Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1885-04-10
GRANT, THE SILENT SUFFERED

l. -
We have been reading the accounts the
New York papers are giving so minutely
of the last days of the great American
soldier. Apart from the sympathy which
all humanity must render to a slowly and
surely dying man, and aside from the
strong personal gratitude which every
Virginian who remembers what he did
for the people of this State in the days of
reconstruction should feel, We have
viewed him with, what we might call for
want of better name, curiosity. Setting
aside. as being unworthy place inside the
frame, the hysteria of which the attending
doctors seem to have periodical attacks,
the vague spiritual utterances Of Rev. Mr..
Newman, and the dramatic handiwork
and gush Of the servant-girl-news repub-
lished by. the reporters, the silent, suffer-
ing, central figure presents remarkable
picture. It has now been about sixty days
since Gen. Grant was notified of
OF disease which is as certain in its ad-
vance DIS The progress OF time, and leads
straight and soon TO The grave. He receiy-
ed the announcement with no emotion,
there was no touch of weak humanity AT
its reception. He simply said nothing,
and went on with his Work of writing his
History of the War. AS long as weakness
and pain did not wholly put stop to it,
that was his daily occupation. When thai
mad TO be stopped, he seemed to bend sill the
energies of his mind to bearing the pain
to the end. Once more, however, he wae
called GA TO note che affairs of the outside
world, in giving his deposition in matters
concerning the failure OF the late firm OF
Grant & Ward. That scene was charac-
terlstic of the man. His answers were
brief, accurate, une0lored by any feeling
against the man who had been his ruin,
and untinged by the falntest apparent de-
sire to make his own side OF the transaction
appear less lacking of common sense and
common prudence. In fact had he been
testifying in case in which he had no
personal interest," his answers could not
have been more cold, correct. and color
less. At it's close several of those present
having expressed their sympathy land hopes
that he would recover, he simply said
slowly and gravely, "Well, know that
| am very sick man."
At no time las he expressed any senti
ment any particular concern az his con-
dition, which man might not express
about simple matter Of business. No
farewell utterances of sentiment, even
to his family, to whom he is devoted
His nearest approach to it was
on Sunday when in a slow, steady tone
he dictated these words for the physician
j, add to his bulletin: II desire the good
will of ALL whether heretofore friends or
not" AS to his place of burial he in
few words desired that Gen. Sheridan
would attend to securing place of inter-
ment near Washington city. He speaks
little to his physicians beyond tho neces-
sary yes and no. and lies and suffers, or
sometimes rises and walks across the
room; but always in silence. Always, in
the American MUD, surrounded by
mystery which his silence created, the ap-
proach of death does not seem to make
any change in him. When his lips shall
have been sealed, there will have passed
away one Of the most inscrutable men in
history, and by far the most remarka-
bic man of his time.