The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1885-04-11

i
in Chicago, when wine was freer than
water, he sat with his glasses up side
down.
This stamps him the moral hero as
we'll as the great soldier. His courage
therefore is enforced by his conscience
as well as his judgment, so that it would
seem impossible to surprise him into
tlmidity or trepidation. Believing that
the deepest law in the world is the law
OF right, he believes in the heavy bat
talions when they march under its sane
| ton.
THE SILENT MAN
is not the thoughtless man. He has
studied the springs of human action and
the problems Of society until he has mas
tered the principles on which they rest,
and the ends to which they lead; and so
he comes to their solution with the con-
hdence of conviction and the heroism of
reliant leadership.
Another man, with dashing bravery,
might fail entirely for lack of steady
purpose and clear perception of the
work in hand. He might sound the re-
treat when if he had clear and steady
head he would sound the advance. At
any rate i'll the supreme moment, when
the firmest courage drags unless an
chored in profound conviction, the aver
age man might utterly fail. But Gen.
eral Grant, with courage resting on the
clearest intelligence and the deepest con-
victions, has hardly known the meaning
of fear, Or felt the impulse to yield the
cause he has sworn to defend. The great
qualities with which nature has endowed
him, linked with natural and moral
heroism equal to any emergency, make
him easily the leader of men and the
master of affairs. He is greater than
other mon on account of the fulness of
his faculties, and because he dares to de-
vote them to the high ends which he be-
lieves to be right.
THE CHICAGO CONVENTION.
We had written thus far, and laid aside
our pen to await the result of the Repub-
lican convention which was then in ses-
sion at Chicago. Grants name was be-
fore that convention, -without any seek
ing of his own,-for nomination to the
first office in the republic. Whatever the
| event should be, it seemed to us that it
would be new test of his strength, of
his courage; and of that profound repose
which is the real sign Of great souls. He
had leadership in the convention, and
following that might have satisfied any
| ambition. 1t was clear to a demonstra-
ton, from the first ballot to the last, that
his was the strongest name before the
| convention. The six hundred who rode
into the jaws of death at Balaklava were
not more resolute and devoted than were
the three hundred and six who, every
time through the long ballotings, cast a
solid vote for Grant. And this is all the
more remarkable. when we learn that
neither Conkline nor Logan, who led the
unwaveriDg line, had either of them ex-
changed word, by voice OF pen, with
| General Grant, from the time he went
abroad until that hour.
| Grants strength, therefore, was not in
his presence, his plans, his pledges, or
his maneuvers, but in his moral power
to unite and WELD into a single purpose,
masses of able, sagacious and highmind-
ed men. There is 10 higher test of power
than this,-a test which only the elect
are able to pass. Those who brought
him before the convention and clung to
his name to the last, believed that he
was the best man to be entrusted with
the fortunes of the Republican party, and
with the headship Of the republic.
The struggle was not without bitter
ness. Unfair and ungenerous things were
said, which were calculated to wound
and anger a high-spirited soldier aud a
great citizen who had done his country
inestimable service. If he were weak
man, or a man of selfish ambitions as
it was assumed he was,-he would resent
the atfront, and call upon his friends to
punish those who had dared to offer it.
The opposing party had counted on this
result. They assumed that Grant would
divide ths Republican party,-that his
nomination would ALLEVIATE his opponents,
or that his loss of the nomination would
ALLEVIATE his friends. In either case they
counted on divided enemy and an easy
victory at the coming election.
How little they knew the man. What
sign has General Grant given OF wounded
pride, or honor, or ambition? To whom
has he told his sense of wrong, or where
is The evidence that the iron has entered
his soul?
HIS SUPPORT OF GARFIELD.
His silence, which was utter up to the
time of the convention, was broken a:
soon as the question was decided; and hi
was among the first to congratulate Gen
eral Garfield on his nomination, and t.
assure him Of his support. So far from
nursing bis wrath, and sulking in hi
tent, he broke away from all the tradi
tons of his life, went before the people
showed himself in their political gather
ings, and talked with them SO plainly
and wisely, and honestly on the ISSUE
before them, that he changed Thousands
of votes, and made victory at the poll
not only possibility but certainty
The weight of his character saved thu
Republican party in November, as TIL
weight Of his sword saved the country a
Appomattox.
Had he taken the course which his en-
emies calculated on,-made a sign tina
he was hurt, indicated his resentment
appealed for sympathy, or even kept hi
wonted silence, the Republican part,
would have been put to utter rout
Nothing could have saved it. But in
stead of this, his presence in the meet
ings of the people. his words of calm