New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-01
TWO GREAT ACTS IN CHANTS LFH.
AZ GENERAL, AND AS PRESIDENT THE SAME
PRINCIPLES GUIDED HIS CAREER-hiS
OPINIONS ON THE CURRENCY

PRINCIPLES GUIDED HIS CAREbR-hi9
OPINIONS ON THE CURRENCY.
To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir. OF the two acts which may be cohsiuereu
greatest in the life of Grant the first was that OF
the great general which. the world KNOWS cc'-
NINA tod at Appomattox; the second was that OF the
great President and the honest man. when reached
its climax In the first act OF Congress whic' '"'
his executive approval. Because no oirect ieie.
ence is mado TO this act in General Porter au-
mirable address. nor In all that others nave re-
Gently written OF his chief, and because the Iac'S
arc vivid in nv memory will briefly recall them.
President Lincoln Secretary Chase ana all VINO
were connected with the Treasury issues OF tne
war understood that our securities were pay
in coin There was. then. no difference IN tie
relative values OF gold and silver ana pond cou'
only be- paid In silver, which. without loss, was
convertible into gold II It had been suggested that
our bonds might by any possibility be PAID IN de-
preciated paper. currency the mere sussesuo"
would have been fatal to their sale
A soon as the war was over those who had said
that II must be failure, together with every one
that was in distress and every one that was IN
doht and every one that was disseminated. gath
cred themselves into a party and declared that the
universal panacea an unlimited issue OF regal
tender notes which would cost only the paper anu
printing They said that those VINO. IN the stress
of war had purchased our bonds were makinf
too much money and proposed TO reduce their
nro6ts nv having them in a deprecated currency.
4 more dishonest proposition was never made, but
IN. converts TO II were numerous enough to secure
tho control OF some of the States and TO become
a menace to the good fame Of the Republic
In 1868 the convention which nominated General
Grant for the Presidency In its platform declared
uneouvocally that securities should be palH
in coin At the ratio then in use there was the
same value in gold and silver and this was equiVa
lent to a declaration that our bonds should De paih
in gold The nomination upon this platform was
accepted by General Grant without reservation. and
he was elected. During the campaign. and In his
inaugural address he declared that he was opposed
n all forms of reputation and IN favor OF sus-
tanning the good faith of the Nation in its full in
tegrty.
The increasing numbers OF the Greenback party
and It's abuse OF General Grant deprecated the
market value OF securities and alarmed theiE
holders to such an extent that 1t was determined
TO obtain from Congress declaration on the SUD
ject. General Grant approved OF such drcl T TI
result that an act was prepared anu IntIo-
duced on the rs day OF me @ da 90 ga ts
inauguration. in the House OF Representatives, by
opposition OF the Greenbackers, but the country
was becoming FESTIVE. and Congress acted win
fourteen days after the session commenced. II re-
ceived the approval of the President 1t may be
found the first page OF the slXteehtn v9iute OF
the United States statutes at large and II was
the first Act OF Congress to receive the signature
This act put an end to open assault upon the
public credit ana gave 10 our nrd as b nsh "a
any other nation on the globe In the twenty,
ability have stood unquestioned. The was the
doom OF the Greenbackers Their party had an
without the hope of resurrection. 1t salts
factory nee OF he an man whose aaa
signature made It the law OF the land Few acts
of ST OUR
ton Surely this act deserves mention when we
are counting up the debt due from the Nation to
he
It's title was An Ast to strensthen the Public
doubt OF the purpose OF the Government to dis
charge all just obligations to the public creditors
il Is hereby provided and declared that the
faith OF the United States is solemnly pledged to
the payment in coin Of all the Civilizations Of the
states notes and OF al the Understanding obiiga-
ton has expressly provided that the may
S para 81 The c pr he 1nn
OF our bonds before maturity. unless at the time
the option OF the holder and concluded as follows
And the United States also soiemnly pledges It's
period for the redemption Of the United States notes
In coin"
act The Of P:1Es an nS va y}
Grant which PUdSd for the M have Of
hi: sd0 %b ali tho se s
in e eye Gs F pubic act act Of his life
III you must have fight. do not, wait for your
movement gives to the onset the lesson his
civil as of his military life This rule. applied with
his marvellous wil-power, would have made him sue
worthless TO an inactive life, cannot refrain from
skeching what 1t did for the Nation In the battle |
of Pittsburg Landing ,
II was the night of the second day Of the battle.
numbers and discipline. The rams had made the |
clayey soil almost mpa sable, and they continued
without cessation. Just before the battle his horse
had fallen upon and crushed his ankle. and s pain
was constant and severe that he could only hob
bic about on crutches. He had los, 1000 men-whole
regiments with their officers had fed at the frst
whistle OF a bullet. He had as many straeelers |
covering in the woods there were men standing !
in his line of battle. The enemy held his camps, |
was consuming his supplies and making ready for |
ened lines with Sherman's division his centre. |
The division had never been in battle, hut. he |
wrote afterward. that deficiency was made up by |
the s,Iperoriv OF the commander. Then, saturated
every room was filed with the wounded and the dy- |
ing and there room for him he returned TO |
his vigil in the rain and under tho tree!
What great soldier who lived before that day |
would have thought OF attacking his enemy? Who /
hui Grant would not have been content with main !
tainlng his position? What he did ne wrote with |
ono hand. the porch at Mount McC,regor. while |
ne stayed with the other the approach or death:
These were his written words: so confident was | |
that the next day would bring victory. II We could |
take the Initiative that visited each division com
mander in person before any reinforcement had |
reached the field. directed them to throw out |
heavy lines OF skrmishers IN the morning as soon
ms they could see and push them forward until they
sIons within supporting distance. and
found 10 engage the enemy"
The next day brought the victory and filled all
IovaI hearts with 10Y II raised Grant to the level
would object 20 any tribute Of his countrymcn or
i,v a