Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1876-09-14

in reply 10 my question whether be
hadn't at the expiration of his first
term as @ overnor, contemplated re.
turning to the Bar at Cincinnati, he
said
"Ten years gone leave big gap in
ones life. Ten of tho best years of
mine has gone in tho army and pub,
lie life. Had [ returned to the Bar,
| should hare been ten years behind,
and it would have required immense
labor to have caught up,-to have
gained that position in the profession
which, had returned to the Bar,
should have set out to gain. Had
occasion required it, | should have
returned to practice, and have gone
at it, and shouldn't have stopped
aptil ! had caught up. But | was
asked TO run again, and did So"
And those here who know him beat
will tell you that, instead Of being
borne along by his good luck. he is a
man Of clearly defined purpose, who
moro than once has set out behind,
but has "kept at it, without stops
ping" until he has orc; taken the
occasion, which he turned to success.
80 look at Hayes now, his quiet
manner, and Of reserve OF speech,
and deliberate habit of expression"
said ono who served with him during
the war, "you would scarce think
W hat fellow of dash and hurrah be
was il the army. Ha was cool
enough always in handling his mon.
But, when it came to fight, aud an
advance was 10 be mad, he led with
most reckless courage. Az Winohes-
ter he was the first man who, in The
face of the fire of q rebel battery,
plunged into the slough, had 70 dis
mount, leaving his horse laundering
helpIes+ly in the mirc, and, waiing
ashore, waved his cap to his mon to
follow. They did and that battery
was moved 10 on Their part OF the
field. double quick, 70 avoid capture,
whom bis brigade joined him.
At South Mountain, too, the SOL
diers of his command tell how,
leading an assault upon the euemy's
line, General Hayes was wounded,
and lay upon the field, with his arm
broken, until he mistook flank
movement Of his regiment for re-
treat. Then be sprang to his feet
and rushed to The thickest Of the
fight, where be remained urging his
men on, until, overcome with pain
AID loss of blood, he sunk to the
ground again. His gallantry in the
charge at Floyd's Mountain, in the
campaign in the Shenandoah Valley,
and at Cedar CT eek, whore his horse
was shot from under him, will long
be reoounted with pride by the
veterans Of Ohio. And yet Hayes
is the very man | remember hearing
gay at Cincinnati, just after the close
of the wal, and it was character
istio OF bis hatred of ehamming and
of theatric heroics:
Don't believe tho man who says
he went into battle without fear. |
don't bo!iove any. sober man ever did,
without fully approaching his peril
| know | mover did. It's one Of
those things that has slways to be
fought against"
Whoever talks with him for but
ten minutes will find that he is of no
sham pretensione. He il, as | have
already intimated, very far from
being ono of those compiaisant be-.
ings who put themselves on tap, so
to speak, at any body's instance, and
go on spilling all over until some-
body shuts them off. But his
methods are direct, and farthest
removed from those of the machine
politicians. As was said to me, to-
day, by one who has known him
long and intimately, "Gov. Hayes,
in all his political career, has not
once compromised himself; has made
no bargains or trades, or promised
appointments, to secure nomination,
influence, or votes. You may rest
assured he hasn't done SO now and,
if elected, be Will 90 to the White
House untrammeled, and BIO will
himself be President. If be should
happen to be defeated, he will light
upon his feet, and there will be moth
ing to be exposed, whether he be
elected or defeated, that any man
need be ashamed to have done in
broad daylight. He can say No,
and isn't afraid TO say it when he
thinks it ought TO be said and,
when his MAD is made up that d
thing is right, while he will listen to
you patiently, there's no use of try
ing to move him. 1t can't be done. "
| wish those who are so convinced
in their own conceit that somebody
is going TO run Hayes should he be
elected President, could see the man
himself, and hear the testimonies
that are here to be found on every
side, that must satisfy them they arc
mistaken in their man. There would
then be less of that ridiculous stuff
and nonsense sfoat about his being
merely an of respectable medioc-
rity, which is said to signify that he
has neither the brains nor the will to
be- President when elected. The
conspicuous fact in his political
career is, that in no canvass has he
permitted himself to be governed by
any managing politicians; and that
after election, as often as such at
tempt was made, he has ignored the
managers who would have taken
him into their keeping. The appoint
ments cited in my Cleveland letter
were only illustrations of his general
course in acting on his own response
bility, directly antagonistic TO the die
tates of the party-managers. Thus il
was that in his appointments of Trus-
tees for the State Charitable and
Correctional Institutions, be made
it rule to accord representation 70
the minority; and thus Gen. Tom
Ewing, one Of the foremost of the
Democratic leaders ia tic S ate, and
especially conspicuous against Hayes
in the late campaign, was by the lat.
ter made Trustee of the Soldiers
Home, and Judge Pugh, of this city