The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1885-07-30

The people OF Virginia are now aDOuC ell
tering upon an important political contest.
It will occasion excitement and feeling,
no doubt, but when the Democratic
press commences it's foul defamation OF
the Republican candidates, let the people
recall the walls of wrath that were poured
out upon Lincoln, Grant and Garfield, and
learn from it the great wrong that is per
petrated in villifying men because of pc
litical differences. 1t is true the candi
dates do not move in the exalted sphere
that did the three dead Presidents, but
their characters are as dear to them and tt
theirs, and as much entitled to justice al
were the great men who have rolled dowr
| their brilliant pathways to the tomb.
Expressions of Sympathy and Re-
spect.
| From every portion Of the Union and
from foreign countries kilograms poured
| in upon the family of the deceased soldier
and statesman in response to the lntelil-
gence that the sufferings of Gen. Grant
were over.
While the bells tolled, President Cleve.
land sent the following dispatch to Mrs,
Grant at Mt. McGregor:
accept this expression of my heartfelt
sympathy in this hour OF your great Attic
| ton. The people of the nation mourn with
you, and would reach if they could, with
kindly comfort, the depths OF the sorrow
which is yours alone. and which only the
pity of God can heal.'
The President issued the following
touching proclamation
The President of the United States has
| just received the sad tidings of the death
of that illustrious citizen and ex-PreSident
of the United States, Gen. Ulysses s.
Grant. at Mount McGregor, in the State of
| New York, to which place he had lately
been removed in the endeavor to prolong
! his life.
| In making this announcement to the
people of the United States the President
| is impressed with the magnitude of the
was in the hour of victory magnanimous,
amid disaster serene and self-sustained !;
| who in every station, whether as soldier
or as Chief Magistrate twice called to
power by his fellOw-cO untrymen, trOd un-
swervingly the pathway of duty, undeter-
| red by doubts, singleminded and straight
| forward. The entire country has wit
messed with deep emotion his prolonged
and patient struggle with painful disease,
and has watched by his couch OF suffering
with fearful sympathy. The destined end
has come at last, and his spirit mas return
| ed to the Creator who sent it forth. The
great heart of the Nation that followed
him when living with love and pride bows
| now in sorrow above him dead, tenderly
mindful of his virtues, his great patriotic
services, and of the loss occasioned by his
| death.
In testimony of respect to the memory
! of Gen. Grant, it is ordered that the Ex-
ecutive Mansion and the several depart
| ments at Washington be draped in mourn
| ing for period of 80 days, and that all
public business shall, on the day of the
funeral, be suspended, and the Secretaries
of war and of the Navy will cause orders
to be issued for appropriate military and
naval honors to be rendered on that day.
The Richmond Dispatch of Friday pub
fishes letters from numerous prominent
Southern gentlemen giving their estimate
Of Gen. Grant. We select the following
from our distinguished townsman, Hon.
A. Fl. H. Stuart:
The unexpected and startling announce
ment of the extreme and painful illness Of
General Grant, followed by the news of his
death, naturally made a profound impress
sion on the American people. Political
and sectional differences were at once for
gotten. His many generous and manly
qualities were remembered, and every
heart was filled with grief for his Attic
lions and sympathy with his family in
their bereavement.
For nearly twenty years General Grant
has been the central figure in American
history. The fact that under his leader
successful in OverthrOwlng the Southern
Confederacy gave him so strong a hold on
the gratitude and affection of the north
ern and western States as to render his
election as President of the restored
Union almost inevitable. His position as
President of the United States for two
successive terms attracted to him the at
tention of all the civilized nations of the
earth. He had attained position which
marked him as the chosen favOrite Of for
tune, and for time success seemed to
follow every aspiration. But after awhile
the tide changed, and mlsfOrtunes follow
ed in as rapid succession as his previous
triumphs. Political disappointment were
succeeded by financial disasters, and they
in turn by physical decline. eliminating
in the painful malady which caused his
death.
History can hardly furnish parallel to
The number and grievOus character of the
reverses which cast gloom over the later
years of his life.
The contemplation of the extraordinary
career of General Grant, presenting as it
does so many lights and shadows, will nat
urally lead to the expression of diverse
opinions as to his merits as a soldier, a
doubtless be the offspring of personal de-
votion on the one hand and of political
prejudice on the other.
The time has not yet come when it can
be determined with certainty what posi-
tion he will occupy in history. We live
too near the period and the scenes of his
military exploits and of his active partici.
patton in political events to form calm
and dispassionate judgment of his merits.
We must await the development of facts
which is now in progress and the soothing
influences of time before we can arrive at
correct conclusions. Meanwhile men will
not hesitate to give their Impressions Of
his character as formed from the lights
now before them, and as you have re-
quested me to state mine, / will give them
for what they may be worth.
There is disposition in some quarters
to represent General Grant as the mere
creature of accident, and a man of very
ordinary abilities. This is grave mis-
take. The concurrent testimony of all his
military associates proves that he was
eminently fitted for command, and know, |
from personal intercourse with him, that
he was man of vigorous intellect, and, 4
although generally reticent, when occa-
sion required him to give expression to his
opinions he did so with great clearness and
force.
The impression which have formed of |
his character is that he was true patriot |
and man whose purposes were upright. |
That he committed many errors and had |
many faults will hardly be denied. But
his faults and errors were not the offspring