The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-20
GRANT IN 1861.
Important and Instructive Character of the
Letter to His Father-in-Law

Letter to His Father-in-Law
ST. Louis GloLc- Democrat (Editorsl.l
The most interesting and important thing, I'M
questionably in all the vast quantity of matter
that has been published about General Grant
during the last three four weeks, is the letter
which he wrote to his father-in-la at the begin
ming of the war, and which was first given to
the public only last Sunday in the Globe Demo
ocrat. This remarkable letter is dated April 49,
l66l-just twenty-four years ago to-day-six
days after the surrender of Fort Sumter, and
four days subsequent to President Lincoln's first
call for troops to sustain the authority of the
government The country was stirred with ex
element and CONSERVATION as it had never been
before There was no longer any room to doubt
that war was inevitable. 1t was already be-
gun. in fact, and the future was shrouded in
the deepest gloom and uncertainty. The boldest
statesmen dared not undertake to predict the
probable extent of the calamity, or its ultimate
result A peaceable settlement was out of the
question--everybody could see that; but beyond
that all was doubt, confusion and dismay.
There was no other one point just then to
which so much significance was attached as the
course which should be taken by the Douglas
Democrats of the North. The revolt of the
South was political, partisan one. Defeated
In falr election, that section of the country de-
termined to contest theverdct by an appeal to
arms, and an attempt to destroy the government
that it could no longer control. 1t was conf
IDENTIFY expected by the leaders of the enterprise
that there would be divided Mouth; that the
great majority of all those who had voted against
Lincoln in the free States would at least refuse
to fight against the South on such an ISSUE and
with that element eliminated from the struggle,
they felt sure of their power to accomplish their
purpose They could not believe that those who
had done their best to beat the Republican
party, North or South, would be willing to join
that party In an effort to maintain itself, and to
vndcate its victory by force Otherwise, very
likely. the rebellion would never have been in
augurated.
1t was at this critical juncture, while this
question of the attitude of the Northern Demo
Gratis was yet undecided, that Grant wrote the
Letter which must be regarded most i'm
portant contribution to history. Hewas DEM
ocrat though he had taken but little interest in
politics, his only vote for President having been
cast for Buchanan, in 1856. II know 1t is hard,
he wrote. ''for men to apparently work for the
Republican party: but now all party distinctions
should be lost sight Of and every true patriot
be for maintaining the glorious old stars and
stripes, the Constitution and the Union" He
went on to say that the South had been the ag
cressor. and that the administration had treated
her with exceptional forbearance, acting wholly
on the defensive. Under such circumstances,
he could see only one position for an honest and
faithful citizen to take. 1t was not a matter of
politics, but of loyalty and manhood. Now is
der slave States for men to prove their love OF
country"
The phrase, particularly in the border slave
States, was used because he was writing to
man who lived in Missouri and was slave-own-
err He did not urge, AS many did about that
time, that the war had nothing to do with STAY.
cry On the contrary he said candidly: In all
this I can see but the doom of slavery That
was no reason however, in his judgment. why
should 60 into the rebellion or sympathize
with it who happened to own slave property. 1t
was rather his intention, should say, TO i'm
press upon his father-in-laws mind the consid-
Grafton that the owning of slaves should be an
incentive to q loyal course, since the choice
would thus have a quality of personal sacrifice
and unselishness He did not say anything, it
is true, about the moral aspect of the lnstltu-
ton: that would have been in bad TASTE writing
as he was TO a STAKEHOLDER and cherished
friend and relative. But it is very clear that he
meant to be understood saying that slavery
was not worth fighting for and that slave pos
sessions should be counted nothing when they
came between man and his duty to defend the
life of his country
These expressions, made at a time so early In
the hi story of the great struggle for the preser
walton of the Union, throw a light upon General
Grants character and record that is peculiarly
Instructive The common impression has been
that he went into the war simply because it was
a war. without any definite conceptions of its
political scope and bearing, and particularly
without any thought that he would be aiding in
the destruction of slavery. His past associations
had been such as to imply that If he had any
opinion at all concerning slavery, it was favor
able one But this letter demonstrates that he
had very decided views in that respect from
the start, and they were sound and
broad views. No statesman of the time
furnished more accurate and far-seelng estl-
mate of the situation, or gave better reason
why the Union should be defended and the re-
belon put down. There were occasions in the
progress of the war when his position with
gard to slavery was djstrusted by many good
people. Even after the war was over, andi was
proposed to make him the Republican candidate
for President not little of honest doubt was
felt upon tho subject of his political opinions
shows, in very striking way. that his eonvic-
tions were fixed. wise and complete at the very
beginning-or, in other words. that he was man
of far better judgment and deeper sympathy
with the right for the rights sake, apart from
his splendid military genius, than the country
was disposed at the time to believe
A controversy seems to have sprung up in the
East as to the genuineness Of the letter from
General Grant, dated Galena, H., April 49,
1861 published by the Globe Democrat on Sun
day last, and since republished in all parts of
the country. We desire to say that there is not
the slightest room for doubt or discussion on the
subject The letter was copied in the Globe
Democrat Office from the original, which was
known to the editor of the Globe Democrat to
be in General Grants handwriting. 1t had
been previously submitted TO General Sherman
and he had recognized Grants handwriting be-
fore seeing the signature. 1t was found not
long since in bundle of private papers belong
ing to the family of the late Frederick Dent
General Grants fatherin iaw--to whom it was
addressed.