The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1891-06-25

There have been many Presidents
of the United States and the roll will
be indefinitely extended. We have
had a number of brilliant soldiers, but
only one great general. The honors
of civil life could add nothing to the
fame OF General Grant, and it has
been often argued that his career in
the Presid.acy detracted from his rep
utation. Such will not be the judgment
of the impartial historian. He was
without experience or training for
public life, and unfamiliar with pol.ti-
clans and their methods. The spoils
system from which he could not
escape, nearly wrecked his first ad-
ministration. His mistakes were due
to quality which is the noblest OF
human virtues, loyalty to friends. Even
at this short distance from scenes SO
vivid in our memories party rancor
has lost its bitterness and blindness.
The President will be judged not by
the politics or policy of the hour, but
according to the permanent value of
the republic, of the measures which he
promoted or defeated. The fifteenth
amendment to the constitution was
sure of adoption as one of the logical
results Of the war. By it the Declara-
ton of Independence, which had been
a glittering absurdity for generations,
became part of the fundamental law
of the land, and the subject of pride,
and not apology to the American
people. The Presidents earnest ad-
vocacy fastened its ratification. On
great questions affecting honor and
credit of the nation he was always
sound and emphatic. A people rapidly
developing their material resources are
subject to frequent financial conditions
which cause stringency of money and
commercial disaster. TO secure quick
fortunes debts are recklessly incurred,
and debt becomes ae author of a cur
rency craze. President Grant set the
wholesome fashion of resisting and
reasoning with this frenzy. Against
the advice of his Cabinet and many
of his party admirers he vetoed the In
fation bill. He had never studied
financial problems, and yet the same
clear and intuitive grasp of critical sit
uations which saved the country from
bankruptcy by defeating fiat money,
restored public and individual credit
by the resumption of specie payments.
The funding of our war debt at a
lower rate of interest made possible
the magical payment Of the principal.
The admission of the last of the rebel
States into the Union, and universal
amnesty for political offenses quick
ened the latent loyalty of the South
and turned its unfettered and fiery
energies to that development of its un-
equalled natural wealth which has
added incalculably to the prosperity
and power of the Commonwealth.
These wise measures will ever form a
brilliant page in American history,
but the administration Of Gen. Grant
will have place in the annals of the
world for inaugurating and success
fully carrying out the policy of the
submission of international disputes to
arbitration. The Geneva Conference,
and the judicial settlement of the Ala
bama claims, will grow in importance
and grandeur with time. AS the ma
tions of the earth disband their arma-
ments and are governed by the laws of
reason and humility, they will recur
to this benefcent settlement between
the United States and Great Britain,
and General Grants memorable words
upon receiving the freedom of the city
of London "Although soldier by
education and profession, 1 have never
felt any sort of fondness for war, and
I have never advocated it, except as
means of peace"-and they will hail
him as one of the benefactors of man
kind.
We are not yet far enough from the
passions of the civil STRIFE to do full
justice to the genius of the General
who commanded the rebel army.
England's greatest living general, Lord
Wolseley, who served with him, assigns
him foremost place among the COM
manders of modern times. He pos
sessed beyond most leaders the loyal
and enthusiastic devotion his people,
and he was the idol of his army. In
the results and awarding
the credit of the last campaign Of the
war, we must remember that General
Lee had defeated or baff1ed every op-
ponent for three years, and that after
a contest unparalleled in desperate
valor, frightful carnage and matcless
strategy he surrendered his sword to
Grant