The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1874-12-02
Ulysses 5. Grant Who and What
Is He?

Is He!
General Grant may, without much doubt.
now be looked upon as politically dead;
aud it is proper and appropriate to com
nlent upon his history and character as of
one who has passed away, not praising
nuduly nor consuming inconsiderately, but
fairly, impartially and Justly.
Grant was born in Ohio. His father
was tanner by trade, and rather an I'M
man. He possessed by nature
of the poetic gift, and bright
His opportunities of culture
We're extremely limited. Had he enjoyed
the advantages of Il good education we
think he would have distinguished him.
self. His natural endowments were supe-
rior to his sons.
Young Grant, when a bov, manifested
good deal of tondncss for horses We look
npon this us the most favorable Indication
of character which his youth afforded
He taught a horse named Dave how to
pace. and excelled other lads as rider.
When his father called him one day to
discuss the question what he should be,
ana to determine his future destiny, and
told him that he could be educated at
West Point at the public expense, young
Grant promptly responded Il should like
that" ''The itlea," said his father, in re-
latng the incident, seemed to please
him. ..s,-
The name bestowed upon Young Grant
by his parents was Hiram Ulysses. But
when he entered West Point the member
OF Congress who appointed him, by mis-
take, registered his name as Ulysses S.,
under the delusion that his name was
Ulysses Simpson, and this name he has
borne ever since. Could some friendly
fairy enable him to change his name again
at the close of his term of office, it might
be regarded as a renewal of the remarka-
bic good which luck for long time SEEM
ed toattend him.
At West Point Grant did fairly, though
below the average. AS he himself once
said, out of /; class of thirty-cight he stood
titty-second i'll French. But like the late
George Vanderbilt, he excelled all in horse
manship. t-..
In the Mexican war he distinguished
himself somewhat by his personal bravery.
After that lie ran pretty steadily down
hill. he resigned from the army because
VA ITO hoDipo " MIC III dlll tLlcl
roamed about, and was unsuccessful, and
got pretty thoroughly broken down. At
one time he kept sort of real estate Of
flee, i'll partnership with another man, in
st. LOUIS. He had a farm near St. Louis
and used to haul cord wood to market;
but the water of the city did not agree
with him, and it is reported that it fire.
4uently made him SO sick that he would
lie down by the roadside on his Way home.
This water, besides being unwholeSOme,
was very expensive, so much SO that it is
said frequently to have consumed the
whole proceeds of his load of wood, and be
often returned home, not only with his
shoe leather worn by the travel, but with
out any money in his pocket.
Some time, but not before the war broke
out, Grant engaged as clerk or salesman in
the leather store of his brother at Galena,
Illinois. When hostilities commenced he
volunteered for the war. We think he
was actuated by patriotic motives, and
look upon this offer of his services to the
country as one Of the noblest acts Of his
life.
During the war Grant received more
support from the Government than was ac-
corded to any other officer. NJ other man
had SO good chance.
1t so happened that this war did not de-
velop any remarkable military genius.
Never, in the history of the world, was
there & more glorious manifestation of pa
triotism than by the volunteering of the
masses Of the people, aud we had plenty
of good, faithful officers but from the be-
ginning to the close of the war, 10 such
prodigy in military atl, i ) as Napoleon
Bonaplrte arose.
Toward the close it came to be brute
contest of physical forces, unaided by any
wonderful capacity to command. Under
these circumstances what Was required
was man who could coldly and deter
minc,ily sacrifice human life. This Grant
could do, and he became the leader of all
our armies. What was required was the
stolidity of a butcher and the tenacity OF
bull terrer--the least intellectual of the
canine race. These Grant possessed
Northern blood was to be weighed against
Southern blood. He had the coolucss and
nerve to pour out Northern blood into the
scale until it's weight prcponderated
against the blood shed 10y the South, and
in this way tue final victory was won.
After the close of the war a dispute
arose between General Grant and Andrew
Johnson, then President of the United
States, which closed with the funeral OF
O.le mans veracity, and it was not that o.
Mr.. Johnson.
generous people, grateful to the mar
who, if he had split the blood of their sons
and brothers freely, and sometimes per
haps recklessly and wantonly, had, at al
re nj fol vol ,loatol -,
President. The first act of his Administra
ton was one than which none since has
been more tnsurable-nOne could bt
worse. He selected for the members o
his Cabinet men who had given him costly
! and valuable gifts. Had he done this Sc
cretly, which he did openly, and had the
secret afterwards leaked out, it would
have furnished conclusive ground for bis
impeachment and removal.
General Grant started ont with the nov
81 idea, before unknown in the history o
this Republic, that the Presidents Cabinet
We're just like the staff OF q general, ant
he has always seemed to regard himsel
as the sole embodiment of all executive
/ authority. ...-..--.. '....
He has done more than any other mar
to degrade the highest Offices under oul
Government.
He even traded away seats on the bencf
of the Supreme Court, and bargainet
judgeships for decision which many q
our most enlightened and ablest Statesmen
! and jurists regard as unconstitutional
There can be no more dangerous, no more
detestable species of corruption than this
General Grants personal associates ant
have not generally been of the bette
class. This fact has given rise to the be
lief that his tastes, are low.
| There is much evidence that he ha
grown greedy and misery since he cam
into office. He is as ambitious as he il
avaricious. In grasping at a third term
who shall say that he did not aim at tn
empire' He worships with equal devo
| finn It two Shriups-,nonpV and mower