The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1885-08-04
From the New YORK Herald.
General Porter,s Enlogx


In secondiDg the res buttons of tn,
Union League Club of N.w York Mr.
James G Carter spoke hrieav hrt ear
nestly in Pulogy o. the dead General
He was followed by General Horace C
Porter, who paid an eloquent and touch
ing tribute 10 bis old companion A
times his voice fsltered in the delivery
! He told of several incidents in Grants
life. Among them were these:
| "a touching scene occurred once In
the White House, which more than all
others seems to illustrate The generosity
of the man ! must prepare the recital
bv saying that when Captain, Grant was
living on his farm near st Louis, trying
to make living by hauling wood into
the city, and, finding that be could no.,
properly sustain his family, he thought
he would have to apply what talents
had been given him 10 another direction
Having been edacsted as an engineer at
West Point, and finding that the office
of City Engineer in St. Louis was va
cant, he made application for II When
he bid his family goodby on the morn.
ing that the decision was to be made all
their hopes for the fu 'ure seemed to
hang upon the success of his mission -
But when be got to the place he found
that vrrv influential gentleman of st.
Louis wss in favor Of the opposing can-
dida'e. His influence carried the day,
and Captain Grant came home sorelv
disappointed. As be lay upon his bed
that night he came nearer giving way to
despair than at any other period of his
life. Well, twenty-six years alter he
was sitting as Chief Mag rate OF the
nation in the Executive Mansion, ]
brought to him one dav. as secretary. a
list OF the recommendations for the Bra
zilian mission He looked over :hem,
read the recommendations carefully, then
selected name and marked it, as he
usually did, With a cross in ink He
said, This is good man. l know him
personally. He will do honor to the
country. Besides, he has the best re
commentators on the files | saw it
was the name OF Henry T Blow. Yes
he said, looking some time at the name,
that IS the person who once prevented
me from getting the only Office ever
applied for that of City Engineer of
st. Louis Then he added, with some
thing OF sigh in his voice :-'He will
never know the distress be caused nv
little family Send his name in to the
Senate"
General Porter next described in
graphic phraseoloev the second day OF
the hattie OF the Wilderness and GRANTS
behavior at the same. He told OF the
underground that iwpeded the progress
OF the men and the overgro with that shut
on, the light Of heaven, when in the ef
forts Of the wounded to drag themselves
away from the FIRE, THAT had caught the
brush. every thorn on every bush seem
ed hung with shreds OF blood stained
clothing, until 1t seemed that men we're
turned 10 fiends and hell itself had usur-
ped the place Of heaven. Reports Of
disasters to the Uaion forces were com
Ing in thick and fast. Many OF Grants
officers were dlsheariened and ready to
give up. There General Grant stood as
a giant among men, sho o~ing the mag
n'6cent power OF cool man of courage
After sitting the dispatches, throwing
out the ones he refused to believe, he
gave orders for strengthening here, re.
inforcing there and taking up new posi-
tions elsewhere as rapidly as bis lips
could move. Turning to me be ordered
me to throw all the wagon trains into
line OF battle on the right. An officer
said to him, "ft we are defeated here and
driven from this line our trains will all
be captured" The Generals lips press-
ed little tighter, and be seemed to me
to stand foot higher than he ever ste od
before or since as he responded: When
this army is defeated and when l am
driven from this line it will be when
have 30 few men left that they will not
want any trains"