Litchfield enquirer., 1878-08-01
Gen. Grant as a Talker


 All the while he was in the army, and duI ing the eight years of his presidency Gran was silent man. In the winter of '76-7 h began to talk and, since he has put the At lantic Ocean between himself and his felloy citizens, he has proved cOnversationalist 0 no mean power. One of the most interesting newspaper pages ever published has been tha of Grants conversations as reported by Johl Russell Young in the New York Herald. Tn ex-President may have tendency to liquo and to low company, but he is no mean >mal ten moderate talent and good luck gain higl military. reputation, in single campaigns or il single battles. There is nothing of the mush room, however, about Grants military reputa tion. He is everywhere the same energetic indomitable, successful commander, with that wonderful capacity for turning defeat into vic tory which first disclosed itself at Shiloh and afterwards at Vicksburgh, at Chattanooga, and finally in the decisive attack on Lee in the spring of '65.
 In these interviews he explains the one in- decisive campaign of his military career. When taking command of the army of the Potomac in 1864 he was unused to the army the army was unused to victory and he thought the risk too great for brilliant, deci- sive blow like that which opened the Missls- sippi and split the Confederacy asunder by the capture of Vicksburgh. Had the West and East swapped armies at the beginning of that campaign, Grant would have thrown himself upon Lees communications as he had done be- fore upon Pemberton's. Then a great battle would have resulted in the annihilation of the army which was defeated. With his Western army, commanded by such generals as Sher- man, McPherson and Sheridan, Grant would have trusted to his superior numbers and dis cipline and played the bold game which he now thinks would have closed the war year earlier. Had he then known the army of the Potomac as he soon came to know it, he says he would have made the experiment. Every thing considered, however he decided to adopt the safer, but less brilliant plan of a more di- TCCG dtluChs HIS IOSOCS III IlC campaign were heavy, but were less than 40, 900 men he ayers while Lee, though losing less in numbers, was permanently crippled by the hard fighting of that year.
 Gen. Grant rates Lee and Stonewall Jack son considerably below the popular estimate of their ability. The tactics of Jackson, so successful against raw troops and inferior leaders, would have led to certain disas- ter, he thinks, had he met such a commander and such an army as fought in the Shenan- doah Valley in the memorable fall campaign of 1864 Gen. Grant should remember, how ever, that the genius Jackson displayed in the campaigns of '62 might have adapted itself to the different conditions of later years. He might never have attempted with Sheridan what he could safely risk with Banks.
 One pretty sure indication of high talent, if not of genius, in Grant, is the confidence men like Sherman, Sheridan and McPherson al- ways had in him, and in his generous treat ment and his praise of them. The extraordi- nary efficiency of the armies of the West which he commanded was due in no small degree to this excellent understanding between Grant and his subOrdinates. He could never have saved Shiloh, taken Vicksburg, and re- lieved Chattanooga, had his army been para lyzed by such jealousies, such want of confi- dence, and such lack of generous support, as ruined so many successive commanders of the Army of the Potomac. The evil effects of mutual jealouses and half hearted support soon disappeared after Grants arrival, East. The relations between himself and Meade were excellent and, if he found less brilliant commanders than he left in the West, they neverless supported him heartily, and always felt certain of just treatment in return.
 Grants views are by no means so valuable upon civil as upon military affairs. He is Q thorough soldier and great general, but a mere amateur among politicians. He often shows the sound sense he undoubtedly posses ses even in his civil judgments, but they are terribly warped by prejudice. There is no doubt that Grant, though an honest man, lacks sound moral perceptions. His moral break down before the war-so splendidly retrieved, during that contest-left it's mark on the char actcr of the man. He had no patience with the high moral aims of Charles Sumner ; while, with that honest innocence which half excuses his error he still proclaims his confi- dence in Benjamin +. Butler.
 We place little confidence in Gen. Grants renunciation of politics. He no doubt dis likes war, but he is too powerful man not to like high command when fighting is going on. He dislikes politics, but he could be readily coaxed inte them again by his old political friends, if they really desire his third nomina. tion. But we have no idea he will ever be tempted into any such blunder. People al ways like firm man; but, just now, they want of all things, a reformer. Grant is firm enough, but he made permanent breach witt Reform when he removed Bristow and Jewel and appointed Chandler and Don Cameron Republicans may not like the prospect of ( Democratic President in 1880; but they arc not quite desperate enough to prefer Repub. lican Dictator, and especially Dictator whe has no sympathy with Reform.
 The political campaign, so far, is a very stupid affair. The Democrat swings his hat and shouts 'Fraud!" and the Republican yeils Rebel" and 'Repudiator" and all either cares about is the offices. The only novelty is the new National Party which really had a good send-off in New York. Their conven. tiOn was composed, say the papers, of solid country element, decisively opposed to politi clans of all kinds and especially to the disre putable city sort Having said this our com mendatiOn of the National Labor Greenback' party, as they call themselves must stop Their platform is crude and impracticable tc the last degree. They denounce the money power. the Resumption act and the act declar ing the Five -Twenties payable in coin, and de mand the withdrawal of bank note circulation and the payment of outstanding FiyeTwenties an legal tenders. They favor a protective tar iii prohibiting the importation from abroad of articles manufactured in this country, a tax