Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1885-07-31
THE DEAD COMMANDER.

General Grant is dead. The hero
Of Appomattox has fallen. The con-
queror of armies now lies in the cold |
embrace of the great conqueror
Death. The prolonged struggle with
the insidious disease which had fast
ened itself upon the nations great
commander is over, and those who
for many long months have anx-
lously watched with mingled hopes
and fears the reports of his physical
now mourn beside his
bier. In the death of General Grant
the greatest military character, the
most successful general of this or any
age, passes from mortal sight, and the
events of the war for the prescrva-
ton Of the Union, in which he SO
prominently figured, are brought
wildly before the mind. The records
Of these events have been produced |
and reproduced by the press of the
country during the past few months
until they have become a familiar
chapter 90 nearly every reader.
From General Grants first victory at
Fort Donelson until his great and
final triumph over Lee, success
marked his military career. The
success with which he commanded
the vast armies Under him, and the
many hard fought battles which he
won made him great and success
full general, and it is useless to cavil
over the causes which contributed to
his greatness. His magnanimous
treatment of those whom he had
conquered made him indeed truly
great. From q life upon the farm
and in the tannery he had risen to
" the foremost captain of his time"
commanding the admiration not
only of his fellow countrymen but
of the whole world besides, and
fully demonstrating the possibilities
afforded under the government
which he had done so much to pre-
serve. lie was not an aristocrat
either by nature or by training. He
was considerate and kind to those
under him, and his love for simple
and plain methods, his detestation of
pomp and empty show naturally
won for him the love of his country
men. In accepting the nomination
for the presidency in 1868 he closed
his letter with the oft quoted words,
" Let us have peace" and had his
wishes and desires been carried out,
instead of the wishes of his advisors,
we believe that true peace between
the north and south would not have
been delayed so long. While truth
demands that it be said that his ca
recr rs president was not a success
full career, the mantle of charity
should now be thrown over his
faults, whatever they may have been.
Let full justice be done to his memo
ry. His mistakes we believe were
errors of judgment and not inten-
tons of the heart, and as has been
truly said, his errors are to be at
tributed to qualities which in other
positions are altogether admirable
q firm faith in others and an unfal-
tering devotion to those whom he
believed to be his friends and the
friends of his country, as faithful as
he to all their trusts. Flatterers and
false friends gathered around him,
and to them by far too often he con-
tided not only his own but his
conntry's interests. He was gener-
Gus to a fault and bestowed favors
upon those who were undeserving.
When at the height of his fame these
men with sycophancy unbecoming
American citizens fawned upon him
and sang praises to his greatness, but
i'll later years when misfortune over
took him and he became the victim
of the man to whom he had blindlv
entrusted his name and fortunes, the
praises of his false friends were
turned to maledictions. But it was
in his humiliation that the true char
acter of General Grant asserted itself.
1t was here, and during his long and
hopeless struggle with a deadly
disease, that his manly bearing, his
honesty of purpose, and unwavering
courage more fully won the hearts Of
the American people. He lived to see
the dawn of a true and lasting peace
between all sections of our once
divided country, and rejoiced in its
coming. His death is sincerely
mourned by people of all sections
and of all parties, aad with one
common purpose they will gather
around his grave to do honor to the
memory of the great soldier.