The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-07-27

prove that nations are under the experimenting
care of God that He is governing mankind with
purpose, and that the men who in their genera
ton act conspicuous and vital part are not
tortultouS phenomena, but selections wisely
made by God for the purpose of accomplishing
through them of His own determinate counsels.
w that Is the leading idea of American nation
altyE liz Europe We have seen and yet see that
1t is military glory. and national aggraDdiZe-
ment. The interests of humanity, questions of
human rights and benevolence never entered
into the consideration of these ends. While
England has done more for humanity than all
other nations, has that been her leading thought
We find in all her wars the spirit of commercial
supremacy and widening of her imperial bound
aries as the controlling principles. While she
has spread great evil in the opium trade. and in
the early history of the slave trade did not APP
pear as leader of civilization, she has neverthe
less accomplished great work for human rights
and human blessings. American civilization
has gone one step higher.
The events that make up the history of the
United States are in themselves proof that this
Nation has mission to fulfill; that that mission
is IN behalf of human freedom and human broth
erhood that from time to time the right men
have. appeared on the stage = action to further
the Nations manifest destiny, God most
assuredly has set His seal TO the
purpose that liberty shall not perish
from the earth; that the blessing of liberty can be
preserved for and beQueathed to posterty through
the American people. In this country politics
cannot be discussed aside from religious and
moral questions Take them out and American
politics does not amount to anything They are
discussed in the bar room and gambling saloon
as we'll as in the church and the prayer meeting.
Let infdelity say what it will, you dare not sub
NIT to the suffrage of the American people any
question without it is sugarcoated with morality.
Inc one great question asked is: Is 1T rightf
Is it right2 The right thing Is that
which seems best for the generation in advanc-
ing humanity and cementing in one common
brotherhood all mankind. That is the mission
of the American Nation The proof that as q
people we inspired with profound con
viction of earnest sympathy with this grand
mission, as one intruSted to US, is Signally dis
played in this, that while we are rearing our
monuments in memory Of the great men of our
nation, there is not, throughout this broad
land, Single shaft that seeks to perpetuate the
memory of a who did not prove the ardor
of his patriotism by the devotion of his life to
the securing through this Nation the preserva-
ton and the promotion of human rights.
This truth has been marvelouSly illustrated In
the life of General Grant. He has lived in
generation that will be reckoned as the most
wonderful in the career of human progress. He
was called in the providence of God to act
distinguished part IN shaping the destiny of hui
man affairs He has most signally discharged
his trust. and now he has fallen Oh sleep. There
was no man who occupied prominent place
in the regard and affection of the people, the
immortal Lincoln not excepted: tie, with Lin
has commanded the veneration, sympathy and
love or the entire Nation. He has received the
respect and homage of the potentates Of all
chimes. and that to the latest generations of man
kind his name will be held in grateful and i'm
perlshable remembrance. 1t Is not the
least of the elements of good fortune In
his career that he lived long enough to the
results of his life work secure General Grant
was no genius, no orator; there was nothing
dramatic about him What was it, then that
DOiv fanli Of
and admiration He was pre-e minently a silent
man, and history will contain very few speeches
that he made, and those few will contain moth
ing that bears the air Of selfconscious revealing.
His greatness was natural force, and he simply
utilized the principles Of ordinary life. He
brought them into his conduct of the Nations
affairs. They the same principles and ele
ments we use, but he applied them in a greater
sphere. What contrast with Napoleon, Charles
V. of Spain and even Wellington. The unos-
tentatous transparency of his character is one
of his grandest characteristics. We all now
have come to feel that in General Grant
there were no occult motives, no
pretentOusness, braggadocio, nothing
that re sought to conceal, nothing
that he would rot wish to have known, nothing
that will not bear investigation, nothing which
if known the world would blush for, and for
which any need to apologize He was intensely
loyal whether subordinate commander.
He obeyed an order without complaint, and sub
mitted to injustice without repining. He did
thlng because IL was the rlght tnlng TO DO Inc
true way he recognized rs only to be true to
himself and the right His life was pure, strong
and heroic He had strength to do the right
thing when the time came There is not a sim
gle instance in his career of brutal or pilaging
disposition. He made no show OF the surrender
of Lee, many would have done. but by his
simplicity and magnanimity. He was essentially
a man of peace, which led him to submit great
international question, the Alabama claims. to
arbitration. This was step toward the fulfill
ment of the increasing desire for the cessation Of
wars and the settlement of differences among
nations by arbitration. General Grants per-
sonal character above that of many great
men, whose acts cannot bear inspection. He was
domestic man, and while he made no parade of
his love for wife and children, away down in the
depths of his nature lasting affection. 1t
was his great love for his family that gave him
strength to complete the book he had begun,
General Grant led religious life, but he never
made show of religious enthusiasm. He had a
love for God and belief In Christ. By the
same elements of character that made him great,
we all can become great in our way.