The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-06-07
The Letter and It's Writer.
Speaking of the presidents recent letter
the New York Tribune says:

the New York Tribune says:
''Grant has done some extraordinary things In bis
days but nothing more singularly characteristic
inc inst how much he thinks the Republic owes
him, and with the frankest candor lets the pubic
see the very bottom OF his Thought ABOUT II. ne
chip was worth more than these two terms OF the
presidency. 1t was life office, and he expected
that congress would let him keep it until he was
tired Of r. and then let him retire with the rank
and q portion Of the emoluments which he 80 much
needed. He positively seems to be proposing
to get him out Of the neld for another term-which
he evidently thinks is due TO him-they might ar
range it by giving him back his rank and pay as q
general. and then putting him on the retired list.
The suggestion is an rminenty practical one and
worth consideration"
1t is in the highest degree Notifying,
not only to the political friends of the
president. but to all citizens jealous OF
their country's honor, that such notice
as the above should appear in one OF the
leading journals of the land; and still more
mortifying that this notice is fully merited
bv the whole tenor of the document upon
which it is based, Ulysses S. Grant will
ALWAYS occupy large space In American
history. He cannot be thrust out OF sight
and ignored, and whether living or dead
must stand forth to the present and future
generations as the most prominent figure
In the military annals Of the greatest re-
bellion the world ever witnessed. The
south had as good or better soldiers, but
their achievements are not illuminated by
the light of final victory. The north had
as good or better soldiers, but they missed
the happy combination of circumstances
which sent their successful rival to the tor
OF the tree. How much real genius and
how much remarkable luck contributed tC
his success, it is not necessary now to In
duire; but the success was gained, and was
brilliant enough to satisfy the strongest
ambition. The close of the war left Gen
Grant the representative man OF his tri
umphant section, and 1t was the hope an(
expectation of the people of this section
that he would develop in peaceful pursuit
some qualities at least which might deeper
the respect already awakened by disting
uished services in the field. The Reput
lie, proud of it's hero, was lavish of its graft
tude. Congress passed resolutions as com
plimentary as any that Washington eve
received. and bestowed a higher militar
rank and more liberal emoluments tina
Washington ever obtained. Enthusiast
congratulations and substantial gifts cam
in from every side, and the climax was &C
ded when an admiring and grateful natio
lifted its idol to the executive chair and bi
him rule wisely and well the land he ha
done so much to save, Four years full {
mistakes, and marked by not a few gray
faults, failed to ALLEVIATE the affections Q
destroy the confidence of patient and fo
giving people. A second presidential teri
was given to him who had lost rather tina
gained credit by the management of b
first. 1t was thought observation and e,
perience might have taught valuable lie
sons to one who ought to have been willin
to learn, and that this second term woul
restore the larger share of sadly diminisl
ed fame. Half of this second term is gon
and it is not too lDuch to say that eyer
hope has been disappointed and ever
fear realized. Grant has learned nothir
and forgotten nothing. He is either u
terly incapable of improvement, or he
utterly opposed to improvement. He
not a whit more discreet to-day thu
when he made Kramer minist
to the court of Denmark. nominated Wi
liams to the chhief-justiceship, and ba
gained with B9z for San Domingo. He
no more to be trusted to-day than when
said Let us have Peace" and sent FEEDER
troops to control southern elections at Il
risk of an insurrectlon; recommended civ
service reform, and straightway repudia
ed reform by making some of the wor
appointments the civil service was ev
cursed with. He is simply incOrrigib
The popular idol, so lavishly adorned al
so nobly honored, is after all only the col
monest clay.
And now when the people who ha
done so much for him and endured
much from him are formally declari
that precedent which Washington d
not venture to establish shall not be esta
lished by Grant, he writes a letter viii
neither faithful friend nor honorable t
can read without blush of shame. |
talks as though he had grievance viii
should be speedily remedled; as if he h
given everything and received nothing;
though three or dozen presidential teri
could not balance the debt still due hir
as though he ought never be allowed
come down to the level of ordinary huma
ity and resume the private life and until
name illustrated by the plain farmer
Mount Vernon. We look in vain throu
this strange letter for single glimpse
becoming modesty, single flash of gen,
Gus gratitude, single sign of graceful
cogntion of taCOrs larger than any 9th
American has ever enjoyed. Such an c
hibition of complaining selishness in SUI
parsonage is no subject for mirth
sarcastic wit; but it is subject calculat
to create the deepest modification and t
profoundest regret.-,S. Louis Rep.
Grant on Gratitude