Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1885-10-08
II Is naid that when oromwell,n Ironaides wore

II Is said that when Cromwell's Ironsides were
disbanded on the return Of oharles II. they melt:
be identified thereafter by the excellence Of
their work, 30 that IL became proverb, when
any labor IN any any ayoSatlon voc. was done In supe-
one OF Cromwell's men, think this is true OF
the soldiers Of the rebellion. We find them ey-
lions Of honor and trust and whether it II be-
cause they are dignifed by their service or
because only the best among us served. the ay-
erage OF their conduct and their achievements
has been higher than that of, the same number
| OF civilians 1t has been said that arms ennoble
man. 1t is certainly true that arms borne in
vindication OF principle attract the noblest or
| ennoble those whom they attract. ~ III -l
Unhappy is the time when heroes are devel-
oped, but thrice unhappy the country which
Happy the country which. like ours, found in
her peril heroes thick as the leaves OF the forest
when the summer is gree n"
IL is impossible for history herself to perpetu-
ate the lessons or devotion, loyalty, and self
eacrific In every case, but individually and coll
| lectively we have enough to educate the future.
Among them all, one has just been called
| hence who, possibly 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-
| lieye 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-
seeking sec % he was dragged from obscuTity % By eth the
needs Of his country. With more than the ten
| acity Of Wellington he wrested victory from the
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 Leipsic, and no
| Waterloo.
Without malice and devoid Of hate he never
theless was implacable as fate in the prosecu-
| tion OF his duty Triumphant as a conqueror,
he treated the vanquished not as q foe but as
| 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 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 q transition
e sae'e gigantic war entails upon
mercial 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
hopes. the fears, and the distress OF the people,
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 Asstz
And vet his mission as a schoolmaster Of the
American people would have been incomplete IL
he had ended his career in the twilight of its
brilliant day, with no clouds save those which
would have enhanced the effect of the picture.
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 trampled In the mre or
| a great city-all these. leagued with deep dis
ease. could not abase the simple heroism Of his
soul. Spartan in his stoicism, q Roman in his
| observance of law, Christian In his charity
and In his faith, it was given him to illustrate
| 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
| will be portrayed with all his faults. that men
may feel closer sympathy with him on the
ground of the possession OF common weak
| tect, whatever perversion Of acts cynicism may
| assert. whatever Interior motives malfgnty may
impute, feel assured that he will stand In his
| tory
Like some tall crag that lifts it's awful form,
| Sw ellis from the vale and midway leaves the
storm,
7 houRh round its breast the rolling clouds arc
spread,
Eternal sunshine settles on its head.
Mr.. Chairman. 1t was well worth all the treas
ure that the war swallowed up, that 1t 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-
| lieve, the head schoolmaster OF the American
people; and IL the men OF Marathon and Sala-
mis- were tho schoolmasters OF all Greece, as
sert confidently that our soldiers OF the war of
the great rebellion are the schoolmasters for
i all time.