The Press., 1885-08-13

the least; would make the same exertlOn to support you that you have done to sup port me, ::and would do all ln my power to make our cause win." This was the broad and manly friendship existing be- tween these two great generals. He lived in realm so far above rivalry and conten- tion that all baseness was banished in the fixed purpose to save the Union.
 Is it not another Jordan cry of the old Baptist, eff it is necessary for the saving of the nation, then all personal emolument will be laid aside let him increase and will decrease"
 Another element in the character of General GRANT was his adamantine firm ness. There was no incompatability be- tween this and his magnanimity. In this respect he was choice piece of nature's handiwork. It is the same broadcast shower of sunbeams gathering in silence the vapors from the surface of the ocean, picking the dew-drops from your garden flowers, that hurls the tornado through space, and pushes with awe.inspiring pow CT the torrent of Niagara.
 That same principle of our hero's nature which prompted his magnanimity under one set of circumstances, established him as invincible in firmness in other surround ings.
 He never uttered boastful word con corning his strong will, there was none of that obstinacy about him which is regard ed as heroism by little minds, but when once thoroughly established in his own convictions that a course of action was right, he was as fixed in that purpose as the north star in its position.
 Mythology tells us that the God of our Scandinavian ancestors was the mighty Thor, whose right arm yielded hammer which he used to beat down opposition. Our old Morse fathers had for crest pick-axe with the motto "Either will find way or make one.
 The careful student of the life of Gener- al GRANT cannot fail to discover in him many of the traits of character peculiar to this unt1lnching ancestry.
 1t was this trait of indomitable perse- verence and frmness that brought victory to his banners.
 Go back ill thought to that last year of the war. See that fine army of Northern Virginia, commanded by General Lee, as- sailed in the terrible battles of that cam paign forced to retreat day by day until they were forced within their entrench- ments at Richmond, and for nearly year held Ill the mortal grasp of the unrelent- ing chief of the Northern armies. Observe that never yielding tension of forces, that military vigor by which Petersburg and Richmond, the sacred altars of the Confed- eracy, were cleared of the rebel army.
 Hear GRANT exclaim as victory appears to be fleeing from him "We will fight it out on this line if it takes all summer"
 No mere man9vering would have won the day. Our enemies were just as skilled in that department of warfare even more so, than the generals of our army, and they were too much in earnest to be fooled simply by military tactics. No mere skill in handling armies would have worried out Lee in that campaign.
 It was the hammer of Thor that must pound away till the head of rebellion was crushed beyond recovery.
 The magnificent bravery of our South ern brothers, the splendid heroism of the population of the South could only be whipped by the dogged perseverance of the man who has now yielded his sceptre to the dominion of death. Since that cam paign he who speaks of General GRANT as an ordinary man accidentally raised to pertaining to military greatness.
 This element of firmness led him to see victory as the result of every contest upon which he entered. The half of every bat tie in life is the courage of our convictions, whether it is upon the forensic stage or in the field of battle that man is dangerous who deals blows with the weight of his convictions.
 At the battle of Shilo, when the hour was the darkest, the Union troops were thrust back near the river. General Buell. came upon the field in advance of his troops, still miles away. He rode up to General GRANT near the river and suggest ed that all was lost. Said he, "What pre- parations have you made for retreating ?" GRANT replied, "I havn't despaired of whipping them yet p
 "But," said Buell., eff you should be whipped how will you get your men across the river these transports will not take 10000 men,"
 eff I have to cross the river" said GRANT '1O, ,OO0 will be all shall need transports for P and at that time his army was 30, GOO strong.
 sI have seen him" says an eye witness, 'sit erect in his saddle when every one else instinctively shrank as shell burst in the neighborhood.
 "Once he sat upon the ground writing a dispatch in fort just captured from the enemy, but still commanded by the guns Ol auOUueF lOrb LedF Ut udllu. A 5tl6ll burst immediately over him, but his hand never shook. He did not look up, but con- tinued the dispatch as calmly as if he had been in camp.
 At certain place on our coast line a great arm of the sea makes inland for many miles, Upon it's flowing tides our merchant marine fioated much of their cargo to the inland towns. Finally, great trunk line of railway threw it's bridge across the estuary, accommo- dating its water trade, with draw-bridge in the center. It was friendly compromise be- tween ocean and overland travel. Over the grand archway sped the white-plumed trains of commerce to their destination, and through the open arch the white sails of merchantmen crept up to their various wharves.
 One day the bell sounded for the opening of the draw, and a tempest-tossed merchant man sought to pass the draw, Steadily the strong tide lifted and swept onward. All space was clear, but midway in the draw the bow spirit struck the sides and the heavy tide threw her stern around, and the old hulk stuck fast in the draw.
 Over the bridge from the east came a west ern bound train. Seeing the open draw hel engineer brought her to halt.
 Over the bridge from the west came an east ern bound train, and stopped at the signal The restless engines puffed away anxious to be on their jouruey, but below the old vesse was fast, and the bridge could not be closed
 Road agents reported to the superintendent He came upon the scene, looked at the halted oI aIl