Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-08-05

ancient city for 4 man, God Is ever In search
Tor character, which in his sight outweighs
1 the transit ry distinctions of earth aud time,
ana out OF which are the issues Of life. Tel
me not what man possesses-the beauty Of
Aosalom' the glory OF solomon, the wealth OF
I blNes, the eloquence Of ApOllns, the learning
/ OF Paul, but rather tell me what he is, In his
modes OF though, Ia his emotional being, in
/ the trend OF his passions. In the temper of his
] nind In the tenor OF his life, out OF which
/ come the totahty OF his existence and the
/ hnalitY or his destiny. This Is the man as he
/ is, and by II let him be judged. In the inten-
/ slty OF thus divine light let us to-day recall
/ the character OF the Illustrious man whose
| death nation so tenderly mOurns.
! some cOmrade In arms shall speak OF the
splendor Of his martial genius; some states
/ man snail review the majesty of his civil
administration; some historian shall place
/ him on the pedestal of his renOwn; but let me,
as the minister of religion, dwell upon that
great character which will ever be his crown
OF glory and the imperishable heritage OF the
country he loved so WE'LL
But whence the secret Of the power of this
one ne on the thought OF the world and the
| love OF mankind2
Others have insured for themselves imper-
lshabe renown for their martial proweas. for
their profound statesmanship, for the display
OF their marvellous intellects; but where IN all
the annals OF earth and time shall we find an
other who more than he stamped all that he
I'D and all that he did with suoh purity and
lOftinoss Of character? Hs individuality was
most intense. This was the source OF his
strength, the power of his action, the glory OF
his achievements. He was never other than
mselt. lie acted with spontaneity all his
own.
Aud what were the elements Of that char
acter, 80 unique, symmetrical, and now inn
| mortar God had endowed him with an eX-
| traordinary intellect For forty years he was
| hidd in comparative Obscurity, giving no
indications OF his wondrous capacity; but in
/ those four decades he was maturing, and at
| the appointed time God lifted the veil of OBJ
| sourity, called upon him 10 save nation and
| give new direction TO the civilization of the
world. How calm his judgment, how clean
/ anu quick ana accurate his imagination. how
| vast and tenacious his memory Reason was his
| dominant faculty. He was anatur Il lOgican.
| lie could descend to the smallest details and
| rise To tn highest congratulations. His won
derful understanding was like the tent IN the
story-fOld 10 and IL was toy in the hand OF
q chlld, spread 1t and the mighty armies Of
republic could repOee in its shade. He could
comprehend Il continent with greater case
than others could master an island Under
ma vast and comprehensive plans continent
shook with the tramp Of advancing armies.
As out OF some immense mental reservoir
there came a fertility of resources displayed
! in a hundred battles, in the greatest emer-
gencies, and in a threefold campaign, carried
forward at the same time without confusion
ande ach the part OF one upendoua whole.
For his cloar and certain Imagination the
future loomed before him ~othed with the
actuality OF the present. Read his military
orders and they prophesg the history of the
battles he fought. He foresaW the enemy's
plans as though he had assisted at their coun-
SAih VI " Al. A1b was Ohd oi NhOet tAbIdDiuN-
nary men, who by the supremacy Of their
wills force all obstacle 10 do their bidding
BY the prOmptitude Of his action he left no
time for Its conlraventlon. Time places and
persons he cOmprehended with mathematical
accuracy. Nothing escaped his penetration
! Such was the perpetual calmness of HIS intel
/ lect that he could transact the most important
4 affairs when the storm of battle was raging at
/ Its height.
| He is one of the few men in history who did
more than was expected. Some men excite
I
! preparations; but this quiet, meditative,
I undem0nstrative man exceeded ali expscta-
| tons by doing more than he had promised,
/ and by doing what all others had tailed to do.
| Others had done their best with a conscien-
tiousness worthy Of all praise; they had
worked up TO their maximum strength and
accomplished much; they had contributed
largely 70 the hnal victory AMI shall receive
well OF their country. II was no fau.t OF
theirs II nature had not endowed them for
the ultimate achievement. But this man.
pre-emlnent BY the happy combination OF
both nature and Providence, rose superior in
tue supreme moment, forced all things 10 do
bis bidding, and like another Joshua, could
have commanded the sun and moon TO stand
still TO illuminate his final path 10 victory.
His latent r sources seemed inexhaustible.
Dou ntless, he will be beat known In coming
ages as the foremost soldier Of the Republic.
Unknown, generations Will read his battles
with wonder and admiration. In every ham
let, IN every metropolis, his martial form Will
| be cast in bronze and sculptured In marble.
homage 10 his genius; but the time will come
WEen men everywhere will recognize the
greatness and benehcence OF his administra-
tion as President ~ the United States. II
were a crime against history and an injustice
to his memory were we to lose sight Of the
statesman amid the glory Of the warrior.
Such was the magnitude Of those great meas
ures of State. Of domestic and foreign policy;
so far reaching their influence 50 comprehen-
sive their mission, that generations may pass
from the vision Of the world ere the true and
"a aa Inns IA aF nal hall h.
determined.
He followed the divine maxim: Before
honor 10 humility" II is difficult 10 be VIC
tOriOus and not be proud. Military success
leaves Ia the mind an exquisite pleasure.
which nlls and absOrbs the thoughts THE
conquerof ascribes 70 himself superiority Of
capacity and force He crowns himself with
his own hands; he DEGREES to himself a secret
triumph; he regards ae his own the laures
Others helped 10 gather, and when he renders
10 God public thanks ho mingles his vanity
with his devotions. But read has orders;
read the reports Of his victories; read the
memoirs OF his life, ana he praises his greatsub
ordiuates and the army and navy that did the
lighting Behold the contrast In the general
orders and reports Of attles by the fret Ma
poleOn, and those by this unpretentiOus con-
queror. What pride and boldnees in the onei
what humility and mOdesty n the other. And
who, in all these four iustrG since tho strife
was over; in the decade since he retired from
the chair OF state, with a name great In both
hemiBpheres has ever heard him speak Of his
deeds Of valOr or the success Of his adminis-
trationf .Let another praise thee, ana not
thine own lips;" and to-day the people crown
him with their grateful benedictiOns.
And the world m stnkes the character OF
our illustriOus cOuntryman IN suppOsing that
ho was without self appreciation. He knew
his power and realized ms strength. Hls hu-
mility was not born OF s0lf-ignOrance. Hts
self sbnegaii0n was not inspired by contempt
for the reward Of noble deede. He was not
Ind nerent 20 the APPRECIATION of his fellow
mon, nor was his ear deaf 70 the voice uf
praise. lie loved fame. bat he did not seek
10, he loved power, but ne dad not aspire 20 10;
b. loved wealth, but he did nos cOyet it. He
was a man with all the passions and appetites
Of hum n nature; and 20 make him other
than IA well poised, self mastered man, would
be an injustice 20 his memory. But he was
wiser than his celebrated contem pOraries. m
that he would not suffer him eli 10 be un-
manned by popular applause, or the exercise
Of power, or the possession Of wealth, or
crushed by misfortune, or disheartened by
SUFFERING. In this he was greater than the
great Of his own age.
lie loved life aud enjoyed it, he loved ch.l-
dren and caTessed them. he loved his family
aud found therein hts chief deiight He had
not taste for music but he had melody IN his
heart He dcspised pretense and show. but
admired the real and beautiful. lie was not
fond Of book, yet by carefnlness OF observa-
ton, by thOroughueas Of = hootion, By atten.
tivenesa 10 the cOnversatiOu Of the wen-
informed. by extensive travHlsin many lanls,