New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-09-22


GENERAL GENT At SIN FRI NCi>Co
The reception of General Grant nc san iI'h''so'
on Saturday last was a remarkable one. II carries
the aginaion back Ia the times when the h"'n''"
conauerors came rom the ends of the carth' ''l'-
rounded by the evidences of victory to give To Inc
suarinino streets of the Imperial City HOLIDAY l'
If DriIs and cxultaiion But the lons narch OF ~"
American soldier has been a peaceful one i",
spoils of his bloodcss campaign have been 'n". ~
GOODWILL. and the memories of many ho-p'l'"'''
In far distant lands. We hardly Ane" 40" i''"v"
our General was until many peoples VINO ''',n ~
tle for his poitical donors. testified Their adIilF
tion of him as 4 military genius. ~ may "c SAM
without much danger of mistake. that t'e honoi'
nald To General Grant in Europe anu Hs"
anticipate the verdict OF history III" '"o
opinions of future generations. an INV" :.
ouarters of the world little was known OF ms civil
administration. and that little was hardly Known
with accuracy. But the story of military achieve
ments travels fast and travels far. Even Wh"o n'
was making history in the field the world was loi-
lowing the report of his operations, ana reauiiH
with eagcrness the bulletins of his vietor1es-lne
first brilliant success at Fort ponelsoni WHO"
made him a MajOr-General OF No:Intuoi'
the prolonged and triumphant siege o' I'M
burg. which made him Major-Genera' VI
the Regular Army; the battle Oh
nooga, which made him Lieutenant -ueh''ai an,
Commander-in- Chief OF the Armies OF the 'hi''u
States and master OF the movements Oh 'VV'0oO
soldiers: the siege of Petersburg, inc ehaae'uo"
nj Five Forks the surrender Of Lee and the denn'e
concIusion Of the war. which made him President
of the United States. We suspect that IN TINS Dit
of condensed history lies the secret of the enthns
asm displayed at San Francisco on Saturday. Oer-
talnly in this iesthe secret of the foreign honors
= have
President who could have journeyed round the
world with any chance of being thus Distinguished
II is curions to remark that something olTDmahce
has attended the career of eminent soldiers. mat
Of General Grant affords exception toEhc rule'
At the age of twenty-four years he gas WIN
ming his cpaulets I'm some Of the hardest fought
battles Of the Mexican War; Ay the age 81 thirty
seven wears he was the assstan! OF ioater dealer
at Galepa with no more prospect of the Presidency
than any man of whom he bought or to Wholl he
sold. When the civil war broke out he entered H.
not as q paper-made BrlgadieI-OeneraI, Dt oi'S 80
n plain Captain Of Volunteers. Liteiailyto hal 10
work hs way upand his first promotions came OF MS
skill and industry in drilling the raw llllil' Voiuh-
t,ers Usually taciturn he had way 81 saying
things which we're half battles, and which passed
INTO mems memories lie began at Paducah, where
lac announced that he "had nothing to do Win
on,nions. and dealt only with armed rebellion
His phrase Al Fort Donelson-" Unconditional sur
render r-became n cheerful proverb. In every
bodv's mouth were those other WORDS u propose
TO FIGHT il ont on this line if it takes all summer"
Men welcomed these homeiy but sincere utterances
rs an earnest OF brilliant morning even whom the
night was tho darkest.
The country can hardly be charged with ingrau-
tude TO the man who put it under such unusual
obligations. It's debt has been paid cheeriully ana
literally. Whatever il had TO give In return II has
rivsn Whatever military honor5 were possible II
hasbcstowed The highest civil Office II It's git
il has twice conferred. There can be no iutuIe
misunderstanding respecting lhc estimation r.
which General Grant wai held by his foiiow-citi-
z,rs # there has been anything in his clvii career
which did not meet with public approval the IT,
public has been willing TO forgive ana To fors To
Other soldier, OF great If not Of equal mrr'' hoth
in ancient and modern times, have had "a harder
fortune have found thcir SOY ercigns uugfateiH. as
General Grant has not found his-the sovereign
Deoulel These honors which arc pad him so pro
fnsely viii bear good fruit in the future There
"a no touch If Crsarsm In he position Of this ell
zcn-sodier, aud tho best Of this strange e'enlinl
history is that 1t proves our liberties to DC In no
DANGER. however great may be orr generals.