The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1885-08-20
Blaine's ELOQUENT Words,
THE FULL TEXT OF HIS GRAFTON ON GRANT,
SATURDAY.

The following is the full text of Mr.. Blaine's
eulogy of Grant, at Augusta:
The public sensibility and personal sorrow
over the death Cf General Grant are not con-
fined to one continent. Profound admiration
for great qualities, and still more profound
gratitude for great services, have touched the
heart of the people with deep sympathy-n-
creased even to tender emotion by the agony of
his closing days and the undaunted heroism
with which he morally conquered last cruel
fate. The world in its hero worship, is dis
eliminating and practical, if not, indeed, selfish.
Eminent qualities and rare achievements do not
always insure lasting fame. A brilliant orator
attracts and enchans his hearers with his in
siired and inspiring gift, but if his speech be
not successfully used to some great, public,
worthy end he passes soon from popular recol-
lection, his only reward being in the fitful ap-
p!ause of his forgetting audience.
A victorious general in a war of mere ambi-
ton, receives the cheers of the multitude and
the ceremonial honors of his government, but
if he bring no boon to his country his name
will tind no abiding place In the centuries that
will follow. The hero for the ages Is he who
has been chief and foremost In his day in con-
tributing to the moral or material progress, to
the grandeur and glory of the succeeding gen.
eratons. Washington secured the freedom of
the colonies and founded new nation. Lincoln
was the prophet who warned the people of the
evils that were undermining our free govern
ment, and the statesman who was called to
Grant was the soldier who by victory in the
field, gave vitality and force to the civil policies
and rhilanthropic measures which Lincoln de-
vised in the Cabinet for the regeneration and
security of the republic.
The monopoly Of fame by the few in this
world comes from an instinct perhaps from a
deep seated necessity, of human nature. Heroes
cannot be multiplied. The gods of mythology
lost their sacredness and their power by their
numbers. The millions pass into oblivion;
nj bn IFS En thl rpat
leader of Israel to conduct the chosen people
over the sands of the desert and through the
sea, to the promised lanls Who marched with
Alexander from the Bosphorus to India! Who
commanded the legions under Caesar in the
conquest of Gaul? Who crossed the Atlantic
with Columbus: Who ventured through the
winter passes of the Alps with the conquerOr
of Italy: Who fought with Wellington at
Waterloo? Alas! how soon it may be asked
who marched with Sherman from the noun
tain to the sea? Who stood with Meade on the
victorious field of Gettysburg? Who shared
with Thomas in the gorias of Nashville: Who
went with Sheridan through the trials and tri-
| umphs of the blood stained Valley! General
Grants name will survive through the cen
turies because it is ndissolubly connected with
the greatest military and moral triumphs in
the history of the United States. If the armies
of the Union had ultimately failed, the vast and
benetcent designs of Mr.. Lincoln would have
been frustrated and he would have been known
in history statesman and philanthropist who
in the cause of humanity cherished great aims
which he could not realize and conceived great
ends which he could not attain-and an unsuc-
cessful ruler whose politics distracted and dis
severed his country; while General Grant
would have taken his place with that long anG
always increasing array of great men who are
found wanting in the supreme hour of trial.
But higher power controlled the result.
God in His gracious mercy had not raised up
these men for works which should come to
rpNpreOt
Lincoln, "no human counsel devised, nor did
any mortal hand work our these great things"
In their accomplishment these human agents
We're sustained by more than human power,
and through them great salvation was wrought
for the land. As long, therefore, as the Amer
lean Union shall abide, with its blessings of
law and liberty, Grants name shall be remem-
bered with honor: as long as the slavery of
human beings shall be abhored and the free
dom of man cherished, Grants name shall be
recalled with gratitude; and in the cycles of
the future the story of Lincoln's life can never
be told without associating Grant in the endur-
ing spiendor of his own great name.
