The times., 1897-04-28
THE MORNING TIMES WEDNESDAY. APRIL as. 1897.

conqueror When President johnson, soon
after the war, inaugurated his campaign
for making treason odious, and when indict-
ments were brought in the Federal courts
against Lee and other ex-CoDfedcrate
officers, Grant foresaw that IL such a
course were pursued 1t would be interpreted
as a gross breach of faith and a violation
of the terms given in the paroles; that it
would lead to exciting trials, which would
last for years; be q constant source Of
irritation, and probably compel the Coy
eminent to hold the Southern States for
q long time as conquered territories, while
he believed that every effort should be
made to bIing them back into the Federal
Union. His judgment was So clear upon
this subject that he declared his inteation
TO resign his commission in the Army If
his prisoners were not protected The
result was the quashing Of the indictments
and the creation of a disposition on the part
ofthe South to accept the result IS OF the var.
AS President lie showed in his first in
augusal that he foresaw the financial
errers which were likely some day to be
advocated when be wrote: ITO protect
the national honor, every dollar OF Govern
ment Indebtedness should be paid in gold,
unless otherwise expressly stipulated IN
the contract Lett he understood
that no repudiator of one farthng of our
public debt will be trusted in public life"
Twenty years ago he said: ''At some fu-
tare dag the nations of the earth will agree
upon come sort of Congress which shall
take cognizsnce OF international questions
of difficulty, and whose decisions viii he
as binding as the decision of the Supreme
x.i..,f p fhean
seems to he gradually tending toward a
fulfiElnlent of that prediction
Early In his first Presidential term he
took vigorous measures TO have competent
SURVEYS made for an interoceanic canal,
beheving thnt it was essential in eoHBect-
ing our extensive Atlantic and Pacific
coasts by Shorter water route. His fore
sight told him that it was impossible to de-
fend such a canal in Case Of war unless
we had a coininedieus naval station in the
Gulf OF Mexico. He realized the fact that
ether nations held possession of fortified
islands from Bermuda To the West Indies,
he believed that We would some day build
q competent navy. and that we would be
greatly embarrassed by not having even
Ii cGaling station ON any of the islands in
the Gulf. He therefore negotiated treaty
for securing possession of San Domingo,
with its magnificent Bay of Samana, which
would afford hsrbor for the largest navy
afleat. The treaty gave US, virtually with
cut cost en- island occupying a command
ing position, rich in many products neces-
sary 10 this country, and with so sparse
a population that there Were only seven
Inhabitants to the square mile. The Senate
defeated the treaty by depTiving it of the
necessary two-thirds vote upon the question
OF its ratification. Now. twenty-seven years
thereafter, when we have an iTonclad navy
and have begun an interoceanic canal, and
have recently been threatened with
grave complications in Cuba, Venezuela.
and elsewhere, there are few patriotic
American citizens who do not IEgret that
at that important crisis the Presidents S
policy did not prevail.
n defining the qualities of public men
1T has been said that the politician looks
forward to his next election; the statesman
looks forward to the next generation.
Measured by this definition. Grant mani
Tested the highest order of craftsmanship.
He was naturally OF a hopeful disposi-
tion and cheerful mind, and entered heart
lily into social gayeties, but there We're
DeFtDQS IN Ills llIG NutH HIS
were attnned to strains of sadness. He
underwent physical hardships and mental
tortures which would have crushed a
Character less heroic. Like other con-
spicuous leaders, it was his fate to suffer
the bitter experience OF Getraction, mis-
representation and betrayal. 1t may be
said OF him as was said Of a predecessor,
There were times when twenty men APP
piled for the same office, and after he
had reached a selection he found that he
had made nineteen enemies and one In
CRATE" He was assailed more bitterly
than any one who ever sat in the chair
OF state, save Washington. He was brought
to realize that .'Reproach is a conconi-
tant to greatness, as satire and invectiSe
were an essential part of Roman tri-
umph'' and to learn that in public life a il