the line of Taylor and Scott, I
breasted the storm of shot and shell,
until at last, with my own hands, I
placed the glorious star~spangled ban
ner upon the halls of the Montezumas."
Gen. Quitman was an earnest speaker,
. brave and true soldier, and man of
handsome personal appearance and
bearing. All that he said of himself
was true, and spoken among his native
people, many of whom had shared his
glory and his tolls, it was not out of
place or season. It made visible stir
among the masses. Wherever he went
he produced an effect. But, on q GER
tain occasion, when the war feeling was
apparently stronger and more general
than usual, he observed an old man in
the crowd quite overcome by feeling,
sobbing violently, and crying out every
now and then "Amen," and "Oh my
Quitman." When the General had fin
ished he sought out this old man, and
accosted him. my friend" said he,
"you seemed to be moved by what I
said" The old man declared that he
had never been SO moved in his life, and
then drying his eyes says he
"And you went and fit the Mexicans
for Texan liberty, General did your
"Yes," says Quitman, 81 did"
"And you shared in theglories of San
Jacinto and the Lone Star, did you!"
eyes did that too"
'And when the tocsin of war re-
sounded on the Rio Grande you flew to
the call of your country and passed
through all the battles of Taylor's and
SCOTS line until you planted the stars
and stripes on the halls Of the Montezu-
mas, did your"
eyes, my old friend, have told you
nothing but the truth"
''My noble Quitman My brave Quit
man You have done enough for your
country. It is time that your country
gave you rest. IshaU vote for Foote"
Sure enough the people of Mississip-
pi thought 80 too. Gem Quitman, in
spite of his services and his merits, was
not elected Governor of the State. He
was allowed to seek in retirement the
rest which his public services entitled
him to.
Our story is not without its moral.
The battle>wreash which the Radical
campaign managers wove about their
Presidential candidate and themselves
is melting away like q wreath of snow.
The people of the United States set the
military service of General Grant at
their proper value, just as the people of
Missippippi properly estimated the SER
vices of General Quitman. They know
that the President did successful ser
vice in the field, slbeit there is suspi-
cion that the soldiers under his COM
mand contributed somewhatto that sue
cess, and. at the same time, considering
him generouely, they are not disposed
to question too closely his title to the
fame which chance, rather than his own
genius, has secured him. But they feel
that, even were his exploits and achieve
ments greater and more original than
they are, he has been overpaid. He
has done enough for his country, and
his country has done enough for him.
Besides, there is time for peace, as pc
culiar in its requirements and its exac-
tions as the period of war from which
we emerged seven years ago. There
are likewise peaceful services of great
national value, quite as worthy of pop
ular recognition and honors as services
in the field, and, seeing that Horace
Greeley's triumphs in this department
have been equally brilliant and con-
spicuous with those of General Grant
in his especial sphere of action, the pep
pie are coming wisely to the conclusion
that it is about time to distribute their
gifts with an eye to the occasion, di-
rected by general principles of justice.
They have given
-''tis first watch Of the night
To the red p anet, Mars"
and they propose to devote the early
hours of the morning of peace, which
has been allowed them, to these kindly
duties which preside over corn fields
and meadows, which dwell in seats of
learning and temples of worship, which |
direct the civilization and fruition of
the country. The battle-wreath, with |
its bloody blossoms, is falling off the |
figure of Columbia, who stands, like q |
true goddess as she is, clad in robes of |
white, wearing a garland of spring flow
ers, and, with smiles and outstretched |
arme invites the war-wasted South into |
her warm embrace.
Gen. Grant has done enough for his |
country. The people are going to vote
for Greeley.