Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1885-08-11
AN UNIQUE GRANT EULOGY.

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vices at Lowell, pronouncing the eulogy He
said
OF the soldier who has performed with
fidelity, unfinching courage and determine
tion, with every measure Of success, every
duty imposed upon him by his country in
the years OF her deadliest peril, in n war of
most gigantic proportions, most sturdily
fought out with millions of men in arms,
wherein the very life OF his country was at
stake with a patriotism never doubted,
which shone forth with an effulgence which
illuminated his life OF the statesmen who
received from the people the highest powers
and honors twice conferred, and after being
| tried In such a position, the second time
with almost unanimty, broken only by
| those whom, as a soldier, he had conquered
and magnanimously forgiven--what need is
| there for words of praise
Is IT not better for us who gather here, as
If around his tomb, to take part in the last /
| honors that can be paid To the mortal man,
| to pause for the brief time allotted to us and |
| recall not only what he was but for the benefit |
| of those who shall come after us, to bring to |
| our minds the causes which have made a |
great people quite universally love him and |
all admire him and revere his memory |
| Looking upon his career, do we not find that |
| Grants life and character are necessarily the |
| outgrowth of our free institutions, which |
they together illustrate, adorn and
glorify?
Grant was educated as soldier and served
with distinction IN the Mexican war. Appar-
emily disgusted with the lazy ease of military
| life in time OF peace, he resigned his commits
| sion and turned his attention to business pur-
suits, in which he was not successful, proba-
bly, because they were not adapted, as evil
IDENTIFY they were not either to his taste or his
faculties. His political predictions had
been, as were those of many others in his
| party, on the side of slavery as an institution
imbedded in the constitutional but his heart
was right, and when the Southern states,
, their people, forgetful of their patriotism
, | and of their constitution obligations attempt
ed to sever themselves from the Union aud
found new empire whose cornerstone
should be slavery, he offered his services in
behalf OF right and the true principles Of De-
mocracy, and with unwavering fidelity fol-
} lowed his flag from victory to victory until
the Union was saved. See how completely
he was tho outgrowth of our institutions
Educated under provision of the govern
ment that allows a son of the humblest citi
zen the best teaching that can be devised, fos-
tered and sustained by her bounty, he stood
: ready when the occasion demanded to do
battle, did Washington, for liberty and
country and when his strategy of obstinate
, | determination had subdued the rebellion his
: instincts of craftsmanship showed him that
VI the country-nearly onc-half of which had
needed to be conquered-ought 10 become
united again and therefore the generous
IS stipulations of surrender at Appomattox
l. which, if the hates engendered by the war
Q had permitted the South to receive with true
;, love OF country and with the understanding
, OF what the future, sooner or later, must
< | bring-a united people--would have long
'r since obiterated all former discussions and
10 divisions OF party springng from the rebel
" | lion.
IA HIS PRESIDENCY INEVITABLE.
j. From the hour of Lees surrender the
is presidency OF General Grant was inevitable.
1. AZ a soldier he had won the admiration and
Is gratitude of the people, and by a single act
/ a .l.g..
at that no might be as capable in public affairs
C. as in the field, although uninstructed in the
at | minutin of government. The pistol of Booth
w and the regeneration of johnson made
. Grant president az soon as it could be done
u under constitutional forms lie took the
40 reins OF government into his hands under
is the most difficult of all conditions. The con-
of test between johnson and Congress as to the
M manner OF reconstruction of the government
of the several Southern states wherein he
attempted to accomplish that impossibility al
III once by executive order, but which could not
he be done without considerable lapse of time Il
KS Congress had most cordially concurred in the
i'm endeavor, had caused Congress to go much
an further in interfering with the unkindly pas
~ sions of the South, and the action of tn,
AT president had stimulated conflicting an d
ne dangerous organizations against the laws
of congress, so that only wise and patient
waiting was open To Grants Administrations
N, | for proper reconstruction, using the heavy
ly hand only when great wrongs and outrage'
were perpetrated upon the unoilending citi
zens so that Grants first term upon this
topic was in fact, but firm grasp holding
ar either section from unduly interfering, irri
at tating or exasperating the other.
Ito Grant was a second time elected by united
ed North, his messages and declarations TO Con.
,s gress, direct and simple in their announce
~, ment of his purposes, and at the same tim,
81 tender toward the South, where leniency wa,
virtue, enabling the reconstruction to be
gin on such basis alone Ii was possible
to to work it out The union of the several
,at | portions of the country slowly progressed, ii
being for the interests of one political party
TO maintain the South i'm its entirety as an
opposition.
- THE THIRD TERM MOVEMENT.
~, On the approach ofthe end of the second tern
N Of his presidency some of the best men of the
,,, country quite irrespective of party, looked
-, to the election OF Grant for third term as the
-, readiest means Of completing reconstruction
~ But some Republican journals, in the advo
~ yacy OF their favorite as his successor, mad,
~ innuendo against his administration for cor
W, ruption under the cry Of " REFORM which Il
nv ever the purists phrase when he intends
al mischief, and one member of his cabinet
ed commenced prosecutions against the distllers
OF whisky for what was alleged to be enor
uo nous frauds but he neglected to prosecute
VI any one in his own state, which was very
ed large distiling state, and in which, of course
a all the whisky men were honest-so honest
that they appeared at the next Republican
national convention, with drums, trumpets
and banners favoring his nomination.. One
or | Oh MS CLOSEST nOusehOu friends was attdcke ed
-, | by charges which were afterwards shown at a
"' trial TO be false and perjured, and an at
tempt was made to reach Grant in that man.
ner. OF course, at last, when the case was
lie | tried his friend was found not guilty by the
nj jury; but then the prosecution had done its
~ work. Let me say here and now that there
Is now no man who dares to raise the cry OF
corruption against Grant The idea of taking
g. public money to himself, or allowing his
in friends to do it, never entered his mind, and
20 from very intimate knowledge for some
as years of his character am ready and will
10 ing as / ever have been, to bear this testi-
mony. That he appointed men who were
bad men to Office is true, and that some were
near him may also be true; but that is inevi-
n table. Our Saviour chose twelve friends
n and disciples to aid Him in His work, and
one was thief and had devil and betrayed
his Master with kiss. These attacks would
not have been successful, because thinking
people did not in fact believe them then any
80 more than they do now.
The attacks upon the administration of
Grant had the intended effect by so disgust
u ing him with the intrigues of politicians that
OF he would make no movement in behalf of
X his own candidature, not even to remove the
is | cabinet officer who took advantage of his
/ poSitiOn n I'm urthar IA is pyyn