Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1872-08-30
Gift-Taking.

he has not received a dollars worth Of
gifts. Before he was thought of fer the
Presidency he did receive from a grateful
people the sum of 100000. The rich
and the poor contributed to this amount.
It was the patriots offering of love to the
soldier who had saved the life Of nation.
There was no exception taken to the gifts
at the time there could be none. It was
the simple tribute of the nations affection
to her foremost general. Mcclellan,
though mustered out before the close of
the war, received like amount. Sher-
man, Sheridan, and Farragut received
large sums. The family Of Secretary
Stanton received more than 500, 900, and
to the widow of General Rawins was Civ
en- over $4,000. No one objected to these
gifts. They were not taken from the
Treasury of the nation; they came direct
from the hearts of those who appreciated
the services of the recipients.
The same substantial method of express
ing gratitude may be found in the history
of every nation. If we 60 back to the
days of Greece and Rome we find that ev-
eipient of costly gifts. But we have no
desire to rake over ancient history to find
precedent for acts which are common
with modern nations. Wellington received
more than $3,0O0,O0O from his Govern
ment after his brilliant victory at Water
loo. British citizens cf Calcutta gave
him costly presents; the officers of the
army gave him $4,000; the House of
Commons voted him 100000; mag
nifcent estate was purchased by private
subscription at cost of 81, 100000, and
the highest honors that England could
confer were freely bestowed upon him.
Cromwell, for his military services, re-
ceived $4,000 year and gifts. Marlbor-
ough received a palace and princely for
tune. Nelson received the highest honors
and $4,000, and Fairfax and host of
others were recipients of like gifts from
grateful country.
In civil life we have notable examples of
large gifts to public benefactors. Richard
Golden for political services alone received
by subscription $3.50, 900, and John Bright
has but recently been the recipient of cost
ly gifts.
In Germany we see the same expression
of public gratitude. Bismarck, for his
services during the late war, has just re-
ceived landed estate worth more than all
the gifts presested to our public men.
Non Moltke, the foremost of Prussian
generals, was presented with 100000,
and out of the French indemnity fund
100000 have been set apart for distri-
button among the leading heroes of Ger
many.
Does any one think that General Grants |
services to his country were less worthy |
of recognition than the public men we
have mentioned The trivial gifts which
were given at the close of the war are I'M
worthy of mention when the deeds of the |
soldier are remembered. For the credit |
of our nation we trust that no man of
character will impugn the purity of the
patriotic motives which prompted the
friends of General Grant to bestow upon
him suitable gift at the close of the Re
bellion.
The General who led our armies to tri-
umph when others failed; who was the
central figure around which the hopes of (
the nation rallied in the darkest hours |
who never uttered complaint or express
ed doubt, or sought personal comfort
while there was work to be done; who
was true from the first to the last, and '
who is as true and noble to-day as when
he came out of that terrible conflict, the
the idol of the nation, ought to be entitled
to the love and respect of those who enjoy
she fruits of his labors as soldier and his
wisdom as a statesman. ,
esa All the Welsh papers in the K