Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1885-08-06
FORAKER ON GRANT.
Extract from His Speech at Newark,
ON Saturday, July 25th.

A great man has fallen-Gen. Grant is
at last dead, and the whole Nation feels
and mourns bis loss, as l know you do.
And it is most fitting and appropriate
that the Nation should do so; for it can
be truthfully said that never since Wash
ington, has our country or any other pro-
duced a man of whom it could be said
so fittingly as it can of Gen. Grant, that
.'he was first in war, first in peace. and
first in the hearts of his countrymen.
That Gen. Grant was first in war, that
he was the first of all the great Captains
produced by that great struggle and
strife whereby we suppressed the rebel>
lion, must be conceded by all, so long as
history continues to tell to future gener-
ations the story of his wonderful achieve
ments as soldier.
And now let me ask you to dwell for
a moment upon his career. You remem-
Der how, when the war commenced, we
knew nothing of such man; you ret
member that when he came to take his
place in line with the defenders of the
Union, he came not as a Major General,
he came net with the eyes of the country
fixed upon him; he came unheralded,
without name, without rank, without
fame, without social or family influence
to recommend him to position or power.
He did not come seeking or desiring
place or power, but, on the contrary, be
came humbly marching at the head Of a
company of only one hundred men from
his obscure home, and that obecure. but
most honorable occupation at Galena,
Illinois, down to Springfield, that he
might there, through the Governor of bis
State, tender to the cause of the Union
his services and the services of the one
hundred meR who came with him, In
order that they might in their humble
way do whatsoever they might possibly
be able to do by way of aiding their gov
ernment in the hour of their govern
ments peril.
Such was his humble beginning. But
from it what a grand and brilliant Ca
reer as a soldier was runl He so Jealous.
Iy, faithfully and acceptably discharged
every duty and trust imposed upon him.
that he rapidly rose through the several
gradations of promotion until at the
close of the war be had risen from the
lowest to the highest position, challeng
ing the confidence and admiration not
only of the whole American people, but
of the civilized world as well, as he di-
rected the efforts of that gallant and he+
reic army of a million of men to that
great final victory at Appomsttox.
My fellow citizens. we can not too
highly appreciate the military services
of Gen. Grant. You remember when
that war was commenced that none of
us had anything like an adequate cont
ceptiou of the struggle that was before
us. You will remember how prevalent
the idea was that it was sort of sixty
or ninety days exploit. You will re-
member how we were depending on
General Scott and General Wool, and the
distinguished soldiers of former gener-
alton to accomplish that work for US
under their leadership; and you will re-
member how we continued of that mind
until the disgrace and disaster Of bull
Run, by which, fortunately, the Nation
was at last brought to its senses, and the
people of this country were made to re'
aIize and appreciate the fact that we had
indeed entered upon a long and bloody
and uncertain struggle; to appreciate the
fact that it was one-half of the Ameri'
can people pitted against the other half
that the men who we're opposed to each
+ other were of the same civilization, OF
the same intellectually, of the same
vigor, of the same valOr and heroism
and equally devoted to the causes which
they respectively represented.
And when we had awakened to prop
or appreciation of that, you will rcmem
ber how we anxiously commenced to lool
] for a leader, a man equal to the emer