Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1872-08-03
The Personality of the President.

1t is always difficult matter to con-
vey to the individuals composing a large
and widely spread population, clear and
accurate notions of the personality of
man whom they know only by his sta
lion and official acts. When he happens
10 be distinguished as a writer or an or
ator, he impresses himself on the minds
Of men and aiding their conceptions
with portraits or occasional glimpses of
his living form, they come To know him
tolerably well. Or if he possesses mark
ed eccentric rs, the popular mind sezes
upon these, though they constitute, alter
all, no essential part of any mans real
strength and but very imperfect revela-
lions of character.
General Grant is peculiarly deficient
in these respects. He has never sought
distinction as an author; he persistenty
declines to appear as d public speaker.
His career as an army commander,
though. it inspired his troops with conf
'lence IN his judgement aud detirmina-
ton, could not arouse that personal en-
thuSiasm which comes through personal
contact. The general of great army
must remain to most of his subordinates
an impenetrable and impersonal being.
He is rather General Orders than Gener-
al Grant, unless he purposely displays
himself in semi-theatrical way, after
the fashion of Napoleon. This element
is wanting in General Grant. AS a sol.
dier and as a civil officer, it is his custom
to attend to his business with an utter
disregard of incidental "effects."
This is, we think, the reason that, at-
ter so many years of public service, Gen.
Grant is still SO little known to the
masses that all sorts of accounts can be
freely circulated concerning his person
aIity. Those people who judge him from
a distance by outward peculiarities alone
do not get beyond his cigar. If he
would only wear white hat, or swing
around the circle, or make himself per-
snnally prominent, in some way, how it
would simplify the opinions of some
classes now puzzled into abject creduity
of manifold ISLANDERS, by the mere lack
of tangible data. But being modest
and quiet gentleman, he does his duty
aud claims "a right To his own private life,
while all carcaiuiists, from Senator
Sumner down, draw pictures Of him ac.
cording 10 their malicious wi. In all
| truly CIVILIZED nations the avoidance oil
personal display, manly simplicity, and
'lirectuess are highly honored. Nc
American President was ever so absp
lutrly uapretentious, so simple and mod
est in his manners, as General Grant.
Under ttese circumstances, the evi
dence of man like Judge Hoar, OF
Massachusetts, should receive considera
tion. Practically outside of political
struggles aud ambitions, above all sus,
picion Of distorting or supPressing the
truth to suit the exigences of political
canvas, and fully qualified by personal
knowledge of the President to speak
with authority, Judge Hoar declares the
description of Senator Sumner TO be re,
diculously wide Of accuracy. lie says
81 desire To testify that during the
whole period sat at the cabinet coun
ellis, never heard any measure of ad
ministra,ion discussed or considered ex.
cept with the single reference to the
public good and when | remember the
simple, direct aud modest man who sat
at the head Of the table there, and take
up Mr. Summers speech, can but think
he is talking about some one else"
Even. without this conclusive contra.
dictlon the stories OF General Grants
enemies refute one another. 1t is i'm,
possible that he should be at once the
dull, ignorant, indifferent man they rep.
resent, aud the ambitious schener, de,
termned to overthrow the liberties OF
his country and subject us to military
despotism. Beecher's Papers.