St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-12-05


The proposition to bestow a pen sion of So
600 q year upon Gen. Grant ought not TO be
received with favor. He does not deserve if.
There is nothing in his character or achieve
ments that entitle him to it. He has been
largely the recipient of national gratitude
because be happened to be in at the fall of
the rebellion. We say happened, because the
way Lad been prepared for the defeat OF the
revolters, by ADLER organizing and disciplin-
ing Generals than himself, who preceded him
in the command of the army of the Potomac,
and whose battles especially at AntietAm and
Gettysburg, weakened and prepared the re-
bellion for its final collapse.
Those bloody battles in the evidences"
in rapid succession, need not have been
fought, and such an immense sacrifice of
human life incurred. Had the Fabian policy
of Washington, in the battles of the Revolu-
ton been adopted, and little more time
been permitted 10 do its work, the rebellion
would have come to an end by hamilton; it
would have fallen by its own inherent weak
ness. But Grant FASTENED the end by multi
plying bloody battle fields; constantly calling
on President Lincoln for relays of troops TO
fill up the ranks of the slain. He literally
waded through an ocean of blood to clutch
the great fame OF being the conqueror of the
rebellion.
Gen. Lee in his forlorn hope displayed far
greater military skill and generalship than
did Grant, who triumphed by the sheer
weight of numbers and unlimited military re-
sources, more thanby superior military tactics
and generalship. Thousands of brave Union
soldiers were left dead on the CHASTITY battle
fields of the Wilderness who might have been
alive to-day, had their commanding General
resorted to skillful, patient ilitary strategy,
instead of pressing the rebellion rapidly to
the wall by brute force.
The day of syeophantic praise win pass
by, is, indeed, rapidly receding. The true
history of the rebellion and its final over
throw is yet to be written. When the war
generation shall have passed away, when
passion and partisan heat shall have cooled.
when personal sycophaney shall have ceased,
then the stern Muse of history with her i'm
partial, iron pen, with severe, but just dis
elimination will make up the record of the
events of the civil war and commentator and
condemnation will be awarded in due meas
ure where they are due. Heroes now in OBJ
security will be brought TO the public gaze.
while the reputation of the overpraised will
shrivel away into comparatively insignif-
cant proportions.
When the rebellion closed, Grant was made
General of the Army, with a large annual
compensation, a position which he might
have occupied during the whole remainder
of his natural life. Why did he leave that
position? He was beset by political cormo-
rants, and adventurers. who wished to trade
and profit. on his suddenly acquired fame,
and they fired his ambition to become Presi-
dent. They appealed to his mercenary ma
ture, the surest way TO gain his acquiesei-
ence, and promised to have the presidents
salary doubled. The attempt, was made. but
failed before his first term, but was carried
through before his second term. When nom
mated for the Presidency, he had not single
attribute of scholarly attainment, or expe-
rience as a statesman, AID he has none now
With his administration commenced the
lican party. The appointment of his first
cabinet showed his incapieity, and excited
the derisive condem alton of all parties, and
especially that of the party which placed him
in power. He surrounded himself with lob
bers of the Beiknap, Babcock stripe, and cor
ruptionists had bis ear to the end of his
official life. His base attempt to clutch a
third term has covered him with ineffable
disgrace.
He was the willing receiver of. presents. of
large and small value He gladly took what
ever was offered, gold-headed-cane. a horse
or a house. He retired from the Presidency
rich, by the grace of his wealthy, syeophantic
admirers.
Greedy of gain he became the head of a
stoek-jobbing, gambling firm in New York
ana he and his sons have piled up fortunes
in day, mountain high, and rolled in fab
ulous, estimated wealth He knew, If he
knew anything, that the alleged gains which
his firm were making were not legitimate
that they were strictly the gains of gamblers,
that what they were supposed TO have gained
others must have lost. He was engaged in
no productive business, which added to the
wealth. or welfare of society, but simply in
gambling enterprise where the shrewdest
and best win, and the devil takes the hind
most But the bubble burst, the collapse
came. Grant was stranded, his proud. AFRO