Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1891-06-11

sibilities were thrust upon him, and the fat9
of his country rested upon his shoulders,
this Indifferent farmer, business man. mer-
chant, became the foremost figure of the
century. The reserve powers of n dominant
intellect, which ordinary affairs could not
move, came into action. mighty mind
which God had kept for the hours of su-
preme danger to the republic, grasped the
scattered elements of strength. solidified
them into resfstless force and organized
victory. He OWNED the purposes of the
enemy as well as he knew his own plans.
His brain became clearer, his strategy more
perfect and his confidence in himself more
serene as his power increased. He could
lead the assault at Donelson or his fOrlorn
hope at Shiloh, or maneuver his forces with
exquisite skill and rare originality of re-
sources at Nicksburg, as the best of brigade
or corps commanders, or before Richmond
calmly conduct a campaign covering con
tinent and III any armies with consummate
generalship. At the critical hour during the
battle of Sedan when the German emperor
and Bismarck were anXOusly waiting the
result and watching their silent general, an
officer rode up and announced that two
corps of the German army, marching from
opposite directions. had met at n certain hour.
The movement closed in the French and
ended the war. Won MOltke simply said:
''The calculation was correct" Grant had
not the scientific training and wonderful
staff of the Prussian field marshal, but he
possessed i'll the highest degree the same
clear vision and accurate reasoning. The
calculation was always correct and the VIC
tory sure.
While statesmen of all parties were tenn
porizing and compromising with the slave
power, this silent thinker, in the rear ranks
| of the people, pierced with undimmed eyes
the veil which had clOuded the vision of the
nation for hundred years. His calm judy
ment cOmprehended the forces in the con
| flict and that their collision would break
and puIverZe the shackles of the slave.
When taking observations. while standing
with his staff hill within short range of
Fort Donelson, he said: Don't be afraid,
gentlemen; Pillow, who commands there,
never fired at anything" His assault would
have been rashness, except that he knew
Pillow and Floyd, and they both ran away
| and left the besieged to their fate. At Sh-
lob, when all his assistants had failed or de-
| SPARED, he turned the worst of disasters
into one of the most sign iticant of triumphs.
His plans did not contemplate defeat. The
movement he always made was advance
The order he always gave was -"Forward"'
When Buell told him that the transp ports at
| Pittsburgh Landing would not carry away
| one third of his force, Grant said: "If that
becomes necessary they will hold all there
are left His Nicksburg campaign was
| against all the teachings of the military
schools and the unanimous opinions of his
| council Of war. \ veteran strategist cried
! in indignant remOnstrance: you will cut
| loose from your base of supplies, and that is
| contrary to all the rules" Grant answered:
sUnless we capture Vicksburg the north will
cut off supplies" and the sorely be-
reaved and disheartencd people were trans
ported with joy and hope by the Fourth of
| July message: '.Vicksburg has surren-
dered." The western armies never knew
| their resstless power until they felt the
hand of their master. No better or Drawer
body of soldiers ever marched or fought
| than the army of the Potomac. 1t lost baA-
| ties through bad generaiship, and generals
by camp jeaousies and capito! intrigues.
| Thousands of its heroes tell i'll fruitless
| fights, but it never wavered in it's superb
| confidence and courage. At last it found Il
| leader worthy of itself. and after scores of
| bloody victories ended the rebellion under
| Grant
| The most signal services rendered by
| Grant to his country were al AppOmatOx
| and in his contest with President Johnson.
The passions aroused by the civil war were
| most infiamed when the confederacy col
| lapsed. Grief and vengeance are bad coun-
| sellers. One serene intellect was possessed
| of an intuition which was second to prOph-
| ecy, and clothed with power. He saw
| through the vindctive suggestions of the
| hour that the seeded states must he ad-
| mitted to the Union, and their people vested
| with all the rights of American citizenship
| and all the privileges of state government,
| or the war had been fought in vain. He
| sternly represSed the expressions of JOY by
| his troops as the vanquished enemy marched
| by, with his famous order: THE war IS over,
| the rebels are our cOuntrymen again, and
| the best sign of rejoicing after the victory
| will be to abstain from all demonstrations
| in the field" He gave to the confederates
| their horses and belongings and told them
| to go home, cultivate their farms and re
| pair the ravages of war. He assured all,
| from Lee to the private soldier, that they
| would be safe and unmolested so long as
| they observed their paroles.
| know of no scene in our history dra
lN.txr- ..nlr III
| Grant at the White house three days after
| the surrender at AppOmattOX The presl-
| dent who had so Loyalty sustained the gen
| eral, and the general who had so magnih =
| Gently responded to the confidence of the
president, met for the last time in their
| lives Grant returned with emotion the fra
| ternal grasp of the only man in the country
| who fully un derstOod and was in complete
| accord with the policy of reconciliation ana
| repose. The work of the warrior was done,
| and the labor of the statesman begun. Yes
| terday it was destruction, to morrow it
| must be reconstruction. That night the bull
| let of an assassin ended the life of our great
| est president since Washington, and post
| poned the settlement of sectional difficulties
| and the cementing of the union for many
| years. 1t gave the country the unfortunate
| administration of Andrew johnson, with its
| early frenzy for revenge and determination
| to summarily try and execute all the rebel
| leaders, and it's later effort to win their favor
l by giving them their states without pledges
| for the unionist or the freedman, and the
government without evidence of repentance
or hostage for loyalty. The one sent con
| sternation through the south and helped
| undo the work at Appomattox, and the other
| unduly elated controlling powers in the
| rebel states. and necessitated measures
| which produced deplorable results. Grant
| stood with his honor and his fame between
| the raging executive and confederate gener-
| ais and prevented a reopening of the war
he stood with drawn sword between the
| chi eff magistrate and revolutionary con
| gress and STAYED another rebellion.
| There have been many presidents Of the
| United States, and the roll will be indeh
| nitely extended. We have had number OF
| brilliant soldiers, but only one great gen
| eraI, The honOrs of civil life could add
| nothing to the fame of Gen. Grant, and il
has been often argued that his career in the
| presidency detracted from his reputation
Such will not be the Judgment of the i'm
| partial historian He was without expert
| ence and training for public life and un
familiar with politicians and their methods
| The spoils system, from which he could no
| escape nearly wrecked his first admlnlstra
| ton. His mistakes were due to a quailtI
| which is the noblest of human virtues, loyalt!
| to friends Even at this short distance from
| scenes so vivid in our memories party ran
| cor has lost its bitterness and blindness. Thu
| president will be judged not by the politics
= | or policy of the hour, but according to tho
| permanent value to the republic OF the
measures which he promoted or defeated
The fifteenth amendment to the constitution
was sure of adoption as one of the iogica
results of the war. BY it the Declaration o.
, | Independence, which had been a glitterins
| absurdity for generations, became part o.
the fundamental law OF the land, and the