Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1885-08-12

there would not be the "loss of another
life" General Grant prepares, however,
to move at once and destroy the enemy if
surrender is refused.
When Lee saw this sternness of faith,
General Grant, the relentless soldier.
turned into the merciful man. treating
his conquered enemy unlike anything
known in war, and it will always remain
that when General Grant received the
surrender of one of the greatest Generals
OF modern armies, the greatness of the
soldier showed itself when the command
er of the unconditional surrender issued
the order of almost unconditional for
giyenness.
Now that the war was ended, the
Union saved, the unanimous voice of the
nation declared Gen. Grant more than
any other entitled to the first honors, and
he by the victory of arms was lifted to
the throne of sovereign people, that the
union he so signally snstched from de-
struction might have him as its chief
executive; the country's browning honor
was achieved by the result of the ballot,
the storm of battle had passed away,
peace had come to its garnished place,
the administration, however, had gigantic
tasks with which to grappe.
All preceding Instructions and revo
lutions were by subordinate governments,
not possessed by rights of government,
independent of the cOnquering govern
ment but here the rebel states claimed
rights which the national government
were accustomed to respect, and while
Geo. Washington became the father of
his country by the Revolution, Gen.
Grant became the father of his nation by
crushing a rebellion and managing the
reconstructive administration and this he
did while the newly enfranchised millions
hung like great milestone about the
neck of the government, and in our sorest
need, England, our own mother country,
had dealt treacherously with the federal
interest and with il ALL thousands of
millions of debt had come upon the ma
ton, heated and dishonest tricksters
clamored for Reputation and fanatics call
for imitation more and more, while corrupt
men and carpet-baggers plundered and
dishonored the civil administration at the
south. AS is said of the Athenian-
''who but Scion
Could speak peace to this tumultuous wave,
And not sink himself beneath it."
To this stupendous task Pres. Grant
set himself with his iron will, and in four
short years every state was tremendously
restored to the Union, every congressional
district represented in Congress and the
administration moved as if quickened
with the resoluteness OF a great command
er. Not without its jars and its faults,
in the eight years of his presidency Grant
was the victim of those whom he gave
his warm friendship. When Scion took
away the burden from the poor Atheni-
ans by abolishing past securities some of
his friends took advantage of the secret,
borrowing large sums and giving securi.
ties before the law became public; thus
innocently the great redresser of wrongs
came into suspicion of fraud, for the set.
Element of matters he appealed to a com.
mission of citizens and judges, as did our
own modern hero, when designing, cor,
rupt politicians violated the confidence of
him who was too honest to suspect his
fellow-men, he appointed his commission,
introduced the first step of the civil
service reform and gave the country an
administration which in history will not
tarnish the character of the chief magis.
trate of whom with Scion may we say;
by me the people had their native rights
Uninjured unoppressed. The great restrained
From lawless violence, and the poor from riot,
By me their mutual shield. "-Solon.
Alike by his military career, and lis
administration of civil affairs of the ma.
ton, this honest and sturdy man laid the
best claims to appear in the nations
trinity, placed by the sculptors upon that
historic medallion, Washington, Lincoln,
Grant, and there with the central figures
of our history ne will remain.
And the iilustrious honors which he
receives are only magnifed by the manner
in which he wore them when still
common citizen among us.
AS commanding figure in the conflict.
he received there his coronation which
he will always wear; they who went
down, obeyiDg bis command, they who
came to victory, following his lead, they
alike perpetuate his valor. By the
cradle of many yet unborn the story will
be told how their ancestors fell in battle.
led by the hero of Appomattox, and still
the last surviving veterans story will be
repeated to his children how he rushed
to the victory of arms on that day when
the presence of the great soldier inspired
the field. Aud succeeding generations
repeat his name, and already now those
whom he conquered and their children
speak his praise, adding to his fame as
from year to year the justice of the
cause for which he fought appears more:
aud more. 80;
Not only from Belmont TO Appomattox.
and through the eight years OF his event..
full chief magistracy, but on through lis
journey round the world as "a great citiz
zen, his manliness gave the lamented
hero unprecedented fame. There he
stood under the gaze of the whole world
as no other living man ever did; herSg
ceived tina worlds universal compliment
rs the greatest that ever came from the
people; he swept through the entire range
Of the worlds praise and retained the
simplicity Of his early life. :
The Hon. Edward Pierrepont. ex-
Minister to England, said: "I have
seen him where sovereigns, emperors
and ambassadors rose to do him reyer-
ence, calm, self-poissd, unru fled.
He is wiser than when he went away;