The National tribune., 1891-09-24
GEN. GRANT.
A COmrade Defends the Military and Private Life
OF the Great Commlnder.

COmrado Defends the Military and Private Life
OF the Great Commander.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRrBCNE: There arc
very many persons who arc ready to believe
every word they see in print provided the
article is signed NJ. d., or IL. d.. or General
IL is often very pulling to tell just why this
is 80. Upon the whole, we suppose it grows
ont Of the sincerity and honesty Of the pub
Tic mind expecting writers % be quite as
honest as they are. Again. there are others
who conclude that a private soldier is not
capable Of a clear and sound military Judgment,
or that an ordinary civilian cannot possibly
set forth 2 matter creditaby in the region Of
medicine law or theology In short an ap-
pended or prefxcd title seems TO give force to
the statements Of the writer. But wisdom 8
always justified Of her children, and now please
allow humble private 70 speak Of our de-
ceased patriot and soldier, Gen. U. s. Grant.
At first thought one may conclude that it can
not be necessary at this day to speak in defense
Of the character Of this military hero. But the
writer OF this article has travelled much in our
own country, where one would suppose that
every detail in his life had received an honest
estimate, and that whether good or bad, his
reputation is beyond reach Of friend or foe.
But this is not the case. We find many per-
sons who look upon this great man as having
been a cruel, ambitious exacting man, with no
just grounds for credit as an honest patriot and
a military genius. They look upon him as
being merely lucky man." and not as being
in reality great man. His enemies have much
desired that Just such an impression should
prevail. With this view they have spoken and
written until some have believed that such and
such things were really true.
Now it is very clear that reputation and
character are not in every case interchangeable
terms. Reputation is what people think Of US,
while character is what we really are. And
our character, if established upon truths, is
not at all destroyed by the calumniator let
him be ever so viscious. But by these various
misrepresentation a mans reputation may
suffer for time, and they and their posterity
be thus defrauded out Of their Just dues
Every man during his lifetime, and his pos
terity after him, is entitled to credit for the
full merit of his life work. So, we think that
every word, spoken or written, that tends to
destroy Gen. Grants reputation for honesty,
simplicity, patriotism, humanity, and high
quality OF military genius, are just so many
attempts to rob him and his posterity Of their
just and honest dues.
We cannot claim space in your columns to
enter into detailed arguments to prove these
statements All We ask is this, that every
honest inquirer after the truth may first search
reliable historical data before allowing him
self to come 10 q final Judgment. Do not
permit yourself TO DO influenced by the state
ment5 Of Gen. SO-and-sO, or of him who
chooses to sign Ii. ID. or PHI. ID. as an appendix
10 his name. Go 10 history for honest facts,
and then be honest in making up your judg-
meut; and then, and not till then, will repu-
tatiOn and character be Synonymous. A few
days ago we met one Of these so called critics.
We were discussing Gen. Grants military
record. / requested him to point out TO me
oh 81 asNa n H.
that " Gen. Grant was only soldier Of brute
force, and had no claim to military genius"
And, finally, he was driven to the stocks, with
but one single reasonable plea to rely upon
that was allowing himself to be surprised at
PittsbErg Landing. But even in this matter
there are several mitigating circumstances.
But let us, for the sake Of argument, admit
that this act was not meritoriOus. Is il such
a fact that would warrant US in rObbing him
and his posterity of their just and honest dues
for what he did do? No. indeed. Such httle-
ness exceeds the contemplate practice of a spite
full woman. 10 is true that be made some fail
ures as a statesman, but no living soul can
prove fact indicating anything dishonest or
tricky.
And now, dear comrades, ID is our duty who
have been permitted to outlive our great friend,
beuefaetor and example to uphold his reputa-
tion and see that itissyuonymous with his real
character. To discharge this solemn duty let
US each 90 to a reliable history and ascertain
what are the real facts concerning his life; let
US hold them up TO view and rely upon them
TO contradict the concocted balderdash of his
inveterate enemies. Never allow one Of them
TO rest until he has pointed out and proven the
facts that warrant his statement. In our own
Judgment the history Of the entire world does
not present greater military genius We have
studied his every military act, and can now
only cite two significant blunders that he made
judging from military standpoint. I. His
defenseless position at Pittsburg Landing. g
His attack upon Lee at Cold HarbOr. But
many Of these same critics are pleased to hold
up the military genius of Gen. Lee, thinking
thereby to depreciate that Of Gen. Grant But
whoever made greater blunders than Lee made
in attacking Gen. Mcclellan at Malvern Hill2
and, again, in ordering the charge made by
Pickett upon Gen. Meade at Gettysburg on the
81 day of July? Both of these were peculiarly
Gen. Lees blundeFs too for his corps COM
manders opposed both battles. / do not wish
to say one word against Gen. Lees genius, but
/ cite these facts merely to show how very in-
consistent Gen. Grants enemy's can be when
they attempt to throw a cloud over his military
record. Let Us give TO every one his just and
full dues, but let 10 be based upon faets.-
J. E. W., MOntezuma, Ind.