Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1891-01-22

and probably my sons. too. have lost
everything.
II had heard nothing Of the financial
crash which had occurred during the
day. I said. General, do yssu suspect
Ward?' He replied, You know I ex-
pected him at my house to night. IF
he had come to the Office any time to-
day and assured me that all was right,
I would have believed him, and gone
home contented. But I waited IN
til nearly 3 o'clock, and he
did not appear. don't know
what to think He was not even then
willing to accuse the knave in whom
he had confded, and prior to that
time, Notwithstanding warnings which
would have aroused dishonest man,
had no suspicion that Yillainy had been
praeticed. After he became aware of
the truth three or four days passed be-
fore the enormity of the disaster made
its full impression upon him, but he
never recovered from the shock of the
deception and wrong done him by the
Yilest creature that has ever disgraced
our age"
The Fitz-John Porter case serves to
exhibit one of Grants best traits-de-
votion to his own deliberate sense of
duty, despite the temptations of in
terest, ease and expediency. %Consis-
tency is jewel" but so is truth, and to
Grant the latter was more precious
than the former. Porter's claim that
he had been wronged by the court mar
tial which convicted him in 1868, and
that new evidence to prove it would be
presented if a hearing could be
granted, was not listened to until 1881,
though since 1867 he had been clamor-
ing for rehearing of the case. Grant,
as General of the Army and as Pres
ident of the United States, had ac-
cepted the verdict of the court-martial
and condemned Porter.
But In September, 1881, Grant, then
a private citizen, agreed to study the
case, including the record of the court
martial, and state his conclusions.
The investigation, which extended over
about three months, convinced him
that great wrong had been done, and
he became deeply distressed that he
had not mastered the subject while in
power. Then, regardless of the total
" inconsistent attitude in which his
change of mind placed him, and the
antagonism it created, he exerted all
of his ability and influence to procure
for Porter the justice he thought due
him. GAS long as I have a voice it
shall be raised in your support. with
out any reference to its effect upon me
or others" he wrote to Porter, and
ever after he labored faithfully to re-
deem his pledge.
When, financially wrecked and in
/ Ill F. 1.
ment of Grant as General Of the Army
had passed the Senate and was before
the House, the Fitz-John Porter bill
had been vetoed. AID again he wrote,
On July 4: "You can scarcely con
ceive the pain It caused me to
read the veto of your bill by
the President yesterday. I was moi
prepared for it. This message is the
merest sophistry. It is, no doubt, 6
great disappointment to you and youl
family, but I believe it will result
ultimately in doing you full justice
You were dismissed unjustly, and yoU
are entitled to restoration. Be of GOOD
cheer and pray that justice may b.
done you and yours"
Chance is undoubtedly an important
factor in the race for glory, and per
haps it favored Grant in the war o
the rebellion. Gen. Sherman goes 81
far as to nave said since Grant
! death that ~had Q. F. Smith lived
Grant would have disappeared to his
! tory after Donelson p but that is con
lecture. Grant was one of the "singu
lar few" who possessed qualities whiol
probably would have gained for him
high place in history, no matter VIII
had lived to compete with him in on
great war.