Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1885-08-25
HANNlRAL nAMLINs VIEw.


II am no, military man. ai 81.
Wee. Pr,,iden, HAmliu. 20 a Gia'r cor.
respondent. and any estimate | can
make OF General Grant. character j.
tA,sd upon my knowlslse q men IN
pablo he. and not upon any noiioa
may have conceived u gensfal'hip a. an
AFT % a science. The fact that Va in-
tma'cly associated with liacolns hr,
administration placed me Ia position 90
learn many things concerning General
Grant that afc noi generally understood.
ani q i. on these. e.. well - upon hi.
subsequent career a. President ani citi.
zen. that | hove formed my IDEAS d him
make ihcs, predatory remarks 10 the
Gioifi reader, IN order % tell them Of
the angle from which yics him.
Although NJ. Hsmln i more than
IS year. Of age. and hA. voluntarily Re-.
tired fom public hfe. hi, eyes are a. keen
and hi, form a. erect a. ii was when be
frs, catered Congress, forty years ago.
u IL were not CO.. ~ gray head and a
few wrinkles around bis temple, "the hale
Old man Who never wore IA ovefcoa'
nigh, pas for Psr'oa Of half hi' years
IL have always entertained and 81.
pressed high degree Of animation 10
General Grant" saii be. rising and
walking back and forth on the carpet,
MY estimate Of Grant. military abilities
have not been based alone on his success
10 crushing the rebellion. II the people
Of the North had unlimited poser they
would coainbute bat one Of the necessary
condition, Of success. Il there Vas siil
wanting GA the par, Of the general in
chief hish moral courage capable OF
great resolutions. and a physical c'ufage
which takes no account OF danger And
these Grant possessed 20 the fullest eS.
ient.
These Characteristic, were the sub.
jec, Of a di.cuss.oa between General
sherman and myself Al my dinner table
one day soon after Grant became Presi-
dent. Az that time General Sh,fmaa
gave great weigh, 10 Grant. ability to
assume responsibilities and courage TO de-
liver battle when his plan. bad acquired
readiness. The lack Of these qualities
General ShermAa ihoagh, WAS the cause
Of the failure Of certain other generals
whom be named. While ooncurring in
this discriminating and jus, estimate OF
bis fret Lieutenant. | also added ihA,
Grants uniform esteem Of meIi, in Others
had not only oonduoed to his own glory,
but was the mark Of great man a. well
as Of a great General. Willingness to
do justice to merit In others j. no, the
most common quality. bu, Grants reports
and conduct oil through the war give the
falles, proof Of the fact that being gal
LIANT. just. firm and uprigh, commander,
he did no, fail 10 give due eredi, 10 his
subordina,es. No one ever succeeded In
attempting 10 draw from him criticisms
upon the slowness Of any army command
er in the East. or the assumed superior
ability OF another commander who. be-
fore the siege Of Nieksbarg. ordered the
movements Of the army fIom his office in
Washington.
"Msrch 4, 1869. the date Of Giants
frs, Inauguration. ! returned to the Sen
ate after a lapse Of four years. and our
relations were ever marked with cordisli-
" and esteem. III. administration for
the succeeding eigh, year. had my Goa
slant and active support. Twice during
that time President Grant was my
CUES, a, Bangor. once during the oele-
bra,iOn Of the completion Of the Europe.
an & North American Railroad, and
again upon the Presidents summer visi,
10 the coast Of Maine"
Mr.. Hamlin did no, intimate ,ha, he
was at all times a personal Adherent OF
Grants political fortunes l, Is well
known that be was opposed TO a third
term movement, and warmly supported
Mr.. Blaine instead; but be regarded
Grant a. a highly patriotic and honest
President. sminently sound in his views
on all public and party questions, and
Justly entitled to the honors accorded
him by the country.
"His fame with the world at large,
continued he. twill mainly rest upon his
military achievements bu, his adoption
Of arbitration instead Of war with Great
Britain and his policy on the resumption
Of specie paymeai. s,esdfsstly sohesred
10. are sufficient. not to mention many
other measures Of his administration. to
command the admiration and gratitude
Of future generations.
"The direcines and lucidi,y ofhis plb-
lie u,,erances left nothing TO be desired I;
for" added Mr.. Hsmlin, "we all know
that Grant always did better than he
promised"