The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-07-24
No. II
Gen. Logan.

In this country, where some of our
greatest men haye sprung from the pe0-
pie and passed to distinction without the
advantages of early mental training or col
legiate education, it is strange that party
organs will resort to attacks upon anyone
because he may not be as accurate in his
grammatical construction of sentences as
would be prudish professor or pedantic
pedagogue. We have heard in the pulpit
some of the most LEARNED ministers make
notable mistakes in this respect, without
destroying the thread of their argument
or attracting more than passing atten-
ton because of their unwilling disregard
OF the rules of Murray. We have heard
Gen. Logan speak on several occasions,
but never detected any fragrant violation
of grammatical arrangement, possibly be-
cause we were so much interested in his
vigorous logic and high sense of justice
and fairness, that we did not notice what
merely hypercritical hearers might have
detected. His language, whether in speak
ing or writing, is always well chosen his
arguments methodical and pointed, and all
the evidences given of a clear thinker and
perspicu0us debater. Notwiths landing
this, Of which no one acquainted with him
could be ignorant, the Democratic press is
continually assailing him for alleged inaccu-
racies ofSpeech, land has caused the impress
sion that Gen. Logan is neither educated,as
society would have it, nor acquainted with
the proper use of the English language
This is intended for party effect, and has
in it about as much truth as generally at
taches to the partizan criticisms of that
class of journals. AS evidence of this the
following paragraph from the New York
Tribune will fully attest General Logan,
born in this country of full Irish parent
age, is the son of a physician educated in
Ireland. He fought his own way bravely
through college with what help a hard
working doctor in pioneer country could
give his several sons /; was graduated hon.
orably studied law awhile with his I'M
Gle, and then was graduated from the reg
ular law-school. Perhaps his English may
sometimes betray traces of the pioneer
habits of third Of century ago in South
ern Illinois. He speaks the French and
Spanish languages, is an enthusiast in
Shakespeare, of which he can repeat whole
plays by heart. He has been known among
his brother Senators to correct Harvard
graduate in Latin pronunciation and
Williams graduate in Shakepearean quota
ton, and his familiar acquaintance with
modern tongues is reported to have stood
in the breach where other Senators faltered
and fell.n
1t does not require this assurance,
however, for General Logan to COM
mand the confidence of the learned and
unlearned of his country. Indeed the
manner of acquiring his education is more
important than his classical attainments,
for it shows the character of the man
and the elements which go to make up his
manhood. His fame is written in more
enduring characters than rounded periods
or graceful sentences. In the councils of
the Nation he stands as one of the .purest
and ablest of American statesmen. As a
private in the ranks and as the Comman-
der of armies, his courage and genius
were equal to every occasion and every de-
mand-the soldier who never shirked a
duty and the general who never lost bat
tle-the idol of his comrades and the pride
of the Nation.
Against such a character Democratic
sneers and Democratic SANDERS will fall
harmless. Entrenched in the esteem and
affection of the brave and generous every
where, John A. Logan needs no vindica-
tion either of his language, his grammar.
or his manners. To the just he is unassaIl-
BILE. To the vicious, his high character is
above their reach.