Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-08-07


.al, around which shall forever stand JUS
nee, ana liberty, and peace. and law, and
Druer, ana civilization, and religion, with
thnplets in their hands wherewith to
crown nm. He fought for the right; to
end the war: he conquered "A peace. He
hated war. He looked upon it as a CHASTITY
monster whose march is to the music of
me widows signs and the orphans cry
lie lQVed peace and pursued it. blessed
are the peacemakers, for they shall be call
ell the children of God" was his beati-
tude. Doubtless he will be best known in
coming ages as the foremost soldier of the
republic. Unknown generations will read
his battles with wonder and admiration.
In every hamlet IN every metropolis, his
sculptured in marble. Historians will vie
with each other in paying homage to his
genius; but the time will come when men
everywhere Will recognize the great
ness and beneficence of his administration
as President of the United States. 1t were
a crime against history and an injustice to
his memory were we to lose sight of the
statesman amid the glory of the warrior.
such was the magnitude of those great
measures of state, of domestic and foreign
policy; so farreaching their influence so
comprehensive their mission, that genera
tons may pass from the vision of the
world ere the true and full estimate of his
political worth shall be determined
And whether in camp or cabinet, in
IllN dlt vi puDllC, at nome OF ABROAD, now
pure ana cOmmendable his moral charac-
ter. Life in camp has proved ruinous to
the morals OF the greatest warriors. The
excitement of Il life devoted to arms, the
scenes of excess and plumber to which a
soldier is exposed, the absence of the re-
straints of home and church. tend to the
worst OF passions and to the corruption of
the best morals. But here in the pres
ence of the dead, whose ears are alike
dead to our prai sc or censure, let it be our
grateful duty to record that after five
years In camp and field he returned to his
home without stain upon his character.
Among ancient or modern warriors where
snail we lind his superior in moral eleva-
lOn GIVEN to no excess himself, he stern
ly rebuked it in others. He could speak
to every one according to his station-to
generals of their battle, to statesmen of
their measures, to travellers of their dis
coverleS, to artisans of their invenCiOnS to
Christians of their hopes-and he could
be the delightful companion of kings and
queens, of cOUrtlers and chosen friends
never took the name of his Creator in
VAN, and an impure story never polluted
his lips
His sense of justice was equalled only
by his love of truth. He preferred honor
to wealth, and poverty to riches not his
own. Oh, Americans, think of the pride
of your Nation, the glory of your age and
the object of the worlds admration hav-
ing nothing to bequeath to those he loved
save his good name and that heaven adj
mitted to probate without the whisper of
contention.
Gentle, true and kind gratitude was one
of the noblest emotions of his soul. His
words were few, but pregnant with CRATE
full recognition.
He, followed the divine maxim: Be
fore honor is humility 1t is difficult to
be victorious and not be proud. Military
success leaves in the mind an exquisite
pleasure which fills and absorbs the
thoughts. The conqueror ascribes to HIM
self superiority of capacity and force. He
crowns himself with his own hands he
DEGREES to himself a secret triumph he
regards rs his own the laurelS others
help to gather and when he renders to
God public thanks he mlngles his vanity
with his devotiOns. But read his orders
read the reports of his victories read the
memoirs of his life, and he praises his great
subordinates, and the army and navy did
the fighting. Behold the contrast in the
general orders and reports of battles by
the first Napoleon, and those by this un-
pretentlOuS cOnquerOr. What pride and
holiness in the one what humility and
modesty in the other. And Who'll all these
four lustra since the strife was over, in
the decade since he retired from the chair
of state with name great in both hemis-
pheres, has ever heard him speak of his
deeds of valor or the success of his adj
mnistration. Let another praise thee,
and not thine own lips" and
to-day the people crown him
with their grateful benedictlon. Yet
he was not stole, insensible alike
to pain and pleasure; Indifferent to public
opinion or careless about his honor or his
rights. He loved the praise of men, when
| the reward of honorable action. He was
a sensitive, high-spirited, manly man, who
had the will and the courage to contend to
| the last for what was his due. If he re-
viled not when reviled, he accepted the
divine philosophy that "a soft answer
turneth away wrath" If he was patient
/ under Misrepresentation, he trusted him
who said Vengeance is mine; | will re-
pay, saith the Lord Was he silent I'M
der reproach ? He preferred the greater
satisfaction of the reversion of public
opinion. Only those permitted to hear
the whispers OF his sensitive heart knew
the griet and anguish he experienced when
maligned by Ignorance, prejudice and dis
appointed aspirants. He had meekness,
but it was not the base surrender OF self
respect His Indignation could burn like
a mountain on fire, but he never permit
ted himself to be consumed by its volcanic
eruptions He knew his enemies, and
treated them with whitening silence that
has passed into proverb. He knew his
friends, and, true to his knightly soul,
supported them in good report and evil.
. His private friendships were refined, and
he found his chief delight in the society
OF the true, the pure aud the elevated he
discerned character with the precision of a
seer. His great subordinates are in proof.
His chief associates in the affairs of state
are illustrations. And the marvel of the
ages will be that through long and re
sponsible public career he was so
seldom deceived when on the high
est authority it is said; Satan HIM
self is transformed into an angel of
light" to deceive the very elect.
He despised pretence and show, but adj
mired the real and beautiful. He was not
fond of books, yet by carefulness of OBJ
servation, by thoroughness of reflection,
by attentiveness TO the conversation of
the well informed, by extensive travels in
many lands, by the daily study of current
events, he was the most intelligent citizen
in our republic He was the most diigent
newspaper reader in the land. He was a
living encyclopedia of facts, figures and
men, and his forthcoming memoirs will
astonlsh the reader with his accurate es-
innate of persons, the keenness of his OBJ
serVationS, and the VastneSs of his intor-
nation. out of his great character came
the unrest m olives AS effect follows cause.