Delta chief., 1885-07-29
Gran. and HIS Contemporaries.
BY REV. L. c. Alley.


BY REV. L. c. Alley
General Grant is dead" This unuelcome
message the whole Nation has heard with
unconcealed sorrow. and now with weighted
hearts it bends DER the bier OF the greatest
military genius and m"st illustrious citizen
of any age or cline This is not AN eHtrava-
CANT statement but one made after the pa
tent study of the heroes, statesmen and sages
who have figured in the worlds history.
Hi, record when compared with that of
any other great soldier suffers no dimmution
whatever. Let there be made strict ana
just analysis of the military history of the
worlds greatest chieitains. such as Aiexan-
der the Great, Julius Cesar, Napoleon Bona
parte, Lord Wellington, and it is believed
that General Grant surpasses any Of them in
possession of the more desirable qualities of
a military man. Five great elements in his
constitution contributed to his unvaryIng
success in war. They were deliberHion, re-
serrc, iad0mtdbie persererGHcc, master Of
,irItcgy and magndnimity 10 a fallen foe.
None will deny that Gran, possessed these
rare traits in superenIncnt degree. Now,
impartiaIly apply them to the history and
character of the above named warriors.
While each one exhibited some of these cle-
ments in great perfection, none could lay
claim 10 them all.
The American traveller in foreign lands is
frequently hearing to his delight the highest
praise given TO this distinguished American,
the subject Of this sketch.
II is a matter OF general regret that our
u. t,,I ,.,,ltlxy
out to the great man his just reward, in re.
storing him to his well .merited rank in the
army, which he held upon his election to the
Presidency.
Unfortunately his last days have been
l becloudei by financial distress. caused large.
Is from want Of discernmcnt Of personal
intcgrity, quality Of mind 1t must be con.
fcsscd IN which hc was somewhat deficient.
But with these thoughts Others throng our
memory. Twenty year. ago Grant was press.
ing Lee with all his might, and with his
batilv.scarrvd veterans he was fast choking
out the life OF the Rebellion. Now Lee IL
on the run, aud Lincoln triumpbantly enters
fallen Richmond on the 9lh of April, 1896.
Appsmattox was the scene Of Grants eralt-
alton. where he gave 10 Lee. cE baustcd army
the most magnanimaus terms Of surrender
that ever victor gave to conquered.
But huw lad the fate OF ia. deserving
On the lIth of the same month, Lincoln the
LIbcrator, in the very hour Of his triumph
aud coronation. was ruihles,ly slain. Ill.
God had said, "lt is enough: come up high.
er"
During the as, score Of years one by one
have the mighty heroes followed their illus.
,rous leader to the silent land" Aud We ask
where is Sumner, Chase, Seward, Stanton,
Greeley, Morton, Garfield. Thomas, and
host Of the kinsly spirits who battlei for the
rnion, and whose uudying memory is to
free and united people "s ointment poured
forth" Their work being dope they were
called away to receive their sure reward.
But for what purpose during these twenty
years an indulgent Providence has inflicted
upon patient people the unwelcome pres.
ence Of that arbitrator. JeH. Davis, and
Others Of his Xix. is, as David says, "knowl.
edge too deep for me"
Never too fondly can We cherish the mem.
ory of the noble heroes who laid down their
lives in that great conflict, be they private
soldier or officer of high rank. Aud among
the names and deeds of these mighty heroes
none will shine with brighter lustre than
General Ulysses s. Grant