The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-07-24
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CEN. GRANT man

At the little village of Mt. McGregor on
the edge of the Adirondack wilderness, end
ed yesterday morning the earthly career of
the greatest soldier America has ever pro-
duced, man whose name will take its place
In history among the foremost commanders
OF the world. For nine long and weary
months the unequal contest with the King Of
Terrors had continued. A whole nation had
watched the struggle, its great heart throb-
blng with joy when a ray Of hope lighted up
for brief moment the prevailing gloom and
and darkness. And when the tolling bell an
nouneed that the struggle had ended and the
heroic spirit which had endured so long and
SO patiently had passed from earthly scenes
forever, its mournful sound awakened re-
sponsive chord in the heart of every Ameri-
can. To-day nation stands fearful at the
bier which contains all that is mortal of it's
greatest hero, its foremost citizen, the saw
Jour of his country.
Gen. Grant was pre-eminently soldier. 1t
was his fate, as it has been the fate of almost
every successful commanderunde a republi-
can form of government, to have civil honors
thrust upon him, and had he no other claim
to remembrance than that which his civil ca
reer supplied his claim would still be sub
stantial one. 1t was due to his firmness, his
honesty and his foresight that the wave of
imitation which swept over Congress after
the panic of 1873 was rolled back, and the
country saved from ruinous financial poll
cy This act alone would entitle him to the
grateful remembrance of his countrymen.
The principles which underlie the present
civil service law were first commended too to
Congress in message from President Grant.
But Grants genius was a military one, and
the brilliancy of his achievements on the
battle field Will ever throw in the shade his
accomplishments in civil life solid and sub
stantial as these latter We're. As the name
of Washington instinctively recalls the he
roic struggle which made us a nation. SO the
name Of Grant will ever recall, not the many
and important events of his civil administra-
tions fraught with deep moment to the ma
ton though they were, but the battles and
sieges of that great struggle ending at APP
pomattox which preserved the Union, abol-
lshed slavery and made America in truth as
well as in name the land of the free. Coup
led with admiration for his military genius
will be admiration for his patriotism and his
unsel6sh devotion to his country. Napoleon
unsheathed the sword to crafty the longings
OF ambition. Personal ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, the
lust of power, were the mainsprings of
the Corsican's brilliant campaigns. The
world admires his military genius, but it de-
tests the motives that kept it in action But
Gen. Grant consecrated his genius to the SER
vice of the nation, and from the day that he
unsheathed his sword until he returned it to
its scabbard, it was for his country that he
planned, and fought, and endured. Rarely
indeed has the world beheld commander
endowed with genius so brilliant as his; but
farmore rarely has it beheld one so gifted and
yet SO free from moral blemish He was one
OF the very few great captains of ancient or
modern times, of whom it can be truthfully
said that he fought simply to maintain the
supremacy Of law and break down injustice.