The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1885-10-08

II IL said that when Csom velln Ironsidss were
ed away among the body Of the people, only TO
be identified thereafter by the excellence Of
their work. so that II became proverb, when
any labor In any svocati0n was done in supe-
rior manner. that this must have been done By
one Of Cromwells men. think this u true OF
erywhere' in humble Vacations A. well a. po"i-
lions Of honor and trust. and. whether IL Is be-
cause they are dignined by their service or
ersse Of i their Conduct and their achievements
has been higher than that OF the same number
of civilians II has been said that arms ennoble
vindication OF . principle attract the nobiest or
ennoble those whom they attract.
Unhappy is the time when heroes are devel-
cannot came supply them when the times demand.
Happy the country which. like ours, found in
her peril heroes thick as the leaves Of the forest
when the summer Is green.
1t Is impossible for history herself to perpetu-
ate the lessons or devotion. loyalty. and self
sacrific In every case, but individually and coll
lectfvely we have enough to educate the future.
Among them all. one has just been called
hence who. poss bly, more than any other, en-
bodied the qualities which should characterize
the American soldier and civilian and American
youth. Great as he Is considered to-day, be-
ieye the future Will assign him higher place.
There have been as great conquerors. There
have been as great statesmen: there have been
as great civilians. but know OF no character In
history who combines the three In so great
degree OF excellence. Perhaps In no other coun-
try was such character possible. Never self
seeking, he was dragged from obscurity by the
needs OF his country. With more than the ten
acity Of Wellington he wrested victory from the
jaws of defeat. His temper. iron-like grew
by blows" When strategy could avail he showed
an ability equal to any OF the great captains of
the past. He never CHALLENGED destiny, and
therefore met no Moscow, no Leipslc, and no
Waterloo.
Without malice and devoid of hate he never
theless was implacable as fate in the prosecu-
tion of his dctv. Triumphant a conqueror.
he treated the vanquished not as foe but as a
friend
AS a statesman when he might have distin-
guished his administration by tanning an in
ternational wrong into war which would have
enabled him TO grasp a territory one-half as
large as his country. he said let us have peace
and brought about an international court for
the settlement Of differences.
Beset by the difficulties born of transition
state between war and peace, with the people
demoralized by deprecated currency and all
the evils which gigantic war entails upon COM
mercal interests, surrounded by conspirators
desiring to use him for their own advantage. his
only fault was virtue carried to excess, fidelity
to his friends, real or supposed
In accord with the best sentiment OF the
country, in sympathy with the wants, the
he nevertheless interposed amid the adverse
clamor of the multitude the iron hand OF his
veto to prevent improper legislation.
Descending-or ascending - from his high
Office to become the first citizen OF the world,
with honors heaped upon him in such profusion
that he would have been smothered in flowers
had he been an Ordinary man, he retained his
Spartan simplicity, with all the Christian graces
of St Francis de Assist.
And vet his mission as a schoolmaster OF the
American people would have been incomplete II
he had ended his career in the twilight of its
brilliant day, with no clouds save those which
He was destined to tread the wine press alone
Stripped of his fortune, his family impover-
ished, his friends sacrificed. his confidence be.
trayed, his great name tramplod In the mire OF
great city-all these. leagued with deep dis
ease. could not abase the simple heroism of his
soul. ASpartan In his stoicism, o Roman in his
observance OF law, Christian in his charity
as whole those virtues which many men have
possessed In part and to throw out in bold re-
lief those qualities which should distinguish
the ideal American citizen.
1t will require another age, Mr.. Chairman, to
analyze and criticise Justly General Grants
character. and when that time comes hope he
will be portrayed with all his faults, that men
may feel a closer sympathy with him on the
ground of the possession of common weak
nesses. Whatever of frailty scrutiny may de-
tect, whatever peryersion of acts cynicism may
assert, whatever Interior motives malignity may
impute, feel assured that he will stand in his
tory
Sw ellis from the vale and midway leaves the
T houRh round its breast the rolling clouds are
spread
Eternal sunsh ne settles on its head.
Mr.. Chairman. IL welt worth all the treas
ure that the war swallowed up, that IL sh ould
have developed such character. The heroes
and demigods OF antiquity were made out Of
much less and coarser material No cruel act
no ungenerous word has ever been attributed
TO him.
This simple man will be for centuries, / be-
lieye, the head schoolmaster OF the American
people: and If the men of Marathon and Sala-
mis- were the schoolmasters of all Greece, as
sert confidently that our soldiers or the war Of
the great rebellion are the schoolmasters for
all time.