The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1886-12-02


birth. or fortune, with only native ability
ard character to back him, could become
one OF the potentates of the earth. HI
was the Incarnation of Republicanism. He
was democracy itself III the house Of Arts
tocraey
Besides this, many of the working peo-
| pie had sympathiZed with the Union in its
/ struggle for existence. They knew that
the high society was almost universally on
/ The side of the South, not because it loved
/ the South any better than it did the n orth,
1 nor in fact as well. but it wanted the Re
public destroyed because the Republic was
a reproach to aristocracy; for the same
reason the workingmen wanted the Repub-
lie saved They knew that Grant had led
the Union armies. and they greeted him
as the champion of the cause in which
they too were interested. All this is not
the partial fancy Of a friend, nor the rhap-
sody of a republican it was said again and
again in my hearing. in public speech and
private conversation, and repeated in
scores OF the provincial newspapers.
| General Grant was met when he touched
English soil by the Mayor Of Liverpool
Now a mayor in England is not an artistic
| crat J; be is a tradesman, usually success
full one, but still not of the upper class.
The prosperous part of tie population of
Liverpool Is not aristecratic it is con-
nected with trade. But the ovation Gen.
Grant at once received there was prodig
ious. He was taken to the custom house,
and 10000 respectable citizens crowded
into the hall TO give him the first promise
of what was to follow all over the land.
The next day the scene was repeated; and
SO it went on. At Manchester he was the
guest Of the city, lodged in the town hail.
which had never been occupied by State
gu SITS before. Banquets and professions
were made for him, orations delivered he
was taken to the places of public interest
always by people OF the great middle
class. Not q lord appeared until he
reached London. When he entered the
atre the orchestra played Hail Column
bia, " and the actors stopped the perform
apce while the audience rose as they would
for a sovereign.
He had the same sort of reception in
every one of the great towns of England.
| In each place lie was the guest of the
civic authorities. who in every one of the
great cities are men of the middle class.
| In this way he saw mole of that great
| class which constitutes SO much Of the
strength and owns so much of the wealth
and makes so much the of greatness of
England fer lawyers. merchants. manu-
facturers. editors, artists, literary men
all that we are in the habit of regarding
as constituting the best elements of Sc
I ciety-in England belong to the middle
class. The cities are filled with mercan
tile or manufacturing population. and the
aristocracy never I've in any city except
! London. If a person resides in q city in
England you may know that he is not an
arist0crat.
But it WAS not only the leaders of the
| middle class. the wealthy merchants and
great manufacturers, the liberal writers
and thinkers, who delighted to do General
Grant honor it was those who in that
country are lower down still in the social
scale-the working class. At places like
Sheffield and Sunderland and Birmingham
and Manchester and Newcastle the popu-
lar demonstration equalled any in Amer
lea Immediately after the war. Towns
| were illuminated because of his presence
triumphal arches were erected in his
honor; holidays were proclaimed when he
arrived hundreds of thousands turned out
to meet him the banks o. the Tyne were
covered with working people for twenty
miles. The horses were taken from bis
carriage more than once, and the crowds
gathered around to shake his hand just as
/ if be had led their armies or fought fol-
their cause. They felt indeed that the
cause was the same that he was Il leader
in the same battle in which they have stll
their fight to make. Then. too. here was
a ruler of q great people, ana they coult
shake his hand Here was a President
who was not inaccessible. 1t was Democ
rdcy in the flesh. No wonder the pool
who had lived under lords and sovereig ns
for centuries felt that whereas they haf
been blind now they saw.
While General Grant stayed at my house
I remember two visits that were paid hin
peculiar in character. One was from IL,
Comte de Paris, who wrote to me in ad
vance to know when it would be agreeable
Gen. Grant to receive him. The ser.
vices of the Orleans Prince in our armie:
were of course known to General Grant
but the two had never met IN America,
Grant star had not risen very high whel
the Gomte de Paris was on Mcclellan
/ staff, and when Gen. Grant was brough
East to command the armies the descend
ant of st. Louis had returned to Europe
OF course the visit was a compliment an,
General Grant WAS gratified. He con
versed pleasantly with the Prince and pei
forms d the proper etiquettes.
But afterward on the same day he re
ceived dtputation of English working
men, and. though he had all respect fo
the gallant gentleman who had offered hi
sword in or behalf and perhaps share c
personal pity for discrowned Prince. III
liyelier interest was excited by the Blitis
mechanics 4 IL tis;sns who eaale u offe
theirks' elegant w,'cama There wet
: forty of them, each rett. emit . Il differ
ent trade, and they rrtssin. 4 i f,si iti 4,
dress assuring him Of ts.eit deep regard Il
the welfare and progress of Americ
where British workmen had always foun
a welcome Grant S reply showed that b
republican sentiments had not been di
turbed by the aristocratic grandeur an
ceremony that had surrounded him
London.