Weekly commercial herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1884-18??, 1885-08-14

Of the genius and character of
, Grant little need here be said. If he
may not be ranked with the great Cap
tains Of the world, with Marlborough,
Napoleon, Wellington and him who in
all the qualities Of heroic splendor,
was peer of the greatest of any age,
the unsurpassed and indispensable
Robert E. Lee, it is nevertheless true
that he handled with mastery power
colossal armies in a great conflict, and
won success.
He undoubtedly possessed the quail
ties of a great hero. With the sagac-
ity of comprehensive intellect, he per-
ceived the supreme conditions of sue
cess, in every crisis of his career, and
to its achievement he brought into
play a will serene in immovable deter
mination. answering resolution and
~tenacity, a d~irectness, of purpose, a
terrible earDestness and ,feryid patriot
ism, great moral forces of character,
which hazard all danger, and never
give thought to self which inspire
confidence, command men, dominate
fate and constitute in large
measure the power of genius.
However much he may have been favor
ed by circumstance and opportunity,
his successes cannot be attributed
to chance. Chance builds structures
of no such magnitude. Grant was a
true and great American. The grand
simplicity which characterized him at
all times, even in the hour of his
greatest triumph, betokened a patriot
ism and sense of duty which diSdain
all selfshness, is above the vanity of
all ostentation and pomp and as
Emerson says, is itself greatness.
These are indeed the essential condi-
lions of all American greatness. His
highest fame will ever be as a soldier,
but this will not be measured by
particular achievements in the field.
His renown will be reflected in the
prodigious results of his successes and
the effect upon the history of our
country, in the supreme crisis Of its
existence, the preservation of the
union and all its consequences. These
must be the enduring basis Of his
fame.
There was a far reaching conception
Of this result manifest in the inspira-
ton of his luminous patriotism, and
in the simplicity of his greatness. He
always looked beyond the mere victo-
ries of the battle field. This was ex-
emplified in the unaffected and gener-
Gus magnanimity extended the noble
Lee and his armies, when he said:
" Keep your horses, you will need
them for the spring p%lowing,"
and he was too great to take the
sword of Lee. On another occasion
when the salutes of the victorious
army were being fred he ordered them
to cease, that they might not wound
the feelings of the defeated, because
he said; "They are again, our country
men," and again in his first formal de-
~claration to the country, that final and
most glorious result Of the war was
again uppermost in his mind, when, to
all the people, he said: "Let US have
peace"
Indeed peace hath her victories no
less than war.
His fame who led the stormy van
OF battle well may cease,
But never that which crowns the mau
Whose victory was peace.
Grant knew chat crime was not the
inspiration which fired the hearts OF
the soldiers of Lee and Jackson, whose
fortitude and Valor were the admira'
ton of their enemies and the wonder
of the world. He knew that crime
never rallied to its standard the uni
versal flower and chivalry of a chris
tian people.
When vindictive power threatened
vengeance upon those whom he had
paroled, and who had become his
countrymen again, with heroic
chivalry he sprang to their defense, an(
successfully demanded their protection
And now do we not see that in the fer
vii patriotism of Grant, in the high
qualities of his splendid character, anC
in the power of his genius for compre
hension and execution, there was thu
inspiration of a sagacity which fore
saw, in the coming years, a land o
universal freedom and equality, a re
united and happy people, all powerful
/, and sublime in the grandeur Of thei
unity?
If the proof were needed, we bu
turn to Mount McGregor, wher
hover the spirits Of a gentle peace,
sweet resignation, and a seren
. courage, and while the winds of heave
a which famed the pallid brow bear t
a the dying ears sweet messages of Low
+ from all his conntrymen, and cavil an
q doubt are thence forever fed, W
h hear the dying words of the grea
American: II have witnessed sine
nv sickness, what l have wished
see ever since the war; harmony AM
good telling between the sections.
Il believe the war was worth all it cost |
d as fearful as it was"
In doing homage to Grant we BIT
do honor to ourselves and to oil
&c country. This is u connie
: country, and with its star !
banner our fortunes and destiny a
. forever linked. Its honor and glor
i - 49, 81 .Iau,x ~ nrynwVy A M