The New York herald., 1877-03-04
PRECEDENT Grant In ul.sory.

Whatever of praise or censure may here
after be awarded TO the distinguished citizen
who to-day passes ont of politics into his
tory. future times will at least regard him
as one OF the most remarkable products OF
our institutions and one of the most extraor-
binary examples they have yet furnished OF
a sudden ascent to the highest honors of
tho Republic. When President Lincoln
was inaugurated tho cx-captain OF
infantry, who was then pursuing
IL humble but respectable calling
ut Galcna, seemed the most unlikely person
to occupy the largest share of the attention
Of his conntrymen during the ensuing six
teen years. President Lincolp's rise was
indeed more rapid. but there was more IN
his anteccdents to justify expectation, and
his public career was not so long and varied
Ofour two military Presidents before Grant,
who served n double term, both made their
way more slowly, though starting with
better advantages. Washington wns
wealthy planter and ono of the most con-
siderable men in the colonies when made
commandment -chief i'll l775, and between
that date and his retirement from the Presi-
dcncy was a period of twenty-five years.
Jackson had been United States Senator
aud Judge of the Supreme Conrt of his
State long before he won his brilliant VIC
tory at New Orleans, and twenty-five years
passed from the date Of that battle previous
to his retirement from the Presidency. But
less than sixteen years havc elapsed since
President Grant was an obscure clerk in
small establishment for tanning hides.
This was an unpromising starting point for
great career begun and accomplished in
less than sixteen years. 1t hns no parallel
in the history of this and few in the his
tory of any country.
President Grants sudden rise 10 power
and firm grasp Of it when obtained were not
due to any kind of adventitious aid. With
out family advantages or powerful connec-
tions, he had nothing to depend on but his
talents, and these arc not of the kind that
usually leads TO sudden success. The struc-
ture of his faculties is the reverse Of brilliant
or snowy He lins neither eloquence, nor wit,
nor talents for conversation, nor social
complishmcnts, and no man ever had less Of
man was ever more truly tho architect Of
his own fortune. He rose by no vulgar
means; he forced his way by qualities as
genuine as they were solid There was no
self-nsscrtion, no bumptiousness, no attempt
to get promotion in the army by intrigue,
no tricks to belittlc and supplant rivals,
only a simple. straightforward, efficient
oc Il
laid upon him by the unsolicited orders OF
his supcriors. A man who steadily rises by
such means must possess extraordinary
force of mind, and the small critics who
have disparaged General Grants talents
only make themselves ridiculous Even
apart from any study of his campaigns,
which in the estimation Of competent mill
tary judges fully justify his reputation, it
is to the last degree absurd to imagine that
an obscure young officer could have steadily
risen through succession of commands
of constantly increasing responsibility until
he reached the very highest, growing all
the while in the confidence of the army, tho
robustness Of intellect and force of char
acter which belong only to tho foremost
rank of able men. Those who deny him
the possession Of ordinary mental accom-
plishmcnts unwittingly pay him the highest
compliment; for man who has risen so high
and stood so secure without their aid must
needs be very strong in compensnting
qualities. General Grants namo is in
dissolubly connected with the greatest
events Of our history, and no man
since Washington has retired from the
Presidency to private lie with q better
guarantee that posterity will not forget him.
His military career may be lett safely
tory but it is not SO easy to anticipate the
final verdict on his merits as chief masis-
trate. He is not likely, however, to be
judged hereafter by the ephemeral party in
vectives of his time. Jefferson md Jackson
were assailed with as much vchemence and
bitterness as Grant has ever been,
and yet their memory is held in
respect. Our people treat their Pres
idcnts rs wife with hoart
better than her temper would treat sue
cession of husbands. Each of them. gets
pretty well acquainted with her tcrmagant
tongue during his administration of family
affairs, but she thinks him saint in heaven
when his term is ended. But die and
she'll adore you," says the satircal poet
and the American people have the same
tender fondness for their departed Presi-
dents, of which tho republican culogies
on Andrew Johnson furnished the most
remarkable of recent instances. 1t is
safe to assume that President Grnnt
will not suffer in the estimation of posterity
by the extreme license of partisan libels
during the period while he has held Office.
Soma one snecnlatino on literarx falna has