Richland beacon., 1885-08-08
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON July 22nd, 1850.

ton are draped i'll mourning; literal |
miles Of black cambrick are wound |
around the marble columns and fcs-
TONED from the windows Of public |
cdiiices. A small number Of private |
residences aud large lumber OF
saloons are also lung Ill black. Per /
functory sorrow is lavish i'll express
sion, and the Department presided
over bv the Secretary of the Interio',
the "Rebel Lamar" eXcells all others
in usefulness and elaboration Of fu-
neral decoration.
There is hackneyed Latin maxim
WI m0ltuis nisi 6OHuS." If the last
word were vcritas instead OF bonus
(gooD the maxim would be good
indeed. A life is good only for its
lessons and its beneficence. Death
cannot change the account. Gush-
ing journalism is not history. As a
genera, Nfallt WIS ouSCeo"ui' Va
the simple truth that two bayonets
are stronger than one, and that q
powerful, well equipped, and con-
stantiy recruited army will overcome
IL weak, starving, and diminishing
army-he availed himself to great
er extent than did any other general
of the late war. He was at the force
front when the wearisome, CHASTITY,
struggle closed, and lie bore himself
magnanimously toward the fallen.
lie will ever have the praise of militia
" success, and lie deserves more
over such admiration as is given to
the not uncommon phenomenon of
kind heart.
Gen. Grants faults failures and
misfotunes were not of the heart, but
on account of his weak head Of all
greatness military greatness is gained
with least expense of intellect. The
glory of the warrior is the most vul-
gar of all Slories, the most accident
III, the easiest won and lost. Militia
w success is in overcoming physical
obstacles, and in it neither genius
nor a high order of intellect is re-
quircd, but simply sensible appli-
cation Of dynamic forces. That mill
fary greatness is the greatness which
las always had the loudest vulgar
acclaim proves nothing. The author
of the poisoned Gum Drop or the
Candy Woman's revenge has more
readers than Bacon or Shakespeare.
Glen. Grants mental weakness became
more apparent when the smoke of
battle no longer obscured and ideal
lied him. After the war he became
the tool of corrupted and debauch-
edparty, and, later, as President, he
allowed clique of selfish, vulgar,
and even dishonest men to use him
for the furtherance of their ambition
and their greed. The Presidency OF
Grant was the most disgraceful il
our national annuls, one of his last
official acts was to smooth the way
for the conspiracy and the ursurpa
ton which deprived popular suffrage
of the greatest victory it had evel
achieved, in the election of Tilden
Later Gen. Grant showed a desire tt
he elected for third term to thu
presidency, and, finally, he became
the easy dupe and tool, the partner
Twill not say the accomplice of
charleton and swindler who is nov
in Jail. The grave closes his earthl.
account, but it can no more obscure
his failings than his fame. Grant h
was brave stubborn fighter, firm
friend, and indulSent father; it mus
also be conceded that he was
weak unconstitutional blunderin,
statesman, so poor manager OF til
the National household that h
handed it over corrupted and de
bauched to one who had no ght t
receive it. Admit also that he dis
played so little energy and intell
Eence in the management of his pr
waite affairs that no could scarcel
make living before the war, All
that later he squandered and wrecl
ed the splendid fortune given hi
by admirinS friends.
Doubtless these criticisms wi
CRATE harshly on representative cal
at this time, but really some antidot
to the Niagara of elegiac newspapt
rhapsody seems not out of place, an
l will conclude with my text, revise