Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-12-25
LETTER FROM SOUTH AMERICA.
Monterideo, Nov. "A, 1872.

intelligence which elicit special interest," IN
forejen lands-the death Of William II.
| Seward, and the probable triumphant re-elec-
tim of Ulysses S Grant as the Chief fIagis-
trate of the United States. Few American
names and characters are so wall understood
and profoundly regarded abroad as the rnGn
who has Just closed his career at Auburn.
| His long, faithful, and conspicuous identified
tion with the political affairs and momentous
events of North America, especially his able
ard signaly successful management Of cur
! Foreign Relations, n which he bad e a.al
with the most perp'eAing problems and 70
| cheokmate the unfriendly designs Of soulc Of
the ablest and most audacious leaders Oh Bn.
rope, made him known in all intelligent cir
cles abroad Ii is to be presumed that his
death has awakened, at home, much If thqt
regasd for his talents and services Which was
/ latent in The pubic heaa. which ua2re recon!
events had tended somewhat to obscure. ia
every candid and patriotic American who has
vivid remembrance Of the affairs If Ia
country during the last quarter of q ceptuf. :.
i. must he apparent how potentially beneficial
have been he labors Of him whom tie worst
enemies Of the Republic in emerseueita Of
cruvest trial scented with keenegt hate, ana
wLo was ouped w;;l. Abraham Lincoln 10
become at ttv same hour The destined victims
o. 5neir sharpcst steel. WHO las forgotten
that sad April morning when the word flashed
over all the wires Of lie lard that those cher
ishel guardians of TIE nation, amid the tho0s
ard paris of the struggle which waa ne1r rs
close, had been strucl, down at t'ieic posts at
the Capital The nation knew The precious
value Of the lives Of these men .aen, and it
is certain that the public conscience and tn
public gratitude are not inser>iblo row dsah
has completed his work.
To so back to the commerce neat - lbs
career at Washington, saying nalbiug ii his
previous distinguished position So states
man in the great Commonwealth Of New
York 10 go back 10 the period Of thr in
auguation of the National Administration Of
March 1919: More to him than to any other
man was it due tina. when Gen. TAYLOR a
Shareholder, became President he placed him
self III firm opposition TO the plans and designs
of Davis, Iooabs, Stephens, and other con
spirators against freedom and the integrity Of
the Union. N tie beginning Of his career st
Washington. where Clay, Webster, Calhoun,
and Benton had so long held sway as the con-
trolling statesmen, Seward ut once commend
! ed himself TO the honesty and common sense
OF Rough and Ready" and his administration
was kept firmly in accord with the intelh-
gence and patriotism Of the North on the iiy.
ing issues Of the time, until the brave cid hero
was struck down by death. When another
took the helm aud put the ship Of State before
the Southern gale, hetraying the men who
had previously supported him. how boldly
Seward stood up against the dctatiun OF the
most conspicuous Of the old whig leaders.
W hen the Fugitive Slave Law as passed and
the Missouri compromise was repealed, how
, he breasted the storm and appealed - al
; the better instincts Of the nation to arouse
and roll back the waves of political democrat
iZation, ere the republic should lie cnGuilgt
in common ruin, and the government become
Z an instrument in the hands of thnse who had
LOST all love Of human liberty, and be welded
for the purposes Of the most aggressive sec
ii0nalism. In the labcIs for the establish
nent of the republican party, lie never fall
tered in the presence Ct ruffianly menace at
Wasling ton, nor the trembling fears of the
men of trade in the great commercial capital
which he represented. When at Chicago in
1850 another was designated for the Prpsi
deney, when it was obvious that ,he nonliua-
ton was equivalent to an election in
stead Of growing cold in the cause
with what energy lie put his shoulder to the
wheel when he made that splendid series of
speeches through the West. His designation
as Secretary of State by Abraham Lincoln
when the daIkly threatening clouds were
gathering in the political ky Of December,
1860, and those eight years in the Cabinet
from March 4, 1861 TO March 1, l4G9, all in
all, what other American statesman Of the
century has had such a career, Fortunate it
, will be for the country when there shall arise
his equal in all the gifts of mind and heart
, which threw around him such fascination 10
all who knew him best.
The reelection of President Grant by such
an overwhelming manifestation of the popu-
lar sentiment commends itself strongly to in
telligent foreigners who wish well to the fu-
ture prosperity and prestige Of the [ nted
States After his great services IS the com
mGndcr Of our Armies and the frmaess and
prudence with which he has administered the
Government in his first term, giving Stability
and prosperity at home, and achieving the
most signal success in the establishment of
new international laws Of the greatest import
ance to the peace and welfare of the world,
it would have been a sad commentary on our
history had the American people allowed him
70 be swept down by that avalanche of calum.
ny with which it was attempted to ovcrwhem
him-the same method OF attack which was
attempted against Washington end Jefferson
and which as signally failed against those il
lus,rious men as have failed the strange COM
bination and stranger crusade against him
who has done SO much to give the United
States the prestige she now enjoys among the
nations of both hemi-spheres. Those living
amid the dust and smoke of the events a.
they pass are too near always TO Judge cor
rectly of their great men. Small objects can
be seen only at near observation. Mountains
and elevated heal-lands are better appreciated
at distance. And time among orr own poo
pie will ultimately endorse, what Is now the
appreciation Of the most Intelligent men of
foreign lands-that among the men who have
come on the stage of American action during