New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-08-08
Summers Contrast Between Grant
and Greeley.

for supporting the I" Liberal Republican"
Tammany candidate for President, he draws
the following contrast between Gen. Grant
and Horace Greeley:
"Horace Greeley was born to poverty, and
educated himself President Grant, fortu-
nate in early patronage, became cadet at
West Point, and was educated at the puphc
expense. One started with nothing but in
dustry and a character; the other started
with military commission. Horace Greeley
stood forth as reformer and Abolitlonlst;
President Grant enlisted as pro-savefy
Democrat, and at the election of James Blu
chanan forfeited by his vote all the preten-
sons of slavery, including the bred Scott
decision. Horace Greeley from early lie
was earnest and constant against slavery;
full of sympathy with the colored race, ana
always foremost in the great battle for their
rights. President Grant, except as soldier,
summoned by the terrible accident OF war,
never did anything against slavery, nor has
he at any time shown any sympathy with
the colored race. Horace Greeley earnestly
desired that the cOlored citizens should vote,
and ably championed impartial suffrage, but
President Grant was on the other sde.'
Mr.. Summers contrast is between live
and progressive man of the present day and
Sumner describes "begun to die more than
twelve years ago, and departed this lille from
the effects of a severe attack OF the Presl-
Dental fever in November, 1871. And If the
character drawn of Gen. Grant could ever
have been correct, it was before the war
uproOted whatever opinions and prejudices
he may once have entertained in regard
to slavery, as it did the opinions and
prejudices of thousands and hundreds of
thousands of other patriotic and honest
Democrats. Many of the purest and ablest
men in the Republican party, at the
beginning of the rebellion, entertained the
same views now attributed to Gen. Grant as
cause of reproach, as q very large majority
of Mr.. Greeley's supporters do now. But
while that wicked Democratic conspiracy to
destroy the Government, and for the extern
sion and perpetuation of slavery seems to
have thoroughly eradicatcd Gen. Grants
prejudices and to have revolutonized all his
opinions upon the subject Of slavery, the
record of Mr.. Greeley proves that it had quite
different effect upon him, and frightened
him into a practical abandonment of his OPP
position to the infamous institution, if it did
not change his views in regard to its char
acter.
Starting from wrong premises it was natu-
raj that Mr.. Sumner should have arrived at
erroneous and logically false conclusions.
We therefore propose to correct his grave
mistakes by a parallel between the present
Mr.. Greeley running as the candidate of the
rebel and prosslavery Democracy for Presi-
dent, and Gen. Grant as the spirit of patriot
ism and the crimes of slavery have made him.
" Horace Greeley was born to poverty and
educated HIMSELF" President Grant was
born to the same humble inheritance. But
through the kindness of a gentleman whose
influence he won by his good character and
his early evidences Of ability and integrity,
he was appointed cadet at West Point,
and was educated at the public expense" a
debt that he fully paid by his gallant SER
vices in the Mexican war, though he differed
from the people in that respect, and declared
in a speech at Galena, Illinois, April Is,
1861, in offering his services to the Govern
ment, that he did not feel that he had paid
the debt. and added: 81 ann still ready to
discharge my obligation, and shall therefore
sec Uncle Sam through This scar too.''
| Both ''started with nothing but industry
and character" by which one learned an hon
orable trade and the other won commission
| which he made honorable. Horace Greeley
stood forth as ''reformcr," having devoted
the early years of his editorial life to Fourier
| ism and other impracticable vagaries. Presi-
dent Grant at the commencement of his ca
reer enlisted in the Mexican war, in which he
distinguished himself as brave and accom-
plished officer, and contributed his full share
to the renOwn won for our arms in that con-
test. And at its close. when the country
was at peace, resigned his commission, pre-
ferring to earn his subsistence by his own
labor rather than live at the expense of the
Government without rendering it an equiva-
lent; abstaining from all interference with
politics, except to exercise the inalienable
rights of an American citizen by voting ac-
cording to the dictates of his conscience in
1856, and devoting himself to the democratic
employment of hauling wood in st. Louis, or
to tanning in Galena, till the people de-
manded his services in higher sphere.
'Horace Greeley from early life was earnest
and constant against slavery, full of sympa-
thy with the colored race, and always fore
most in the great battle for their rights -
until the rebellion broke out, when he took
open and decided ground in favor of the right
of the Southern States to secede and erect a
confederacy, whose cornerstone was to BE
slacery, and by which the accmsed institution
,could be made perpetual.
Gen. Grant promptly took up his sword in
behalf of the Union and against the great Stare
holders rebellion, rising by his military genius
and wonderful success from one grade to
another until he had reached the highest
position in the gift of the Government and
had conquered peace" all the time pro-
tecting fugitive slaves who came within his
lines, favoring the enlistment of colored SOL
diers, and ordering commanders, (see order
June, 1862 not only to carry out the policy
of the Government in organizing colored
| reuimcnts "but IN remOriu1 ,,rpiu1icc AMIN .,