Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1872-02-29
miscellaneous.
General Grant.
His Character and His Chances.
As sEES BYAS INDEPENDENT DEMOCRATIC
CoNCREssNAS
From the New York Citizen. edited bv Rot.r,
b. Roosevelt VI L

From the New York Citizen. edited by Robert
Il. Roosevelt, VI. {.
Its the mistaken tiea Of some persons
TO oeltile Gen. Grants ability, 10 run down
h. qualifications. and TO underraie his
mental requirements Instead OF being
the stupid. seuseless individual that thee
persons would have the public suppose; lie
D, one Of the shrrwdc,t managers OF the
day No; only as leader In The war 10
which b. first gave a favorable turn. hu; a.
manipulation 10 puh &c, he has shown re-
uarkahle skull 1 he rebels continually
took the same view that the Democrats are
taxing now. and de nounced the Union Geu-
erAi a. an lguOramus every time h. won 4
victory over them; and the more Effect
ualiy he crushed their armies the more
&. airy they proved that he was utterly In
oonpcteu, a. . military commander. and
entirely unequal 70 the task which he had
assumed. There are soldiers AZ tie South
TO-DAY who can clearly establish ihc tact
that Gen. Grant was the poores, officer the
world ever saw. that ne ought t. have been
teaten In every battle, aud iha, he ~a. only
savcd from ter ruin by incredible luck -
- also with the Democrats. thick prove
couoiGsivcly the Presidents imb,..i!liy a.
br>i laid plans for h.s overthrow. and while
hr has 50 demoraiixcd hi adver-arics that
they hardly have a oAnd.nate against him.
they insist that 4 weaker politician never
lived.
Ouc OF the greatest % iolilcs j. 10 uu-
dcrra.e an adversary. and necessary A. the
dc.rai OF The kePu 'itran party, j - the
welfare OF the nation. j. Will never bc
brought about ~ COuirnptuouS rcyu.nss
II it. Candidate. OF fAilure - appreciate
the desperate nature % the struggle which
must b. won. aud tie resource, al the com
maud ~ the great leader who Intends to DC
be- a candidate. That Gen q ant viii fail
by any contingency OF a reno.ntlstiou. there
!, not the rrmutcsi likelihood. he has en-
tire and absolute control 81 the matter
and Ae uses ~ power with a y isdom aud
discretion which are sure 10 eject the end
Ia View. Opposition IN bis owu party :
practically crushed. lie was never "a
sori;e Of party chiefs. who originally ac-
ccpied him oul, on compulsion. but he had
bold on the people which they dared not
ignore. lie has lost part OF h.. Dopu-
lariiy. Americans dread military usurpa-
lions and love constitutional law; they
have not forgotten the fate OF exico, and
do not yet love soverei.us or permz nent
masters; but a his popular strength is
| diminished, his political strength has in
creased. Then he held the people, now he
| holds The politicians. He has out Ganked
the a;ter, a. he once ouihlnked the Rebel
/ Generals, and al present gr2sps them -
firmly a. be held Lee in Richmond.
People who do not know President Grant
! intimately, describe him as sphinx" a
"wooden man," u silent. upsocial person.
| aud dvducc from this AL underlying stratum
OF stupidity. No hing could be farther
| from the truth, aud here is where the series
/ OF olunders commences. Surprising the
assertion may appear. Grant is emineutly
social; he is joviai merry, laxative. full
1 Of fun aud .eniaiiiy, anu righi pleasant
/ companion. HIS reserved manner Is his
shield OF defense. His natural temper
would leave him hopeless prey 10 bofes
( and place seekers and other enemies OF
I public men. aud herein coises = display Of
I his peculiar tact: no sooner does one OF
these appear than Grant recognizes him
! and reiires into his shell OF ifnpassibility
and ike tortoise frightened by some
| noise, never comes out till The danger Ia
past. He viii stop ia the midst OF the
! iiveilest conversation II he finds that his
( inieriocuior has purpose under his pleas
I auiry. aid If he suspect that some object
: to be attained he as sumes hi air OF s,o-
..l.ty at once. Before any brilliant gentle
ne beliltlts the President for this habit.
LEI IN think how much annoys nce II has
saved him.
lie is kind-hearted. and being totally un-
accustomed 10 reserve, he would have had
difficulty IN maintaining the dignity OF his
position without resort TO some such plan
- he has adopted. lie was elevated sud
denly by q combination OF accidents and
The ApIltTv a the nf fl.>.
cldents, until almost al al single leap he
has advanced TO the highest position In the
nation. To keep up the decorum OF his
station il was essential 10 change many OF
h, modes OF action, and 10 assume a re-
serve which was not natural. Instead Of
being an evidence OF stupidity. this in
reality is proof Of his shi ewdness. Out Of
respect to the nation he was determined
that the sfiee OF president should lose none
none Of its prestige In his hands, and he
has certainly made good his resolution. II
ia doing 70 he has earned the name OF
sphinx. silent riddle, q dumb mystery he
has cut on the dangerous presumption OF
old acqua intances, and has forced respe CT
from All classes, high and low, friends and
enemies.
A further evidence of his appreciation of
the people, which afier all Is the essence OF
s,asscraft, Is TO be found In his course OF &C.
ton In reference 10 the attacks Of the DEM
ocrats. The latter dnd some asssilxbls
point In the conduct OF the Republican par
~; they address their batteries to IL. and
make capital against the administr
they excite public feeling and get the sen.
tlineDt OF the nation with them: their
chances Of turning the tide OF public favor
Improve; they become jubiiaut and see a
brighter hope OF winning the next dghr
and recovering their long lost power; 8
tsrill ofjoy passes through the entire party,
and their old energy begins to revive. Sud-
denly the President, who has been a silent
locker on ali this while, committing him.
J self neither 70 one side or the other, study.
ing however most carefully the course OF
events, reache. forth his hand. covers that
: particular point, and takes to himself all
the political capital the Democrats have
been SO industriously making. This has
happened over and over again. But take
one of the most notorious instances-the
civil service bill. On this point he seemed
: Committed and especially vulnerable: he
!, had appointed relatives innumerable TO Of.
nice; his hopes Of denomination largely
hinged upon bis power 70 control the ONCE.
holders; bis enemies appear to have him at
. disadvantage; they were pressing the
case against him vigorously, although Der.
manency in Office was never q doctrine Of
the Democrats, VINO, on the other hand.
demand rotation. But what does Grant
do? Quietly, and all BY himself, he adopts
system Of civil service reform which,
while 1t satisfies the people and seems to
comply with their wishes, virtually retains
power in the Presidents hands, precisely
Is it always existed.
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