General Grants military supremacy was hon
estly earned, without Fictitious praise, without
eXtraneous help. He had no influence to urge
his promotion, except such was attracted by
his own achievements; he had no potential
friends, except those whom his victories won
to his support. He rose more rapidly than any
other military leader in history. In two and IL
half years he was advanced from the command
of single regiment to the supreme direction
of million men. divided into many great
armies and operating over an area as large AS
the empires of Germany and Austria combined.
He exhibited extraordinary qualities in the
field. Bravery among American officers is
rule which has happily had few exceptions
but as an eminent general said, Grant possessed
a quality above bravery: he had an iusensibility
to danger apparently an unconSciousness of
fear. Beside that, he possessed an evenness of
judgment, to be depended upon in sunshine and
in storm. Napoleon said, "The rarest attribute
among generals Is two O'Clock in the morning
courage" Il mean he added, "unprepared
courage, that which is necessary on an uneX-
pected occasion and which in spite of the most
Unforeseen events leaves freedom of judgment
and promptness of decision" No better descrip-
tion could be given of the type of courage
which distinguished Genel al Grant. His con-
stant readiness to fight was another quality
which, according to the same great authority,
established his rank as Il commander. Gen
erals" said the exile at st. Helena, "are rarely
found eager to give battle; they choose their
positions, consider their combinations. and then
indecsion begins" 'NOlhing," added this
greatest warrior of modern times ''nOthing is
so difficult as to decide' General Grant in his
services in the field never once exhibited indie
c>ion. and II was this quality which gave him
his crowning characteristic as a military lead
er; he inspired his men with sense of their
invincibility. and they were thencefOrth nvin-
cibe. The career of General Grant when he
passed from military to civil administration
was marked by his strong qualities. His
presidency of eight years was filled with events
of magnitude in which, If his Judgment was
sometimes questioned, his patriotism was al
ways conceded He entered upon his office
after the angry disturbance caused by the sin
gular conduct of MIR. LincolnS successor, and
quietly enforced policy which had been for
four years the cause of embittered dsputation.
His election to the Presidency proved in one
important aspect landmark in the history of
the country For nearly 80 years preceding
that event there had been few Presidential
elections in which the fate of the Union had
not in some degree been agitated, either by the
threats of political macontents or in the appre
tensions of timid patriots. That day and that
danger had passed. The Union was saved by
the victory of the army under Gen Grant.
No menace of its destruction has ever been
heard since Gen. Grants victory at the polls.
Death always holds flag of truce over its
own. Under that flag friend and foe sit peace
fully together, passions are stied, benevolence
is restored, wrongs are repaired, justice is done.
1t was impossible that career so long, so
prominent, so positive as that of General Grant,
should not have provoked strife and engender-
ed enmity. For more than 20 years-from the
death of Mr.. Lincoln to the close of his own
life Gen. Grant was the most conspicuous
man in America, one to whom leaders looked
for leadership, upon whom partsans built their
hopes of victory, to whom personal friends by
tens of thousands offered the incense of sincere
devotion. 1t was according to the weakness
and the strength of human nature that counter
movements should ensue, that General Grants
primacy should be challenged, that his party
should be resisted, that his devoted friends
should be confronted by jealous men in his own
ranks, and by bitter enemies in the ranks of
his opponents. But all these passions and all
these resentments are buried in the grave
which today receives his remains. Contention
respecting his rank as a commander cease, as
Cnionist and Confederate alike testify TO his
prowess in battle and his magnanmity in peace.
Controversy over his civil administration closes.
democrat and republican unite in pronounc-
ing him to have been In every act and in every
aspiration an American patriot.
United States Treasury Statement.
WASHINGTON, Aug. y. The statement of
the United States Treasurer shows gold, silver,
United States notes and other funds in the
Treasury as follows:
Gold coin and bullion ........... 1850. s. IS 945 900
Silver dollars and bullion. l70600, 900
fractional silver cOin... D. Al, 900
United States notes. ............... % 026,5O0