Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-08-14
GRANT.
A Memorial Discourse
Delivered at the N. e. Church of Wichi
tn, on the Evening of the 9th Of
August, 1885, by the Pastor,
Rev. T. S. Hodgson.

10 honor the memory, recite
some of the glorious deeds, and dwell
with glowing pride and kidding en-.
thusiasm upon the lofty heroism, de.
voted patriotism aud surprisingly
honorable and useful career of the
greatest of American soldiers, ex-
President Ulysses Simpson Grant. II
is not too much to say that there is
genuine mourning in all this land over
the hero-statesman, in city, village and
In rural district, in palace and 10 hut,
from ocean to ocean, and from the
Canadas TO the stormy bosom of the
Mexican gulf. The outside nations,
too. have seen the setting Of this
great light, and have felt the conse-
quent chill and gloom which have set,
tied down upon our common humau-
lty. II, ia the language of DIR. John
son, the death of David Garrick. the
actor. "eclipsed the gaiety of nations, ~
he death OF General Gran the un-
equaled conqueror and srroug execu-
tive, has eclipsed the greatness of all
living generations. He was certainly
the foremost man of his times, stand
ing Lead and shoulders above the tall
est of his contemporaries aud uncon-
sciously commanding and receiving
the homage of The great and cultured,
as well as of the obscure aud unletter-
ed. i yield TO none in Ievereniial re-
gard for the greatness of Abraham
Lincoln; but, perhaps, the act which
flung the most undying splendor upon
the renown of the mighty Lincoln.
was the keen discernment with
he detected the military promise
of General Grant, and the un-
yielding firmness with which he held
him in his place of power, until he
stood, an uncrowned king and victor,
on the immortal field of Appomattox.
Gladstone is great as universal
scholar, wise and far-seeing states
man: Bismarck is great as an organi-
ger and unsurpassed diplomatist, but
in certain elements of character, which
endear man TO his fellow-men, and
secure, aud forever retain, the admi-
ration, gratitude and devotion of
great masses, Gen. Grant was superior
to both. An English newspaper, COM
menting in eulogistic terms upon the
character of Gen. Grant, closed with
these words: "He was not Napoleon
or Wellington, but he led great
armies to victory" II is true he had
not the brilliancy and dash of The
great Napoleon, and well for his coun-
try and mankind he had not, but he
certainly was endowed with the solid
judgment and iron of the conqueror
of Napoleon and was vastly his SUPER
Tor in intellectual shrewdness and able
craftsmanship. Gen. Grants place in
history is secure. When the future
Hume, or Macaulay, shall write, once
and for all, the splendid annals of the
century, the name of Gen.
Grant will stand first among those
who shed the greatest lustre upon its |
achievements, and did the |
most TO eternize its glory. AT the
breaking out of the civil war Gen.
Grant was an obscure citizen of Gale
ma, lii The eyes of the country. and |
world, were turned in every direction,
for leader, but that. The old veteran
Scott still fingered superfluous on the
stage, but he was soon found TO be
unequal 10 such an emergency. Other
men, Of great prestige, or command
ing position, soon became objects of
hope and were looked TO as props of
the falling Republic, which lacked on
" little more than deoade of scor-
ing hundr, d years of history. But
they were all, in turn, swept down
and away by tn mad rush and whirl
Of the mightiest rebellion the world
had ever seen. The loyal portion of
the country was well nigh falling into
despair, the south was full of rejoic-
ing, their northern sympsthizers
could hardly conceal their secret exul-
tation, aud the burrows OH the care
worn brow of the hopeful Lincoln
Frightened and deepened as the
1lough-share of disappointment kept
through them. Then it was,
hat amid the deepening gloom of dis
ls'er and despair, the star of Gen.
Grant arose, brilliant, even, as it hung
rembling on the rim of the political
ky. But that star was never TO know
! setting, or suffer even temporary
eclipse. With ever-increasing luster
1 assembled to the zenith, where it
hone and continues TO shine with the
treDgth and splendor Of the MONDAY
I'm, in the oyerarcbing armament of /;
ur saved and undivided Republic. / ,
an still feel the thrill of hope which
an through the north when the vic i,
DRY of Fort Donelson was flashed !,
long the telegraph. It was not
,reat battle, and it has paled away in
he intense light of subsequent vic
ories, but it revealed the man. 1t
Tas as though the great clock of des-
my had struck, announcing TO the !,
'orld that the hero had made his ap-
earance, and was about to lead the
iscouraged hosts OF freedom into the {
romised land of peace and a reunited
alton. Men looked at each other and
lid, size is come" and were abund- :
utly satisfied. From that moment ).
ptil the final issue, an abiding conf
ence, which no disaster could shake II
nd no breath of SANDER could faint, q
lied the great heart of Abraham Lin q
in, and the hearts of the people-for y
lncoln was always with the people. -
ittsburg Landing. Vicksburg, Chat =
nooga, Lookout Mountain, the ter =
BILE battles before Richmond, the COL y
pse of the rebellion, and the surren- ~
n of Lee, at once the brain and arm :"
The Confederate cause, followed in =. =.
lick succession, The man with III
eadth of mind enough to compre- !"
nd and grasp the mighty undertake =.
=, to circumscribe and bring 1t to :"
ught, was at the head of affairs, !"
Mus was in the saddle and COM y
tnding spirit was filling the very -
with the brilliant heralds ~
coming success. An intelligent w
plain related to me the experience :"
the army Of the Potomac, after !"
N. Graot assumed command, as H. iis
trative of his magnetic leadership. oi'
he able commander after another an
been placed at the head of that a.
gnifceDt division of the union forces TIA
y 10 find himself blufied and driven W.
X by the superior strategy and SOL '"'
rship of Gen. Lee The army would an