The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-12-27
Sketch Of the Life and Political and
Military Services of the Dead Man.
How the Sad News Was Received in Indian
apolis-Tributes from Senator Harrison,
Gems. Knefer and Coburn, and Others.
GENERAL JOHN A. LOGAN.
The characteristics of the Departed Soldier
and Statesman-An Honorable Career.
Soldier

The Characteristics of the Departed Soldier
and Statesman-An Honorable Career.
The announcement of the death of General
John A. Logan will be a surprise and shock to
the country. His illness was brief, and not
nAtil Saturday was there reason to fear fatal
termination. His sdisease-infammatory rheum.
atism--was doubtless the result, in part, of his
exposure during the war. and when complicated
with typhoid conditions was too much for con-
stitution that had stood so many strains His
death removes conspicuous figure in recent
American history. Few men of his age have
spent so many years in public life. or have been
more prominently identified with the history of
their times. Coming before the public in his ma
tive county in Illinois, before he had attained his
majority, and elected to Office when he was only
ousy from that time until his death engaged in
public affairs. Serving in two wars and the re-
cipient of many civil honors, he achieved equal
distinction as soldier and as statesman, dis
charging every duty and fulfilling every trust
with honor to himself and to the entire satisfac
ton of his immediate constituents and his
countrymen generally He was man of
marked force and strong points of character, his
public career was honorable and brilliant, and
his death, at an age when he might have looked
forward to many years of active life and useful
ness, is national calamity. To thousands of
old soldiers who served with or under him and
to other thousands who knew him personally,
and who loved his manly and generous qualities.
it will come with the added weight of personal
bereavement General Logan was a typical
American From his father. an Irishman he
inherited fiery and impetuous disposition
From his mother, Southern woman, he prob
ably inherited the strong Democratic proclivities
that shaped his earlier political life. Born in
rude and primitive community, where his
roundings partook of the rouganess Of the
period, the place and the people, he was not
the conventionalities of life. We do not mean
to say he grew up boor or an ignoramus, for
this was not at all the case But his early sur
roundings and education were not such as great
ly to temper or restrain his mpetuous charac-
ter, and this quality shaped his life He was
born soldier and fighter. He showed his metal
when scarcely more than boy, in the Mexican
war; and later, in the civil war, proved
himself one of the greatest per-
haps the greatest. of our volunteer gen.
erals. The war was the turning point
of his life. Up to that time he had been ram
pant Democrat. When his judgment and his
patriotism alike were outraged by the cause of
the Southern secessionists he went over, heart
and soul, to the other side. and, like the brave,
impetuous, patriotic man that he was, flung him
self into the war for the Union, declaring war
to tho knife and the knife to the hlt against its
enemies. From that hour he was Republican,
and from that time he began to grow upon the
country. first as great soldier, and then as a
sagacious statesman. This is no place to speak
of Logan's military civil career in detail.
The historian will do that, and it will form an
tive Americans Enough TO say here that in
military and civil life he filed the full
measure of a man. In the army he was regarded
pre-eminently as fighting general He had
something more than mere personal bravery and
military intelligence. He had the gift possessed
oy all great soldiers of inspiring his men with
his own personality and of filing them full of
fight. General Grant had great admiration for
Logan as a soldier. and the friendship begun be-
tween them during the war continued unbroken.
AS Representative in Congress and Sena tor
General Logan showed the same strong quail
ties. He was indeed partisan, but much more
besides. He was a servant of the whole people,
faithful guardian of the public welfare, wise
legislator and sagacious statesman. With.
out being an elegant. finished orator
he was ready debater and strong, convincing
speaker. AS an old soldier he was the recog-
nized representative in Congress of their inter
ests, and most faithfully did he acquit himself
in this regard. While he did not neglect other
dutieg he never forgot his duty to the soldiers.
During the last few years Senator Logan grew
very rapidly in public esteem, and especially
during the last presidential campaign, In which
he carried himself most admirably. His