Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1879-10-02
Gen. Grant at San Francisco.

Gen. Grant at San Francisco.
The reception of Gen. Grant at San
Francisco on Saturday last was re-
markable one 1t carries the imagina-
tiOn back to the times when the Roman
conquerers came from the ends of the
earth, surrounded by the evidences Of
victory, to give to the swarming streets
of the Imperial City holiday full
of pride and eXultation. But the
march of the American soldier has been
a peaceful one. The spoils of his blood
less campaign have been those of good
will, and the memories of many hospi-
talities in far distant lands. We hardly
knew how famous our General was
until many peoples, who cared little for
his political honors, testified their admi-
ration of him as military genius. Ii
may be said, without much danger of
mistake, that.t honors paid to General
Grant in Europe and Asia anticipate the
verdict of history and the opinions of fu-
ture generations. In those quarters OF
the world little was known of his civil
administration, and that little was hard
ly known with accuracy. But the story
of military achievements travels fast
and travels far. Even while he was
making history in the field the world was
following the report of his operations,
and reading with eagerneSs the bulletins
of his victories-the first brilliant sue
cess at Fort Donelson, which made him
aMajor General of Volunteers; the pro-
longed and triumphant siege of Vicks-
burg, which made him Major General
of the Regular Army; the battle of
Chattanooga, which made him a Lieu
tenant-General and Commander-in-Chief
of the Armies of the United States, and
master of the movements of 100000
soldiers; the siege of Petersburg, the
engagement at Five Forks, the Surren-
der of Lee, and the definite con-
clusion of the war, which made him
President of the United States. We sus-
DCCI llldO III llllo illO VI l4oOOl
lies the secret of the enthusiasm dis
played at San Francisco on Saturday.
Certainly in this lies the secret of the
foreign honors paid to Gen. Grant. We
have had no other eX-PreSident who
could have journeyed round the world
with any chance of being distinguished.
1t is curious to remark that something
of romance has attended the career of
eminent soldiers. That of Gen. Grant
affords no exception to the rule. AT the
age of twenty-four years he was winning
his epaulets in some of the hardest
fought battles of the Mexican War. AT
the age of thirty-seven years he was the
assistant of leather dealer at Galena,
with no more prospect of the Presidency
than any man of whom he bought OF
to whom he sold. When the civil wal
broke out he entered it, not as paper.
made Brigadier General, but only as a
plain Captain of Volunteers. Literally
he had to work his way up, and his first
promotion came of his skill and indus
try in drilling the raw Illinois volun
teers. Usually taciturn, he had way
of saying things which were half battles
and which passed into mems memories
He began at Paducah, where he an
nounced that he chad nothing to do will
opinions, and dealt only with armed re
bellion." His phrase at Fort DonelsOl
-"Uuconditional surrender"-became |
cheerful proverb. In everybody's moutl
were those other words: Il propose t.
fight it out on this line if it takes al
Summer Men welcomed these home
ly utterances as an earnest of brillian
morning, even when the night was th'
darkest.
The country can hardly be charged
with ingratitude to the man who put 1
under such unusual obligations. 1t
debt has been paid cheerfully and liber
allv. Whatever it had to give in return
it has given. Whatever military hon
Ors were possible it has bestowed. Th'
highest civil office in its gift 1t ha
twice conferred. There can be no futur
misunderstanding respecting the estima
tion in which Gen. Grant was held b,
his fellow citizens. If there has beel
ANYTHING which did not meet with pub
lie approval, the Republic has been Will
ing to forgive and forget. Other sol
diers of great if not of equal merit,bou
in ancient and modern times, have ha'
n harder fortune; have found their SOY
ereigns ungrateful, as Gen. Grant ha
not found his-the sovereign people
These honors which are paid him so pro
fuseIy will bear good fruit in the future
There is no touch of C@sarism In the po
sition of this citizen-soldier, and the bes
of this strange eventful history is tha
if proyes our liberties to be in no danger
however great may be our generals
n. Y. Tribue, 22d ult.