New-York tribune., 1885-08-09
npINT As IN EXAMPLE.

signed to his temporary tomb at River.
side Park, was-hOw he bore himse1
among his fellows. and In the re-
latons of daily life,-is less considered.
Much has been said and written OF the tral's
| In Grants character which seemed to distln-
ouish him from the common run Of men, but
rhoueh the world seeks and demands such signs
of special capacity, it is deep trutn
that true greatness is even more mani
tested in the display of simple virtues
attainable by all, If attained only py
part. And the future students. OF MS
character will dwell, more perhaps than nis
contemporaries have done, upon those traits III
him which attracted least attention, yet were
the surest found ations of his superiority and the
clearest proofs of that largencss OF soul
which does not invariably go with
great achievements There never was
man who in his life more emphatically gave
the lie to the common fallacy that genius in
anv sort is somehow untitled for the PLAIN,
simple life of the family. There never was
great man whose daily life. more elo-
ouently taught the entire compatibility
of domestic fitness with commanding mill
tarv ability. As was said of another great
captain. he was "ln his simplicity sublime"
Honor and adulation. the sense of power, the
realization of his cOuntry's admiration, left him
. "a they found him, an humble, unaffected,
downright, plain American citizen.
All through his military career this sim
plicity was marked feature IN MS
conduct, and it was always accompanied
- and enriched by q singular and nooie
consideration for others. No estimate OF
- Grants character is more defective than that
which represents him as stOlid, indifferent to
e the sacrifice of life, winning victories by sheer
docged persistence and weight of numbers. he
won his victories, as all great soldiers nave
done, by realizing difficulties, and meeting
them. At all times he was more careful OF others
: than himself When he expended life freely
= il was because the sacrifice was needed 70 pre-
. vent some greater loss in the future. Every :
where he was anxious for those about him and
r careless of himself. The pomp and circum-
4 stance of war never attracted him. tie was
emphatically patrot-soldier. not proies-
: sional one No less egoistic man lives IN his
tory. His family life, could it be freely ex-
. amined, would bear this out strongly A ten
der husband, a loving father, he was surround
+ ed by an affection the depth of which can
only be measured by his own unselfshness.
: He upheld the sanctity of the hearth. and kept
pure fame upon his family altar. lie was
thus type and example of the true citizen
loyal from the greatest 10 the least things true
to his wife and children as to his country, liv-
ing blameless, simple, loving life, and dong
his duty always with the same unhesitatina
thorOughness and inilcxibility.
The kindliness of his heart was shown
throughout his career. Though the firmest oil
commanders in the field, there was nothing
of harshness in his temperament. Ills
conduct toward the Confederate chiefs at the
close of the Rebellion. his feeling toward the
South during the Reconstruction period, proved
this. Magnanimity was to him as natural a.
breathing. The breadth Of his nature, evi-
denced in his serene temper his freedom from
all jealousy and envy, his Indifference to miscon
struction and detracjiOn. his absolute lack o
vanity, made such behavior matter OF course
with him. Great men there have been whose Zeal
ty to duty was as conspicuous, but fcwin whon
the elements were so kindly mixed that unique
force of will Joined with so much simplicity ant
Tenderness With an iron will we are accus
toned to associate cOldncss and severity. and
| frequently the common estimate OF such char
acters is lust. But Grant, though retlcent, wa
not cold; though infexible Of purpose, he was no
hard. He inspired in his family love
that may be termed passionate. Ills desires
for his children were such as the simplest ant
2least sopbisticated farmer or mOuntaincer nigh
i Frame He believed in virtue and practi'ed 1t
I The barbar1tics of war never stained his char
4 acter, and no instance of cruelty or lawlessnes
was ever alleged against him.
There is in the contemplation OF such LIT
much to be admired, and much to be com
mendcd az an example. Personal purity, un
selfshness. care for others. rcvcrent devotion t
l the family, q simplicity all things as refresh
4 ing as rare, Joined with force Of charactc
which made itself felt always and everywhere
make up a personality which would command
esteem even if ASSOCIATED from the most III
portant events in the history OF the KepuDiic
That such character became what 1t wa
without effort is not to be supposed, AM
| in the recognition OF the struggle
which must have gone to mould 1t lie
much of the significance Of the example
The maintenance of even the homeliest virtue
is not free from hindrances. Strong rcpres
sion, resolute s-lf-denial. must have gone +
the development of those altrustic character
lstlcs which frightened Grants home life an
threw so tender and touching glow over hi
last days. But such self-dIscipl he is with
the reach of all, and all may realize that 18th
, path of duty Ia the way to glory; for
ale, that ever following her commando.
On with toll OF heart and knees and hands,
ThrO the long gorge TO the FAR light has won
His path upward. and prevaild.
Shall find the topping crags Of Duty scaled
Are close upon the shining tabe-lands
/, To which our God Himself Is moon and sum-"
UuUnknz
THE FRENCH ELECTIONS.
The approaching elections in France will