The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-07-30
GENERAL GRANTS sTarEsMASsnII

GENERAL SHANT's 81 aAGS"aTshir.
That Ulysses S. Grant was great in war
nobody in the South denies. That he has
been equally great in peace we propose
briefly to show.
The highest evidence of greatness in a
successful general is the magnanimity
with which he treats a conquered people.
This is the testimony of all historians, and
especially that of Marcus Antoninus, who
refers to the magnanimity with which that
great emperor treated the followers Of
Lepidus. as the browning evidence of his
greatness as statesman. But General
Grant was not only magnanimous in his
terms at Appomattox, but he showed his
confidence in the people OF the South by
urging the .disbandment of the army after
the Confederate generals had laid down
their arms and accepted the terms Of sur
render he had dictated In this he dis
played degree of sagacity and good judg
ment which evinces far more Of statesman
ship than mere military qualities, and
shows that in peace as in war he has been
the prudent, the safe, and the sagacous
leader. At the time, his generous terms
were granted to the Confederate armies
t. officers anl soldiers alke-Americans
were everywhere loud in his praise, and
justly so, as all European comment and
judgment were equally in that direction.
In his able report, in which he urged the
speedy dsbandment of the army as justi-
fled by the action of the South, he included
the Confederate soldiers with those of the
Union army in his splendid tribute to their
heroism. and thus gave an exhibition Of his
magnanimity that has been rarely equaled
ia the history of military generalshp. Ia
speaking of the armies OF the different Sec
tons, he said:
+" All have proud record, and all sec.
tons can well congratulate themselves and
each other for having done their full share
in restoring THESUPREMACY OF LAW
over every foot of territory belonging to
the United States. LET THEM HOPE
FOR PERPETUAL PEACE AND HAIR
MONY WITH THAT ENEMY WHOSE
MANHOOD, however mistaken the cause
drew forth such HERCULEAN DEEDS
OF WALDORF
We challenge the opponents OF Genera
Grant to produce single utterance of his
from the time he first rendered his service:
to bis country to the present moment, IL
the slightest degree inconsistent with the
nozzle spirit in the paragraph above quoted
Nor has he performed single act, o
breathed single word, during his entir
administration, that would initiate agains
this noble sentiment, save only as tn
"supremacy of the law" which as Chic
Ma nstrate he was bound to see enforced
imperatively demanded it at his hands
Where order has prevailed he has uniform
ly respected the local authority whcr
peace has been disturbed, he has simpl,
enforced the law. The will Of the people
as legally expressed, is what he has sough
to execute--nothing more. And we ven
ture the assertion that no statesman in Viz
ginia, who valued his reputation as ma
tional legacy, would have permitted law
lessness to prevail, had he been in Genera
Grants position, without an attempt +
maintain the " supremacy of law, such a
President Grant himself has made. S
highly were the statesman-like views 9
General Grant esteemed at The time Pres
dent johnson was seeking to carry OF
"my policy" that he was requested b
the Administration to visit the South an
report his observations in Washington
After making the visit of observation, her
is what he generously reported.
my observations lead me to the concr
sion that the citizens of the Southern state
are anxious to return to self-governmen
within the Union as soon as possible ht
1ohiis reconstructiag they Dant and regui'
PROTECTION FROM THE GOVERN
MENT; that, they think, is required, an
IN not LllIIailiat iI,s. II thaI,a as citizans On