The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-07-29

~ with era,t He never lost his self control In
This respect he was like Washington The horors
henped t,pou him would have intoxicated most men
and made them delirious with vanity or ambition:
Grant aimed IS uprcoved he was upon the heId
of battle We all remember Wien ne mace MS Tour
around the world and the hattering attentions that
he received from the crowned heads and nobility or
other lands Most men would have MADE some slip.
But Grant never made tho slightest mistake lie al
WAYS did inst the right thing and said just the right
[bj1c Ha acknowledged in a proper and becoming
manner the courtesies he received from kings and
emperors but he preserved his respect for our own
nxt;tufiors and his character and dignity citizen
OF this great republic So that we all felt that Grant
in IGNORING himself IGNORING America, and that
in honoring him the nations of the old world were
1t has sometimes been said that he was unmindful
of human life. That is not true. Grant never
slaughtered the troops Of the enemy for the love
of slaughter. With him all things were made to bend
70 the one object Of crushing the aebellTon ana OF
doing it speedily. Too much consideration 10. the
lives OF his own or the confederate soldiers would
have beeu cruelty to the Nation. If he freely ex-
posed the lives Of his soldiers when it necessary
T. do so, be exposed his with tho same freedom.
lie never ordered man to do to suffer what he was
mot willing 10 do or suffer himself
IN admIing his colossal reputation as a grea.
We must not overlook some Of the humber virtues,
not always found III great men, that she'd a
delicate and beautiful luster upon his life
Conspicuous amongst these was his Devotion
TO his wife and children. Here the greatest OF
living Americans. illustrating in his home lie de-
nght1ul picture OF domestic aHecGOn Oh uf
band and loving father WHAT touching picture
that was of the suffering hero few months ago.
when death seemed imminent waiting and longing 10Y
the coming the of Nellie, the only absent
one Ii was not permitted TO the world TO see, but
we may imagine the old warrior all melting into tend
erness when at last he casped her in his arms and
looked into the loving ewes of those around his bed
side and that the family circle unbrolen.
And how strong unto death was his affection for his
wife that made him the thought of being buried
in costlest tomb, under loftest monument. unless
she could sleep at last by his side.
He pursued the tenor of his life without soli
tary exhibition of envy. revenge oppression
toward any In all his conduct and conversation
he singuarly pure and free from profanity vul-
garity that sometimes tarnish the char
aeers OF eminent men, Some OF the virtues that we
have mentioned may be small ones, but they are like
little diamonds in the setting of anan's life.
There were traits that caused him sometimes to
commit mistakes that make us love him AL the more
now One of these was his steadfast fidelity to his
friends He always clurg to friend with al! the
ten&city that be exhibited in the Wilderness. Even
when il was patent everyone else that friend had
betrayed his trust Grant the last to dbelieve in
him or to desert him. He would not he said, aban-
dona while under fire.
Because of all these things that we have mentioned
respect and love the memory of our late comrade
But there is besides this feeling of respect and love
another feeling that draws about his grave. 1t is
the fashion of people as it always has been, to
personify ideas So all turn to Grant, mot because
he alone deserves the credit or the glory Of the war
but because he is the chief representative of ideas
of loyalty and heroic devotion the Union in the days
of its drest extremity: because he is The nearest
soldier.
1t is sad to think of him dying as he did with Death
Standing a grim sentinel before him for days and
weeks and wearing him out by slow torture We can
not understand Gods ways; and yet, with our poor
vision, can see that it better for the country
that Grant should have survived the war, to die
he did, than to have died in battle before his work
done far better for him to die he did thar to
have died Alexander died as Caesar died, Napo-
leon died.
May we hope that the memory of Grant sanctifed
by the sorrow of the whole country will
somehow help the development of great an abiding
love of country when all the people will be inspired
by the sentiment of the men of Atlanta, when they
resolved, short time ago that they no longer
for solid South nor for solid North, but for a
solid Union 1t is Grants voice speaking to now
from the grave, saying. Let have peace"
DANIEL WAIT HOWE
DAVID V. BURNS.
George II. Thomas Post.
W. H. WISHARD
FRANK 4. BENJAMIN,
George H. Chapman Post.
GEORGE w. NEW,
d. W. WALRAD,
Gordon Post.
GEORGE G.. WEBSTER, JR.,
JOHN A. WARD,
Anderson Post.
III. p. MARSHALL,
EDWARD LAKIN,
Ruckle Post.
II. G TURNER,
T. Ii. WATSON,
Bross Post
At the close of the reading burst of applause
followed and three rolls were beaten on muffied