Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-10-31

the h0nors were to be reaped, while his
relations to Sheridan were those of a
fatt or. When Stanton tried to iemove
Sherman, following the assassination of
Lincoln, and Grant was dispatched to
supersede his old comrade, be disdained
to embarrass the Hero of the March to
the Sea, and allowed him to make HIM
self the notifications in the terms of
surrender which the War Department
insisted upon. From the first to the last
days of his military career Grant tried to
increase rather than to diminish the glory
OF his colleagues,
When it came to the conquered, his
native generosity and greatness OF soul
| figured to even greater advantage. When
at Appomattox Court House, Gen. L. G
rendered to his conquerer the richly EN-.
bossed sword, manufactured in England
which his admirers had presented to him.
Grant took the weapon, cursorily exam
ining the inscription, and returned it to
Lee with the remark, ''It could not be
worn by Drawer man. Having the
| Confederate army absolutely in his
power, he allowed the Confederate
| troopers to take their horses home with
them, remarking they would need them
for the Spring plowing.
AT THE LAST.
The last days of General Grant were
indescrlbably affecting. His agony ut
Mt. McGreggor was the elimination of
nine months of travail. Day by day he
succumbed to the insidious advances of
a loathsome disease. For months the
most tender and assiduous ministrations
were necessary to keep him alive. A
weak man, under such circumstances.
would have committed suicide. During
all this horrible and protracted ordeal
no word OF impatience escaped the suf.
| ferer. Two weeks before his death Gen.
eral Buckner, an old West Point class
mate, telegraphed to Grant to know
whether or no a visit from him would be
acceptable. The invalid caused an afiir-
native reply to be sent, and Buckuer
went to Mount McGreggor. The conver.
sation which followed is enc of the most
pathetIc things in the annals of men ON
the brink OF the grave, and it was the
last public utterances of the dead hero.
In it he told General Buckner that he
was glad to have lived to see the bitter.
ness OF the war disappear forever. In
that surcease of fa2tonal strife the in-
terminable agony of General Grant was
undou btedly instrumental. Still more
touching was the letter found on his
person after death, directed to his faith
fnl and incompatible wife, ard written
several weeks before his death, in which
his herosm and his amiable personal
characteristics were so conspicuous
From the s'ar: General Grant knew that
he was doomed; and yet to the last, he
was sell. contained and composed.
| might, 0s one offset to the Danegyric
in hich have indulged, throw in some
sombre shading 10 the portrait of Grant.
He mad his failings ard plenty of them.
Ii is significant fact that all the great
characters of history have been similarly
handicapped. The good die young, and
it were better that the goody -goo1y had
never lived. Grant was no milksop SIM
ulator OF tie virtues. He was a good
hater and deathless friend. His very
interesting private virtues were in some
instances public vices. His character was
strongly marked and often accentuated
in lines which were not of the best i'm
port. But, as this work day world goes,
he averaged well even in the line laid
down by the purist. He was brave, true
as steel to friend, exceptionally gifted
in the art of war, and heroic. Those gath
cred around his bier or around the thou
sand catafalques which have figured
throughout tue land yesterday, may well,
as the clods rattle ON his coffiu echo the
refrains of Collins ode:
| How sleep the bra7e,
| Who sink to rest
BY all their countrys wishes best.
| When Spring, with dewy fingers cold,
Returns to dress their hallowed mold.
She then shall de X a sweeter cod
Than Fancy's feet have ever trod.