National Republican., 1880-03-17
Mnn 1s nENERAL nnANr2

WHO Is NaEsNlsltAL GhANIg
CHARLES A. DANA asks this important
question of recent date He nsks it in
these terms'
If we elect ULYSSES s. GRANT President Of
the United States, and thereby make him
Commander.in.Chief Of tho Amy and Navy,
Who Is the man IN Whon ne repose this great trusH
1t must not be forgotten that General
GRANT while President refused to give Mr..
DANA q lucrative Office; at least SO the
story goes, and it is undoubtedly true. In
asmuch as that disappointment has either
i'm paired Mr.. DANA's memory or changed
his opinions, it may not be malapropos to
settle this very important question, "Who
is ULYSSES S. GRANT? ?" by quoting the
opinions of Mr.. DANA himself before he
became soured by disappointment. lie
says:
Great soldier sincere patriot and naturally
astute statesman.-Ddnd's Life Of Grant, pre-
face.
1t is not strange that the offspring of such
parents should he virtuous, honest and truth
ful.-Ddna's Life Of Grant, page 10.
He was then, MS now, cheerful, amiable
good .natured and tender.hearted to a degree
rarely attained by meu.-Id. page %.
Fortunately, in this emergency he displayed
that profound knowledge of character fol
which lie has since become so justly distin-
guished.-H., page A.
From the time Of the surrender down
through the entire period under consideration
his official intercourse with the Southern popu
lation of all classes was that Of an urbanc mag
| istTate rather than soldier clothed with su
preme powcrs.-H page $50.
But the dispassi ionate pen Of history will
record that in the face of these severe provo
I cations, and spite of these harassing difIlcul
| ties he bore himself with exemplary caution
patience and urbanity, and performed hi.
high duties with extraordinary ability, vigoi
and success. Suffice il to say that, during
these five eventful months, he filled both his
offices Secretary of War aud General in Chief
up to the measure Of the expectations Of his
most sangune frieuds.-H., page 3S5
| Like everything from his pen, this report i:
plain and concise, wisely selecting and appro
priately arranging its materials, and exhibit
ing much valuable information in a style al
once compact and luminous.-d page 3S7.
/ Upon all such subjects-in fact upon all the
vital questions of the day-he thinks carefully
and profoundly, and expresses himself will
great ease and good sense. His understand
ing is Of that incisive character that sool
probes question to the bottom, no matter
how much the politicians or newspapers MAJ
labor to confuse it, while his Judgment is sc
deliberate, honest and truthful in its opera
tions that it may be implicitly relied upon Il
arrive at q fair aud unbiased conclusion.-Id.
page 405
While so much will be freely admitted re
specting his military genius and services, it i
contended in some quarters that Genera
GRANT has given no evidence that he pos
sesses statesmanlike abilities. III reply to this
it might be insisted that to accomplish th
great objects we have enumerated require,
something IN addition to mere soldierly quail
ties, and that the tasks were of such comple'
character that their successful Performance
demanded the talents of statesman, not les
than those of q warror.-H, page All.
Standing ut the close Of tho eventful cpocl
we have been surveying, we need not hesitat
to affirm that to play the part in this grea
drama which GRANT has performed, has re
quired talents OF u very different kind, if no
Of higher grade, than those which produc
the mere soldier, however illustrious. Iii
enlightened counsels, the actual services Ii
rendered in regard to civil social, legal an
} financial matters of unprecedented characte
and transcendent Importance, affecting th
interests of large populations and the destinie
of powerful States, prove that he pOssesse
? abilities aud attainments that entitle him
|, n place among the wise and prudent statesme
, of the country.-Id., page 42l.
When the complete history Of all this shal
DC recorded III Will ne seen, as not tne leas
: among the glories of our country, that il pre-
duced its leader, as it were, out Of its ow
virtues, pure, unselfsh and just; courageous
constant aud sell-reliant watchful, pateu
: and full of hope; clear-sighted, truthful au
mugnanimous.-H, page 1885,
GRANT is as unsuspiCiOus rs a child, and 9
free from harmful intent; but he is stirred t
' the very depths of his nature by an act
= iuhumanty or brutality of any sort; Will
moanness or ingratitude or uncharitabcne.
oxcites him to the display of the livoliest ir
{ dignation. He is not slow in the exhibitio
D of contempt or disgust for whatever is III
, manly or uubecoming.-H., page 40L
, Perhaps Mr.. DANA may be able to glea
, some information from these opinions
n General GRANT which ran from his ow
4 pen before he dipped it in the gall of disal
pointment, that will satisfy him "who
+, this man in whom we repose this gre;