Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-08-06
THURSDAY.........AUGUST 8, 1885
Grant Bleached II.


raj GRANTS last declarations in favor
of peace between the two lately -em-
broiled sections Of the Union can fail
10 have the effect he intended them to
have. That is to say, the people, as
distinguished from rnscrupulous poll
ticians such as WHITELAw REID and
MURAT HALsTEAD, will act upon the
fraternal advice contained not only in
General GRANTS last utterances, but
in the acts Of his widow and children
since his death. If it was his wish
that at his funeral distinguished
Confederate generals should walk
side by side with distinguished
Union generals, where could a selection
have been made better fitted to do
honor to his memory than that Of
General FITZHUGH LEE? Mrs. GRANT
well knew her distinguished husbands
feelings towards the southern people;
and if we had had any doubt before his
death that he desired to bleach the
bloody shirt which unprincipled agi-
tators have so long kept waving its
crimson colors in the wind, we could
have none after what has been
done by the noble woman who
knew his every prepossession, his every
aspiration, his every desire, his
patriotic impulses, his superiority to
the miserable prejudices Of smaller men,
and the estimate he put upon the brave
Confederates whom he had met in bat
tie. AS time passes, we are more and
more gratifed that when his death was
announced we were able to see him as
skilful general, patriotic citizen, and
great man.
How can the northern Republican
journals have the face to talk such nom
sense as they do about the southern
people? There is Democratic Ad-
ministration in power at Washington,
and yet the Union is stronger to-
day than it ever was before.
What does this fact indicate
Can it DO possible that the northern
people can be induced to 60 behind the
events Of the last twelve months-nsy,
Of the last month-and vote against the
imaginary southern leaders whom their
unressoning prejudices have created,
rather than for the real southern lead
ers whom General GRANT endeavored
to bring to their notice? We do not
believe it. We might say that we know
that no President and no Congress will
ever again be elected upon the dead is.
sues which THAD. STEVENS, OLIVER
p. MORTON, ZACH. CHANDLER, aud
the rest Of the most INSCRIPTIONS Of
the Republican politicians of the North,
kept in existence up to 1876.
And yet whilst General GRANT lay
in state at Mount McGregor, and his
widow and children were making ar
rangements for his funeral, and the
telegraphic wires between Virginia and
New York were trembling with FITz
LEES assurance that he accepted the
honor Of serving on General HAN
COCKS staff at General GRANTS fune-
raj, because by so doinghe could testify
his respect for the memory of the great
soldier, and thus return, as far as he
could, the generous feelings General
GRANT had expressed towards the SOL
diers Of the South, NURAT HALsTEAD
was preaching to the world as follows
I" In Virginia the question is whether
the solid South shall be maintained for
the benefit Of the Democratic party
and the rehabilitation Of the Con-
federacy, and the reinstatement as
rulers over the whole country Of the
old boss class Of the South"
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