The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-07-24
Grant, returning thanks to him and his army

Grant, returning thanks to him and his army.
Similar resolutions were also passed by sew
eral State legislatures. A bill reViving the
grade of lieutenant general in the army was
passed by Congress and on March l, 1854 re-
eeived the signature of President Lincoln,
who at once named General Grant for the
position, the nomination being confirmed by
the Senate on the following day. On the
eve of going to Washington to receive the
commission General Grant wrote letter to
Gen. Sherman, in which among other things
he said: whilst have been eminently sue
cessful in this war in at least gaining the
confidence of the public no one feels more
than | how much of this success is due to the
energy, skill and the harmonious putting
forth of that energy and skill of those whom
1t has been my good fortune to have occupy
ing subordinate positions under me-" New
er before during the civil war had any one
general commanded all the national armies
At that time there were 100000 men in the
field. Invested with this authority
Gen. Grant Immediately made preparation
for vigorous and prOtracted campaign. He
mander Of the Army of the West, to move
against Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, at the same
time that he himself moved against General
Lee. The two armies moved early in May,
and after a series of hard-fought battles, al
ternating with repeated flank movements,
which the skill and tact of Gen. Lee render
ed abortiye, Gen. Grant crossed the James
river between the 18th and 18th of June,
1864 and proceeded to lay siege to Richmond
and Petersburg. At last, one railroad after
another having been cut off, the two cities
were reduced to great straits, and Gen. Lees
army having been rapidly diminished, the
last line was broken son April 2, 1865, and
Lee and what remained of his army fed
westward closely pursued by Gen. Grant. On
the 9th of the same month Lee surrendered
with his entire command to Gen. Grant at
Appomattox Court House, Virginia The
surrender of the other armies soon followed,
and the civil war in which Gen. Grant had
figured so heroically was ended. The graft
bounds. Congress in the following year
created the grade of General of the Army,
hitherto unknown in this country, and at the
same time Grant received his commission as
General. During the difficulties Of President
johnson and his cabinet Gen. Grant served
for short time as Secretary of War.
In November, 1863 he was elected Presi-
dent of the United States, receiving PA out
of the 294 electoral votes of the 26 States
then recognized as belonging to the Union.
On March 4, 1869, he was fnaugurated, and
on the following day sent to the Senate the
following nominations for Cabinet officers
e. B. Washburne of Illinois, Secretary of
State; A; I; Stewart Of New York, Secre-
tary of the Treasury; j. ID. Cox of Ohio,
Secretary of the Interior; A. E. Bowie of
Pennsylvania, Secretary of the Navy; j. M,
Schoield of Illinois, Secretary of War; j. A.
j. Creswell, Postmaster General; E. X. Hoar
Ol udSSdCuuStbbS, xtbtOIucy OtutIdl 1iitS6
nominations were at once confirmed, but it
was soon discovered that Mr.. Stewart was
disqualified by,,an act of 1889, which provided
that no person should hold the Office of Sec
retary of the Treasury who was in any way
interested in carrying on the business of
trade or commerce. Mr.. George S. Boutwell,
of Massachusetts was appointed in his stead.
AS Gen. Grant was in political harmony
with the majority in Congress, the recon-
struction of the lately rebellious States,
.xyI,in had 1aar, Aal0 ral 1xro loo II Of oh
harmony during the previous administration,
now went on. A proclamation by
President Grant, dated May 49, directed
that there should be no reduction in wages
paid government employees in consequence
reduction of the hours of labor which Con-
gress had enacted. In 1871 President Grant
urged the annexation of Santo Domingo as
territory of the United States. His whole
administration was satisfactory and in 1872
he was nominated for second term by the
Republican National Convention. He ran
against and defeated Horace Greeley, who
was the candidate both of a party then
known as the Liberal Republican" and the
Democracy. At this election General Grant
received 26S electoral votes, and Mr.. Greeley
so. During the second administration grave
difficulties arose, growing mainly out of Sc
| rious financial questions and the disturbed
| condition of the South. The elections held
in the fall of 1874 resulted favorably to the
| Democratic party, which secured majority
in the National House, which convened in
December, 1875 But Notwithstanding the
many complications, General Grant again
gave satisfaction, and considerable portion
of his party desired his denomination in 1876
Public opinion, however, was so emphatic
against violating the well settled limitation
to two terms that his name was
| not formally presented at the convention OF
| 1876.
Immediately upon the expiration of his
term of Office he made a tour around the
| world, and was everywhere received with
| utmost consideration and distinction due to
| the eminent military and civil offices he had
! held.
| At the Republican National Convention in
| 1880, some of his political friends again en-
| deayored to secure his nomination, claiming &
| that the custom established by Washington,
! applied only to three consecutive terms
| These friends numbered more than those of
any other man at the famous Chicago con-
| yenti0n of 1880, and on the first ballot Gen.
| Grant received 304 votes. The next highest
vote was thrown for Mr.. Blaine who receiv-
ed 2S4. For So successive ballots Gen. Grant
received larger vote than any other man,
his largest vote being 30S on the Goth ballot.
| On the 36th ballot, Gen. Garfield received 399
| votes, and was declared the nominee of the
convention. Gen. Grants friends, however,
remained firm to him to the last, and on the
| last ballot threw BOG votes for their favorite.
| For the last few years Gen. Grant has re-
| sided in New York city, having entered into
| business there. Last summer he became in
| y0lyed In unfortunate business complica-
tions, and his physical distress from which
| he mad been suffering more or less
| for year, was undoubtedly aggra-
| vated by these troubles. The people
| refused at the beginning to believe
| that he had the slightest knowledge of the
| real doings of the firm with which he was
| connected, and his straightforward evidence
given at the trial confirmed their faith.
A few weeks ago Gen. Grants physicians
thinking that change of air would be bene-
| fetal, advised his removal to Mt McGregOr
| The journey was made without accident and
| without events of any kind. There was no
| immediate change in the condition of the
| patient, but after time there were signs of
Improvement, and it was thought that the
mountain air was working the desired re-
suits. During his stay at Mt. McGregor, the
disease exhibited many peculiarities, but
Gen. Grants physicians, as well as he him.
self, never lost sight of the fact that it was
fatal.
Probably no representative man of any
nation has been the subject of so many dis.
tinctions, honors and mighty homages both
| at home and abroad as Gen. Grant The
| people of foreign lands, and the people OF
this nation have never been slow with one
| exception to shower upon him tokens oi
their esteem. Gen. Grant was a typica
| American He was man of few words vet
| whatever he said was sensible and instruct
| i've. He was noticeable for the modest qui
etude of his ways, great in the deeds he haC
performed and great in his lofty allegiance tC
law and his strict observance of the duties o.
| citizenshin