The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-06-17
GENERAL GRANT.

with a practical exempli6cation in the
defeat of Gen. Grant at Chicago. For
eighteen years he had been the most con-
spicuous and, for the greater portion OF
that time, the most influential character
in American history. An unbroken tide
of success had borne him on to fortune
and fame until rising like Napoleon,
from the position of q ;subaltern in the
army to the chief command, he trans
ferred his fame. from the military records
Of his country, after he had been! sated
with all the greatness and honor that
could be meted to him in arms, to her
civic history, and at one leap was lifted
to the highest position in the govern
ment. Without having any experience
in the administration of government,
without ever having served day in, any
Office outside of the army in active SER
vice, hewas elected President, and found
himself without training or experience
the successor Of Washington and Jeffer-
son and the other great statesmen who
have been called to the chief magistracy
of the country. As a General, Grant
had been active, vigilant, successful and
magnanimous. When, by that dogged
persistence and untiring energy which
always distinguished him, he had forced
the little remnant of soldiers, who COM
posed Lees once grand and victorious
army, to surrender at Appomattox Court
House, he returned the sword Of Gen.
Lee.s at that moment Gen. Grant
evinced the noblest grandeur that is ever
possessed by humanity. The opposing
General, who had frequently defeated
him, was in his power-his prisoner. To
the ambitious and the selfish the tempta-
tion to have taken the sword of the con-
ouered General would have been ire
sistible. 1t would have been to Grant
the victor valuable relic of his success,
and for generations yet to come in the
line of his descendants it would have
been 4 treasured relic. Gen. Grart, how
ever, in his modesty and then greatness
of spirit preferred. the honorable course
he pursued to the qualification of his
personal ambition. His action at Appo-
mattox has always given us an admira-
tion for Grant the soldier. But the var
over the victorious General became the
honored citizen, and his country's appre'
ciation' of his services was exhibited in
his prompt and overwhelming elevation
to the presidency. When Gen. Grant
went to Washington we believe his in.
tentions were sincere, and his purpose to
faithfully falfll the expectations of the
country. Fresh from the army, he had
been accustomed to the association of
brave men, whose life and training rem
dered them true and worthy of conf
dence. With the sociables qualities he
possessed, and his 'inexperience Of poll
ticians, it is not. to be wondered that
Grant soon became the prey OF the
shrewd, the astute, and the designing
politician. iFlattery and compliment
and power speedily did their work, and
Grant the President began rapidly to de-
velop tendencies entirely at variance
with the impression which Grant the SOL
dier had made. Early in his administra-
ton, in the very Aood-tide of post be9lun'
Republicanism, he began. to surround
himself with Cabinet officers and other
appointees selected without care or judg-
ment as to their experience. The taste
of court life, with its aattery and power,
pleased the simple soldier, and gave vent
to an ambition destined toprove the bane
of its possessor. The idea of a third
term and imperialism were the creatures
of this ambition, and during the latter
part of the career" of Gen. Grant every
thing has been bent in the direction Of
accomplishing this end. Theprogramme
had been carefully studied. Two years
of travel and prominent acquaintance
with the courts of Europe had been de.
voted to, the preparations for its execu-
ton. Experienced managers were Sc
lected to manipulate the wires in its in.
terest, but the fatal truth enunciated by
Burns in the couplet, "The best laid
plans Of mice and men Oft gang glee,'
befell them, and in the very moment
when they thought victory awaited them
the fortune which had always attended
the great third termer forsook him to 9
merciless fate, and he fell never to rise
again. 1t was great fall, which blasted
the fame of the hero of his country'a
greatest war, and carries down to history
a character which might have been az
great and glorious as that of Washing
ton, clothed in all of the obliquity which
attends the thwarted effort to overthrow
the Liberties of a free people, by abusing
their, confidence and seeking to CRAFTY
ythe arts Of deceit an ambition which
wss wholly selfish, and in conflict with
the views and dearest rights of all free
men. Itisapity for the future position
of Gen. Grant in history that he did no
die as soon .as be was elected Presiden
the first time. Then his chivalrous treat
ment of Lee and his civic honors JUS
conferred would have touched the highe'
moral sentiments and appreciation o
every reader, and his untin.ely end would
have been lamented throughout succeed