The New York herald., 1873-09-08

Ceoserism ana Grent-Greut and HIS
War Character-How the Time Has
Affected Il.
We called attention recently to manifesto
ton of the spirit of C@sarism, as shown in the
paucity of our statesmen, the absence Of high
capacity and character in public life, the con-
trast seen between public life and other sta
tions, the activity, the genius, the growth in
literature, business, art and industry, while
those in authority are meagre and narrow
minded, and at times corrupt and unworthy.
We selected Mr.. Colfax as the illustration OF
the age-its ripest fruit-and, in contrasting
the treatment of Burr by Washington with the
treatment of Colfax by Grant, we showed how
the age of simplicity and homely virtues had
been succeeded by the age of mediocrity and
false pretence The inference which came ire
sistbly with this discussion was that Cesar
ism, which we hold to be the chiefest danger
to the Republic, was marching in manifest
and unchallenged triumph and was to be seen
in these painful phenomena.
Since General Grant came into public life
we have treated him with universal respect
and kindness. We favored his nomination to
the Presidency, his denomination and his re-
election When the enemies of his admins
tration assailed him in the Senate on the
French arms question we defended him with
all our power-and not without effect let US
add-for if Mr.. Sumner had succeeded in that
assault General Grant would not now be
President We like General Grant We like
him personally-his character and his achieve
a name which, whether stained or white,
must live on and on in our history. Nor did
we give heed to the scandals about him, his
horses, his relatives, his wines, for these are
the miasmas of the political atmosphere that
burden it with offence and disease. Nor did we
expect from him infallibility in his
Office. When he made mistakes we
felt that the high, genuine, resolute manhood
behind all would redeem all. When we speak
of the growth of C@sarism in America we do
not attribute it to Grant In fact, we see no
man in the party who is less to blame than
Grant. With this view, let US consider the
personal relations of the President to this
most important and absorbing question, and
let us show how it has swept him and his ad-
ministration into what would seem to be an
irredeemable position.
Remember all the time the history Of Gen.
eral Grant. Before the war life had many
weary, anxious hours for him. He failed in
all Of his undertakings. Superior to his sur
roundings, conscious of higher qualities and
aims, under bondage to fortune, as Lord
Bacon would soy, by an early marriage and
a family of children-his life bitter,
narrow and very dark indeed, and no outlook
but years of labor that wanted love and effort
without opportunity. But the hour came.
From the depths, in one short year he was on
the summit. The struggling clerk in Galena
tannery was the first citizen of the Republic,
among the foremost men in the world, his
name written with those the world would not
willingly let die. In this ascent-which
might have turned even Caesar to giddiness
and ruin-Grant showed beauty and man.
illness Of character that are not surpassed in
our history. His modesty, his genuine sim
plicity, his utter absence of art and pretence,
his disdain for the noise and splendor of his
new station, his magnanimity to Sherman, his
generosity to Sheridan, his spirited and
soldierly protection of Lee when it was pro-
posed to try him for treason, his surpass-
ing good sense and patience, his sincerity and
the good fame of his domestic life, his equa-
nimity under adversely and prosperity, his
affection for his military family, his devotion
to his friends and to all who served him-all
combined to make him one of the most win
ming, as he was the most celebrated, character
in our history. And we said to the world,
see what manner of man the Republic sum-
mons to the leadership Of her armies and the
chief magistracy Of her States We know of
few things more touching and manly than the
began to rise in the war. ALI he wanted to do
was to win the country's battles see peace
and 60 home again. Nor is there any letter of
the kind in our knowledge of history that
breathes nobler spirit than his letter to
Sherman after his promotion to be Lieutenant
General Reading these letters one might be
excused for recalling the men of whom
Plutarch wrote and feeling that we had not
forever lost citizens like Phocion and Aris-
tides.
Great as Grant was and is, he is not superior
to his time. The time has tainted him as it
tainted others. Grant has shown himself
thus far unable to check the tide of C@sarism,
which rises higher and higher. One of the
most extraordinary achievements of the in
genious and daring Gerome is picture of
Caesar in the Coliseum looking on at the
gladiators. The spectators seats are filed
with much that is beautiful and gaudy and
in the Empire. A sturdy Dacian
stands in the arena over his defeatedopponent,
who lies painting and bleeding. 1t is for the
multitude to say whether the barbarian
gladiator should die for the multitude
unless Caesar should give him life. Men and