National Republican., 1885-04-02

contained since Abraham Lincoln fell
must bo written now-Gen. Grant Is
dying. In all probability the announce
mont of his demise will accompany this
inadequate tribute to his lofty character
His last words have bcon spoken. He has
gazed upon the face of nature for tho last
time. His great career is ended. We
are, therefore, compelled to speak of him
who but few hours ago was tho most illus-
trious Of living men as one who has obeyca
tho summons TO Join the innumcrable
caravan that moves toward the realms
where each must take his chamber in the
silent halls of death"
In the closing of this life our grand
triumvirate of departed patriots-Wash-
ington, Lincoln, and Grant-grander than
the history Of any other nation presents
is scompletcd. The nation mourns its idol.
The world, which knew him by heart,
-sympathizes with the people of the United
States in their bereavement.
When Daniel Webster died Franklin
Pierce said: "The great heart of the ma
tion throbs heavily at the p ortals of his
grave" Gen. Grants death will touch
the heart OF universal humanity, for tho
events of his life spanne d the widest
range of human expert ence-from almost
blank obscurity to the most dazzling
fame the world can give from the i'm.
potency Of poor and almost unknown
man to such power as human hand has
seldom grasped.
1t is not easy to think or write of Gen.
Grant in the past tense. So grandly
solid was the man in his habits, his
character, his ceds; SO genuine, 30 far
removed from all that W as not substantial
as tho everlasting truth, that his passage
from the society of the living to "the
house" seems like tho sinking of a noun
tain or the sudden prostration of q forest
For years he was the "Silent Man
'thc sphynx"-so reticent that those who
judged without knowledge spoke of him
as one who gained reputation for wis
dom by saying little, But he never failed
--to speah' when words were needed, and
no man ever uttered woightier words
than he. His words are as imperishable
as his deeds both will live in the mem
ory Of men so long as record or tradi-
tion Of our republic shall endure. Gem
turtles hence the defendants of the men
who fought with Lee, and Johnston, and
Stonewall Jackson will ponder tenderly
and lovingly on the words which Grant
spoke 10 Lee ut Appomattox, Let your
men take home their horses; they will
need them in plowing and making their
crops" And above the roar Of political
tempests for many decade to come will
be heard the "Let us have peace" with
which Grant met tho furious storm that
rent the political armament seventeen
years ago.
We do not say that Gen. Grant mado
no mistakes in his military career;
to claim that would be to sot him above
all the weaknesses Of humanity, to Gu
dow him with the attributes of the Deity.
SBut let it be remembered that in almost
I Nry instance of an alleged "blunder"
I Judgment was vindicated by results.
"YCu were right and was wrong wrote
Abraham Lincoln to Grant on memora-
BILE occasion. 1t was simple but mag.
come for an uuimpassioned analysis of
Grant as commander but we believe
tho time will never come when the
people of the United States will
rate him less or lower than they
did in tho zenith of his military
renown. He gave our arms success
when others failed. He was the one man
OF eeds the one man who asked foI
nothing, tho most modest, unassuminp
I' hat ever led an army to victory
knew himself, he trusted himself
i calm, unuttored trust won the
zee Of the army and the country
ng out of tho war crowned as he
III laurels, 1t was inevitable that
lid be offered the Presidency,
q certainty Of election If he would
-, ont. IL may be that, for his own
happiness, he made mistake in leaving
the goneralship for tho Presidency. But
he oboyed the call Of tho country in civil
as he had obsyod 1t in military life. At
he never asked for promotion in tho field
80 he was carried into the white house by
tho popular will, and not by his own pro-
Jcuremeut. Tho eight years Of his adj
ministration were a stormy period-thC
era of reconstruction, an era of bitterness
Of political maleyolence. 1t was, too, 8
time when tho Generalization wrought
by tho war manifested itself in politca
corruption. But no man ever believed
that Grant was not absolutely incorrupti
Bile. His greatest fault was good trai
carried to an extreme. He trusted hi
friends sometimes whom they had nt
right to his confidence.
The closing years Of the great life nov
: ended were not passed in repose, for Gen
Grant could not be an idler. His lonl
tour in foreign lands, his various bust
ness enterprises. and the awful disaste