The University daily. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 18??-????, 1882-06-09


night in Decenber the thousands who
shared with him all the suHerings, depri-
Nations and Perils s5of that memorable,
winter At Valley Fofge, who were as truly.
great as Washington and without whom
he could have accomplished nothing.
And had the issue Of the war been other
than II was, Washington, insteed Of being
Eworshipped as hero, had been branded
with al everlasting stigma Of shame, and
shared the unhappy fate Of the defenders
of1the Lost Cause =
Again it is in strict accordance with
this same principlet that General Grant IS
hailed to-day asEa national benefactorf in
the very avenue, where yesterday an aged
lady was the subject Of the coarsest ridi-
cule simply because she was poor and
EfFiendless and that tooWhen her poverty
was the direct result Of hersacri6cing her
three sons onIthe altar d. her country at
the great battle Of Gettysburg. Was
gensf Grant sxsr estimated shirt
more heroic. BIT did he ever display more
lofty, unselhsh patriotism7
Thenswhy the ore hero and the other
lasdespised pauperP Il is simply this !
The three sons Of tie widow fulfilled their
destiny and died, bravely fighting for
their country, while General Grant, guild
led by luckier star, was placed at the
head Of the arm just in time to triumph
over fallen foe and receive the joyful
gratitude Of q rescued nation. j
T ! There is certainly nothing noble,
magnanimous or just in such a dis
elimination and Yet many of our lead :.
I ing men of all professions endorse this
mock worship, as the generator Of
patriotism, the safeguard of republican in
stitutions. III II 49,.
But who can cpncieve of a more fatal
mistaken It gives our young men the
most erroneous IDEAS Of the true object
Of life; it tea ches them to regard as wasted
the life of nat man, whose deeds are not
recorded BY the Historian and sung by
the poet; it turnk 81 them aside from the
work designed fof them form the good
they might accomplish, to.waste their lives
in vain pursuit of that notoriety which is
never to reward their labors. =, ... !
The life of BeHedict Arnold displays,
in remarkable 1aanner, how very much
ones sheronism \ depends upon others
Who ever starteH upon more brilliant
career with brighter prospects, Indeed,
So near did he come being born. a hero,
|thst 4 rs earlyIboyhood he was Fecog
nized IS hero h lis companions and
nobly did e sustain his reputation as
such until after his gallant conduet and II
treatment at the battle of Saratoga; and
but for the contemplate treatment u that
Liliputian older, General Gates, for his
impulsive intrepiHity on this occasion,
Benedict Arnold, instead of being the
abhorred traitor, had in all probability
been the acknowledged hero of American
independence. / r. -
Here we have a very forcible ilustra-
ton of the fact that one man. actuated by
selfish motives, may cast. an everlasting,
imperishable stain upon the whole life. of
another, by one action change the current
Of his life and hurl him from thesgiddy
heights of fame into the depths dds
honor And now to General Gatesfs
accorded a place among the heroes ofour
revolution, while the victim of his avarice
sleeps unrnourned in a dishonored grave,
despised not only by his own country
men but, by the. people of every LAID, re-
garded by Iall as:the very soul Of dishoner,
and in every action of his life is seen some
lurking treachery. But neither the un-
just treatment Of Congress nor the per
fidy of Gates could effect him as q man;
in this respect he was the same while ne
sgotiating with General Clinton for the
SURRENDERED West Point, as when leading
that irresistible charge at Saratoga; though
degraded in the eyes of the whole world,
his nature was characterized by essential
ly the same principles. i 2 +
The mode of ones exit from the stage
Of action also often determine whether
he shall be ranked as hero or not.
As a striking illustration Of this fact,
we beg pardon for referring to the name
Of our larnented President, General James
A Garfield a man whose whole life dis