Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1872-02-29


General GrantAThe Testimony of
an Enemy.
His Character and his Chances
AS Seen by an Independent
Democratic Congressman.
From the New york Citizen, edftea BY Robert
B. Roosevelt NJ. c.l
1t is the mistaken idea of some
persons to belittle General Grants
ability, to run down his qualifica-
tions, and to underate his mental
requirements. Instead Of being the
stupid, senseless individual that these
persons would have the public sup
pose, he is oneS of the shrewdest
managers of the day. Not only. as
O leader in the war to which he first
gave favorable tnrn, but as man
ipulator in politics he has shown
remarkable skill. The rebels con-
tinually took the same view that the
Democrats are taking now, and de-
nounced the Union General as an ig-
noramus every time he won victory
over them and the more sefectually
he crushed their. armies the more
clearly they proved that he was ut
terly incompetent as e. military COM
mander, and entirely unequal to the
task which he had. assumed. There
are soldiers at the South to day who
can clearly established the fact that
General Grant was the poorest officer
the world ever saw, that he ought to
have been beaten in every battle, and
that he was only saved from utter
ruin by incredible luck So also with
the Democrats they prove conclu-
sively the Presidents imbecility as
politician every time he scatters their
best laid plans for his overthrow W, and
while he has so demoralized his ad:
versaries that they hardly have a
candidate against him, they insist
that weaker politician never lived.
One of the greatest of f,follies is to
underate an adversary, and necessa-
ry as the defeat of the Republican
party is to the welfare of the nation,
it will never be brought about. by
contemptuons revilings of its ,candi-
date, or failure to appreciate the
desperate nature of the struggle
which must be won, and the resourc-
es at the command ofthe great leader
who intends to be a candidate. That
General Grant will fail by any con.
tingency of denomination, there is
not the remotest likelihood; he has
entire and absolute control of the
matter, and he uses his power with
q wisdom and discretion which are
sure to effect the end in view. OPP
position in his own party is practi-
calfy crushed. He never was a favor
ite of party chiefs who. originally
accepted him only. on. .compulsion, but
he had hold on the people which
they dared not ignore. He has lost
a part of his popularity. Americans
dread military usurpations land love
constitutional law; they have not
forgotten the fate of Mexico, and do
not yet love soverigns or permanent
masters; but as his popular strength
has diminished, his political strength
has increased, Then he held the
people; now he holds the politicians.
He has outfanked the latter, as he
once outfanked the rebel Generals,
and at present, grasps them as firmly
as he held Lee in Richmond,
People who do not know President
Grant intimately describe him as q
s'sphinx" 'swood man. silent un-
social person, and reduce: from this
an underlaying stratum of stupidity.
Nothing could be further Sfrom=etle
truth, and: here is where the series
of blunders commences Surprising
as the assertion may appear, Grant is
eminently social; he isJorial, merry,
talkatiYe, full of fun and geniality,
and a tight pleasant companion.
His reserved manner5is lis shield Of
defence. His natural temper would
leave him hopeless prey to bores
and place seekers and other enemies
of public men, and herein comes a
display of his peculiar tact; no soon
er does one of. these appear. than
Grant recognizes him and retires into
his shell of impassibility,: and like q
tortise frightened by some noise,
never comes out tall the danger is
past, He will stop in the midst OF
the liveliest conversation if he finds
his interlocutor has a purpose under
his pleasantly, and if he suspects that
some object is to be attained. he as,
sumes his, air of stolidity at once.
Before any brilliant gentleman belit-
ties the President for this habit, LEI
him think how mnch annoyance il
has saved him.
He is kind hearted, and being TO-
tally unaccustomed to reserve, he
| would have had difficulty in main
tanning the dignity of his position
without resort to some such plan a:
he has adopted. He was elevated
suddenly by combination of acci-
dents and the ability to make th'
most of these accidents, until almos
at a single leap he has advanced tc
the highest position in the'nation.
To keep up the decorum of his
station, it was essential to chang
many of his modes of action, and t.
assume reserve which was not nat
ural. Instead of being an evidence
of stupidity, this in reality isproof o
his shrewdness. Out of RESPECT Il
the nation he was determined tha
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