The National tribune., 1885-10-08

comparative quiet which he had surely earned.
! But it was not to be. After the perfidy and
almost treason of Andrew Johnson against
| those who had placed him in power, and against
| the best interests of our country, the people
| desired to secure a more worthy successor of
Abraham Lincoln. 1t fell to my lot to present
Grants name to the National Republican Con-
vention. He was proclaimed the
UNANIMOUS CHOICE OF TIE PARTY.
| This honor he sought not. It was thrust upon
him by the necessities of the times. AT the ex-
piration of his first term he was again called
upon to be our civic chief, and but for tradi
tion that exists among the people, and an un-
written law permanently fixed in the minds of
our people. l believe he would have been chosen
! for third time. He travelled through Europe
and Asia. Rich gifts were showered upon him
! by foreign rulers and municipalities. The heads
of rulers and great men of the nations of the
earth were bowed in his presence So much did
! he impress the older nations of Asia with his
| greatness aud business that he was selected to
settle international disputes between them a
! friendly arbitrator. His return to his own
country was made memorable and historic by
the ovations he received wherever his foot
touched the soil.
From Belmont to the siege of Vicksburg
was near him in nearly all his marches, cam
paigns, and battles, and was permitted by him
to take possession of Vicksburg with my COM
mand, OH account of its having approached
nearer the enemy than any other. During my
| term as commander of that city was with him
almost every day, and from the time when, at
the head of that glorious old Army of the Ten
nessee, Of which
| HE WAS THE FIRST COMMANDER
and I its last, I marched by his reviewing stand
at the National Capital, and down to the last
painful days of his memorable life, was with
him very often. During all this time was
close observer of him. Grant was usually
| known and recognized as quiet and silent
man, but, when engaged in conversation on
any subject in which he felt an interest, there
were but few who excclled him as a conversa-
| tionalist. He wrote tersely and well, and at
| times most eloquently. The Nation was at diff
ferent times thrilled by his terse epigrammatic
| sentences. When he wrote to Buckner, the
commander at Fort Doneson, No terms other
! than an unconditional and immediate surrender
can be accepted. Ipropose to move Immediately
upon your works." his words burned with the
glow of patriotic fire in the heart of every loyal
| freeman.
When he had fought the battle of the Will
derness, and wrote to the President: :" pro-
pose to fight it out on this line if it takes all
| Summer" he infused into the people and his
| troops part Of his own tenacity and faith in
| final success.
In his short speech to the committee who
| waited upon him informing him Of his nomi-
nation first made by the Republicans as their
! candidate for Chief Magistrate, he used these
| words in his conclusion:
"LET Us HAVE PEACE"
These words fell upon the people with an
electrical effect. His GOODNESS, his perception,
and aptness in using the right word in the right
place and doing the right thing at the right
time were at the bottom of his success as a
civil magistrate, just as his great faculty for
doing the right thing Mt the right time and
and place. aud sometimes in the most unex-
pected manner, was at the bottom of his mill
tary greatness. Grant was a man of great
strength of intellect remarkable common sense,
coolnesS, self-possession, and tenacity. He was
true friend to those who were worthy of his
friendship. All the sympathies of his great
heart went out to those whom he admired He
was one of the kindest and best husbands that
ever lived. He was fond of, kind and generous
to his children. He was man who, when he had
confidence in another, trusted him with implicit
faith. This honesty and fidelity in himself
with full belief in the honesty and fidelity in
Others, was the source of all tho trouble he had
either in civil or military life. 1t has been
said that Grant was not strategist; that his
success was achieved by his courage aud his
persistent fighting against the enemy. l do
not agree with this statement In my judg-
ment
HE WAS WITHOUT A RIVAL
practical science Of warfare, either as a strate-
gist or great commander. He was not only
the equal of but greater as military COM
mander than Washington, Napoleon, Yelling
ton, the Duke of Marlborough, the Prince of
Orange, Frederick the Great, Charlemange,
Hannibal, or Scpio Africanus; and in my opin-
ion coming centuries will give to Grant place
above them all, and rank him the equal, if not
the superior of julius Cesar. And when the
mists that were thrown around his civil ad-
ministration by persistent and bitter parti-
san enemies shall be dispelled by the sun
light of mature and honest reflection it will
shine out with all tho brilliancy and glory
that is or has been attached to any admin
istration in the past. That be made some
minor mistakes no one will deny, and yet in
each and every Administration that has been
in the past and that may be in the future the
same may be and will be said of them. With
Grant duty was a living principle. What
his duty was to his country and Republican
institutions was the question ever before him.
and whenever he felt that he was right nothing
could move him from his purpose. When con-
vinced that he was wrong he was at all times
ready to concede it. He was a conscientious
man, just man and truthful man,
MAN OF GREAT COURAGE
and great magnanimity. He always loved his
friends and stood by them, even while forgiviug
his enemies. AS a military man he fought not
ior glory, out 10 save his country from OISncIO-
berment and servitude. He was at times crti-
csed and severely censured by many, both in
his military and civil career. The clouds of
calumny lowered about him. He stood in their
midst, with arms folded, hearing their thunders
and witnessing the wrath of his enemies. But
he spoke not in his own defense. He felt that
to censure is easy; to adopt what measures the
case requires is the part of wisdom.
Time finally dispelled the clouds. He rose
above and beyond them and barred his bosom to
the world that his heart might be examined.
When the light of honest judgment shone in
and upon it it was found to be as pure as the
dewdrop that hangs upon the lips Of the velvet
rose
Some feign to believe that Grants success
was in many respects accidental. This comes
from desire that seems strangely to find a
place in human nature, never to give credit to
the one that brings success or performs a noble
act. Great arguments and orations are always
prepared by some other than those delivering
them. Shakspere's works were written by
Bacon, according to some persons who wish
notoriety, inasmuch as they cannot become
famous. Unmerited success leads weak minds
into folly. Egotism, vanity and ostentaton
always follow the success of the weak. None
of these evidences of weakness were ever found
in him. To maintain prosperity is much harder
than to acquire it. In the weak it creates a
false pride, but brings wisdom and unostenta-
ton to tho strong. The latter was evidenced