The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-06-15
GENERAL GRANT IN ENGLAND.
THE ENGLISH PRESS oS THE CHARACTER on


THE ENGLISH PRESS oS THE CHARACTER on
THE Ex-pREsrDEST.
From the London SPECTATOR
II General Grant had come 10 this country before he
became President Of the union though alter ne had
achieved his great victories az the commander-in-
Chief Of the unncd states, he would probably have
been regarded with much more interest ana admira-
s.on than he - likely TO be utterly tame civil
administration. not quite tree from q ignoble-
IN tho choice OF as IN the appointment Of
Mr. Chandler-tnoa.h doubt redeemed now aud
then by tho tenacious good sense which induced the
President 10 veto all iLnaton schemes and 10 carry
steadily through the policy OF the Alabama arbtra.
ton Is just the sort Of ovcrshado for the
present generation. his great services a. com.
napder-in-chieL Nevertheless, u s hardly fair 10
allow our estimate OF General Grant be rsduced by
hls comparative failure statesman. except so far
as u necessarily depriyes aim Imagination or
that reserve fund OF vague capacity do all which he
nigh. ue called upon 10 do wilh which tho nero
shipping tendencies OF mankind are always so ready
TO credit any VINO has proved himself really great
IN any department. OF life. There really was NJ
legitimate reason 10 assume that General Grant would
make great Frcsident only because he hid made y
great general 10 some extent, Indeed, thsre was
some little reason 10 make the contrary ass umptou.
Tho tacturnity GOODNESS OF head reserve OF ina nuei
una comparative Indifference 10 the costl,ncsa
OF tue means employed which really great
ssn u .ns Lax 70 some eS
great poliiica-waich means also great
moralmmpression on tho public opinion q
Ike The people Of America. 70 some extent General
Grant iaiied AZ ' politician ~ tho same manncr IN
which Inc Duke Of Wellington Jailed As politician.
He bad no access to the sympataies OF tho people he
ruled Indeed, the COOL closely calculating mind Ut
u great scientific soidcr-which General Grant has
proved himself 10 bo as well as tho Duke OF Yelling
ton--is seldom combined with any large capacity TO
FORM accurate conceptions OF tho moral power OF polt.
ideas aud tho best mode oi Influencing an eager
na1ion 6enera Grants power lay IN the caln military
science which calculated clearly the suiccncy OF hs
means 10 his ends, and the uubcnding purpose which
never shrhnk from the sacrifices necessary 10 secure
tnose ends Where u was necessary 10 spend greus
number Of men and great amount OF money 70 OK
haust his foes General Grant spent those lives
treasure without lincnIng II he had made up his
mind that tho army must march VI tour O'Clock the
morning, whether they bud had sufficient from
their previous abors or holland NO ono knew better
than General Grant what he could and what ho could
not get out OF his troops--at !our O'Clock they
marched, IN spite Of any number Of rcmsastfauces 70
Nor A GREAT STATESMAN
But lucid conception OF tho theatre and machinery
Of war, aud nrn, hard purpose 10 be deferred W
nothing Ia carrying his armies " victory, do not IN
she least imply tho characteristics either VI great
statesman, or even of great civil ruler either large
legislative or large administrative abiity the civil
sphere No doubt II Is true that US u military leader
General Grant chose his subordinates with admirable
determination and Success ami II might be thought
That the insight into character noadtu Tor that pur
pose would have involved also moro insight than ho
naies hut really such an inference would have
been exceedingly hasty. In choosing soldiers,
great chess player would have In selecting good
chess players alter he had watched .hcir play. You
have frss rate test u capacity IN definite and tech
ncal field OF which you know the exigencics. But
choosing civil subordnates tho first condition OF
cess IS hue judgment on The complex resut oil
Siderable number OF mental and moral qualities ioe
which there ~ no external test and OF which you
only torn an opinion by that vague and dcnned
power called insight iuto character Now you m,ghs
almost well inier that because nrst rate gar
dener could always select an undcr-gardencr we'll
by careful observation, therefore no was oapubl
u
observation, as suppose THAI because good snidiet
knows good soldier whon he soes what thsl !, idio,
has DONE b. can, thcreiorc-whout any rea' con.
versancy with poitcs-selcct efficient and soarG
itica agents without really knowing what they have
10 blame IN so falling Is has beon exceedingly rats
ter soldier OF this typea soldier not OF marvellous
genius like tho Frat Napoleon but OF the sober calm,
scientific sor-to turn out good statesman we'll as
good soldier; and even Washington may be said To
have succeeded both spheres rather because nrst
rate sod'ershp not needed against tho adversaes
with whom lie had TO contend, than because he was
really great VI both spheres
cAnkEn PRESIDENT
u Is cortan mat General Grant Will be remembered
tn history not 10 President, but Command r'in
Chief, slough u VIII DO added that being The great
COMMANDER he was no rather dctracted from than adj
dcd To- his tame by ruling the United States Tor eight
years Stll, no VAS though not by any means great
c,y ruler, not one under whom tho interests ei the
nation suffered. II he did not reconcile the south no
minstraiion in thu North he did nothing OF nature
to rnnder that Reform more difficult. IL he did not
tho protectoniss II he did extluguish the deYt
aud resume specie payments no greatly diminished the
debt aud did very much toward the policy ot resump
ton II lie did bind England 10 America by .
thoroughly frank and generous dealing with tho q,ies
ton OF arbitration he carried the letter OF the
agreement and left tho relations between the iva
countries much better Than Le found them In Short
III General Grant, though very third rate statesman
we shall receive sracgist and tactician OF high
order and u man OF Unlimited cooiness, sobriety aud
tcnacty Of purpose. amt such deserves respect
even though he has shown but middling powers In q
sphere widely separated from that which shed such
lusLrc on his name