The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-12-03
GRANT.
Personal Recollections by Rev. Or.
Newman.

Rev. DR.. Newman, of the Methodist church in
Washington attended by the late General Grant
and VIII o was one of the Generals most intimate
friends, lectured in City Hall, in the Y n. C. A.
course last evening. He is man of medium
height but of considerable avoirdupois, high broad
forehead, grey hair, and does not wear moustache
or beard.
DR.. Newman said the three great pageants of
the world belong to Rome France and America.
In magnifcence of proportion and majesty of dis
position, there is little difference between them,
but in the inspiration which suggests the benef-
cent result of their deeds upon mankind, they are
essentially unlike careful student of the phi
losophy of history must go behind the veil Of their
lives and seek the source of their genius in closer
contact with their inner natures A mans moral
character and the value of his services to his
are not to be inferred from the demonstration OF
popular enthusiasm. Aurelian, the Conqueror,
was a warrior of unquestioned genius, but he laid
wanton waste to European and Asatic powers.
Napoleon left France charnel house, and Europe
place of desolation.
On the 9Th of August last, America seemed to
rival Rome and France in a pageant of unparallel-
ed grandeur. 1t was the funeral of most illus
trious citizen and fifty millions wept around his
bier Do you say it was a funeral march? Nay,
rather was it a march of triumph that bore the
conaueror to his rest Ii is the boast of our land
that native-born citizen may rise to grasp the
beggar and die President, than to be born
prince and die royal scoundreI Now in gather
ing up the fragments which make our history, we
should treasure the utterances which fell from
the patriots lips and the secrets of his closer fe
which give fidelity to narrative.
1t is a vulgar superstition which says that Grant
was man of limited intellectual capacity and
low mental culture. He was a man of extraord-
narily fine intellect 1t was the dream of his ear
er life to qualify himself for professorship The
minutenesS of his knowledge was astounding.
He was sensitive about his intellect, for he knew
hq Vrac acfi Of n q N
as brute force, as force alike tenacious. ire
sistible and pugnacouS. He was conscious of the
fact that he was more than a general; he was a
ogician of war, and, as a philosopher, could ac-
count for victory OF defeat by the pure force OF
ratiocination.
The grandest compliment paid him was the adj
mission OF Won Motke that he fought the France
Prussian war upon the principles OF Grants
campaign against the Confederacy. Grants
imagination was creative and not pictorial. His
reason was his masterful faculty. He reached
conclusions not by the ordinary process of minds,
stood before him to unfold subjects were embar
raised when, by an incisiye remark or question.
he showed that his mental grasp had preceded
their words and given him thorough comprehen-
sion of the details. He never committed treason
against the conclusions reached, but stood i'm
pregnably upon them, defying lightning and tenn
pest.
We must not compare him to other con1uerors
to discover his warrior ability, but reach that
Vcksburg, Wellington at Yorktown or Washing
ton at Salamanca. 1t is against history to say
that you can reverse the position OF man and
Judge his capacity. The criteria by which we can
judge the greatness OF man are the obstacles
which he surmounts, the problems he solves, the
results he achieves. Grants sublime isolation
challenges admiration of his grandeur. We pluck
no laurel from the brow Of Caesar nor jewel from
the crown of Napoleon in eulogizing him. Ma
pOeon'S plumbers in Egypt and Russia were due
to a lack of comprehension. Grants campaign
grasped a campaign in its entirety, the details of
camp as well as the political situation involved.
He was, therefore, an intellectual soldier
Grant proved two things-that republic CON
tans the elements of self-preservation, and that
voluntary soldiers of republic are equal, if not
SUPERIOR to the conScripts of monarchy. He
was greatest in crisis. He was never great,
apparently, in preparation, but when the Crisis
grandeur of enthusiasm and of massive purpose.
While Sherman thought over night OF what the
enemy would do on the morrow, Grant planned
what he would do to the enemy.
Two glorieS belong to hln-the glory OF palrlot-
ism and the glory of philanthropy He hated war
in his inmost soul-said it was barbara and
crime against human nature: that it was mon
ster which marched to the music of the widows
cry and the orphans wall, and that it did not be-
above. conquerers who loved conquest HIS
cherished idea was the establishment OF a unlver-
sal tribunal for the adjustment of international
grievances. His dream was congress OF ma
lions; time OF peace when war should be IN
known and all men free. The glory Of his philan-
thropy is not yet appreciated The pomp Of war
changeless sincerity he must be seen at home
where no disguise or masquerade hid him from
DOoOHl 9I dllu ilio
ty gave rise to a high Sense of honor and, during
my seventeen years acquaintance with him, re
call not a single instance of prevarication or
treason against truth. He preferred poverty and
honor to wealth and dishonor.
Grant is represented popularity as a man of UNI
usual eyenness of temper and unrufned placidity.
He was in realitya man OF strong appetite and
passions; but the nobility OF his nature was in the
self-control which chained both appetite and pas
sion His meekness, then was not base sur
render of manhood. Russia may boast of Peter
NAPOLEON. and the United States of Washington,
butthe verdict of the future will be that the
erandest greatest, most illUstrlous man of this
see OF civilization was Ulysses S. Grant.