The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1885-08-13
H1RAM ULYSSES, or ULYSSES
HIRAM, WE CARE NOT.

where death deposits us NlctiilS
without distinction or discrimlna-
ton, (although we think he was
kept out Of his final place too
long,) it may be that reason and
common decency will resume their
thrones. 1t is very natural and
proper that the North should honor
and greatly respect Gen. Grant.
1t is very unnatural and improper
for the South to go into spasms of
inward love for General Grant. We
ought not to speak evil Of the dead,
but we ought not to speak falsely,
If we speak at all. The South can
respect Grant as soldier, and as a
part of this great country can hon
or him in a national sense as an ex-
President, but to go farther than
this, is all hypocritical, balderdash
and nonsense. You can sooner
convince us what God has said by
implication can not be, that the
Ethiopian can change his skin and
the Leopard his spots, than you
can convince us that the Southern
people, either love, or have a very
exalted opinion Of Gen. Grant as
soldier or a statesman, or big
soul, big hearted christian or lover
of mankind.
We may be wrong, but we be-
lieve our newspapers, and public
men South, who are eulogizing
Grant to the third heavens and
styling him the greatest man the
western continent has yet produced,
are indirectly stamping their for
mer declarations as false, going
back upon the manhood Of the
South, and lowering their standing
with the sensible and we'll informed
portion, not only Of this country
but of the combined world.
If we could believe that human
nature had been reconstructed and
regenerated by per-human power
since the death of General Grant,
we might be better prepared to be-
ieve the "gushings" our eyes 50
often see in print concerning the
magnanimity, grandeur, sublimity
and unequaled greatness Of Gen
oral Grant. Then We might be in
duced to believe our folks, when
they put Grant along with and
above most of the great warriors,
statesmen and patriots Of the
world. Honesty is the best policy,
and we prefer to speak what we
think and believe, than to attempt
to please the world and say what
we do not believe. General Grant
like other men had his good quail
ties and his bad qualities. Some
times the one prevailed and some
times the other. And like other
men, he appeared at advantage as
the one OF the other prevailed. And
from our stand point, his bad traits
of character predominated as
often as his good traits. General
Grant was given the supreme COM
mand OF the Federal forces, and
was told to put down the Rebellion
ut all hazards and at any cost of
blood and money. A better man
could not have been selected at the
time. We candidly believe General
Grant was. the most desperate, reck-
less, bull dog fighter, and that he
possessed more tenacity, will power,
and determination than any public
man produced on this continent.
These were the very elel rts es-
sential to success at that tim At
that time the North had in it's ar.
mics four fighting men to the
SOuth's one. And when the smoke
and sound Of battle shall have
cleared away and the honest histo-
rian shall have recordedl the truth
AZ to the real strength Of the two
armies under Lee and Grant, in
number and equipment, the world
will be amazed that Grant did not
march to Richmond in thirty days
and end the war in the begin
ming Of the campaign at the vii
derness In 1864.
Then critics will search for the
cause that Kept Grant out Of an
empty egg shell, so to speak, for
more than twelve months. And
they will find but two causes. OF
rather one, the immense superior
ity of the generals commanding
the Confederate forces.
Therefore we say all things duly
considered, the condition Of the
South, and the North, the temper of
the people both North and South,
and especially the desperate deter,
mination Of both sections, and the
supreme ignorance Of the rank and
file Of both armies OF the real sup
port each had, a better man could
not have been placed In command