The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-07-24
In this

foothold for our maritime interests In this
ambition he was disappointed.
But perhaps the greatest service rendered by
President Grant was the last before retiring to
private life The perilous days at the opening
of 1877 would have been doubly perilous but for
tho fact that General Grant was at the head Of
affairs. The desperate men who would have
plunged the Nation into civil war in an attempt
to steal the presidency, cowed by the
knowledge that the then chief executive would
see the law enforced at whatever cost. It was
his presence in Washington that prevented a
recurrence of the bloody scenes Of 186165.
AS in war, so in peace, General Grant was a
leader, and his administration, so far as he was
concerned, must take rank with those of Wash
ington and Lincoln. Despite the desperate
attempts of the enemies of the government TO
put a stain upon his record, the silent man
retired from the White House unscathed,
beloved and trusted everywhere. He was re-
markabe for the abiding trust he placed in his
few intimate friends, standing by them to the
uttermost. yet inviting the closest scrutiny, and
at length. when it was made to appear that some
were near him who unworthy the honor
of his confidence, he promptly urged the author
tiles to let guilty man escape Whatever
may be said of few adroit men who had won
influence with him, IL has never been seriously
charged that he ever did or suffered anything to
be done that was not perfectly ingenious and
honorable. His integrity as unsullied as
WhiteSt marble
From the head of the government General
Grant went back to private life private citizen,
holding no commission enjoying no emoluments.
/ His tour around the world, taken shortly after
his second term ended, was the grandest ex-
hibItion of honor ever extended TO any man.
! Princes and p0tentateS of every country We'd to
DO him houor His fame had gone forth through
all the world. His name was the amplest intro
duc.lon the surest passport to the most dis
tinguished consideration. His reception in all
! lands reflected glory upon the Nation he repre-
scented, and a new pride sprang up in the hearts
: r,E "a b. k1x~
went back to the ways Of private lfe and in
vested what money he had in what he was led to
believe a legitimate business. The disastrous
outcome OF that adventure, through the rascal
{ ity of the man Ward, who had used the honored
name of the soldier TO gain credit for himself,
was more keenly felt by Grant than by any
other. The distress experienced by him over
the misfortunes brought upon others. through no
fault OF his own. did much, doubtless, to shorten
! his lease of life. His great heart was quick to
suggest that everything he had be sacrificed to
repair as Ear as possible, the damage done
Never known 70 murmur, he made no complaint,
but bore 1t as he bore all his misfortunes, with
I the calm heroism for which lie was noted. So,
too. when physical distress attacked him, he was
I the same brave man, winning new friends and
admirers even in his sufferings.
AT last the great soldier and President the
servant Of the people, the self possessed leader of
millions, Ulysses Simpson Grant, is dead. To
day his awful sutferngs are at an end, and he is
! at peace. The gratitude OF all the world rises
like incense about his coffin This silent man,
scarcely more silent than at moments Of
. his greatest achievements-the world uniteS to
DO honor to his great fame Out Of the throes
OF civil war ne pluched universal freedom and
century of peace He sought not his own; the
vanquished kept his sword; the defeated re-
! tanned every sOldiery honor. Beating down
wrong by the might of his genius, his great
genius enough to ne satisfied with duty we'll
done. When the sword of the leader Of rebel
lion was sheathed. his was instantly laid aside.
The pomp and circumstance of war had no
charm for him when duty no longer led the way.
Peace be to the silent man who made war i'm
possible TO the present generation-peace and
. honor, and glory so long as the memory of noble
deeds and great achievements shall endure Out
of our hands lie goes to flames mausoleum not
that high station that only Falne's favored few
may attain. Great in all the days Of his life,
greater still while dying, the Nation he redeemed
bows its head in tears while civilization world
wide weepS with his people over tho death Of
their beloved leader and fellow-citizen.
MIR. BLAlNE's ESTIMATE OF GRANT.
In his Twenty Years of Congress-" vol. l,
page %, Mr. Blaine says;
General Grants active service in the field
4 closed with the surrender Of Lee. Al the COM
manders Of confederate forces followed the eX-
y ample Of their generalin chief, and before the
end OF the month the armed enemies OF the
Union had practically ceased to exist. The fame
4 of General Grant was full. tie had entered the
service with no Fictitious advantage and his
promotion from the first to the last had
l been based on merit alone-wthout the aid of
political influence, without the nterpOsiion of
political friends. Criticism Of military skill is
idle chatter in the face Of an unbroken Of
{ victory. General Grants campaigns have
varied in their requirements, and but for the
Z fertility Of his resources and his Enbending
will, might often have ended in disaster Cour
age is as contagious as fear. and General Grant
possessed in the highest degree that faculty
which is essential to all great COMMUNICATIVE
faculty Of imrartng throughout the rank and
I file of his army the Same determination to win
with which he was himself always inspired.
/ "One peculiarly Of General Grants military
career was his constant readiness to fight He
wished for no long periods Of prepare ton; lost
no opportunity which promptness could turn to
advantage. lie always accepted. without cavil
or question, the position to which he might be
assigned. He never troubled the War Depart
ment with requests or complaints, and when in
I justice was inflicted upon him he submitted
silently. and did a soldiers duty. Few men in
any service would have acQuiesced so quietly as
! General Grant when at the close of the remark
able campaign beginning at Fort Henry and
ending at Shiloh, he found himself superseded
by General Hal!eck, and assigned TO a subordn-
ate command in an army whose glory in
separately associated with his own name. Self
control is the first requisite for him who aims to
control others In that indispensable form of
mental discipline General Grant exhibited per-
lection.
When lie was appointed Lieutenant general
and placed in command of all the armies OF the
Union, he exercised military control over a
greater number OF men than any other general
since the invention of firearms. In the cam
paigns of 1864 and 1863 the armies Of the Union
contained in the aggregate not less than million
OF men. The movements Of all the vast forces
were kept in harmony by General Grants COM
prehensive mind, and in the grand contamination
which ensured union and liberty. his name be-
came inseparably associated with the true glory
Of his country"
CONVERSATIONS AND OPINIONS.
Grants Estimates of Public Men and Meas