The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1897-04-27

ness and nersplcuit which make 1t model
| of vigorous Esigiish.
During his Administration, so momentous
| in events, the two oceans were united by
| our great transeontinental railways taxes
were reduced over $500, O0O, 900, the ma
| tional debt was reduced over $3.50. 0OO,-
| 900, the interest on the debt from $780,
| 000,00 to $1U0, zoe 900, a nd the balance
| OF trade was changed from $3.50 600, 900
against the country to $3.50, goo, 900 In
| its favor. At the close of his eight years
! OF honest, earnest patriotic labor he left
no unfinished work To turn over to his sue
| cesSor There was peace with our Dor
| ders, peace with all the world, prosperity
| among the people, and the name ofAmerica
stood higher than it had ever stood be-
fore on the honor roll OF nations
He was a many-sided man, and posses
sed Of so many conspicuous and some
times contradictory characteristics that
even to those who served with him most
intimately in camp and Cabinet he still
remains something of an enigma To form
a Just estimate Of the man we must not
only look at the results he accomplished or
the words he wrote, but must study those
personal traits which often best expIain
his Ciiiel Ale SdileuI pOIDOS III
bis character were absolute truthfuIness.
becoming modesty, superb courage, moral
and physical, inexhaustible patience, I'M
bounded generosity To friends, magma
nimity to foes, answering loyalty, and
matchless foresight. He was slow ~
choosing and changing friends He never
deserted ii friend under fire, but when
unfaithful friends had once forfeited his
confidence they never regained 1t. He
hated only two classes Of men-liars and
towards. He never could abide them.
and never could see any excuse for their
existence He trod the rugged paths Of
frontier life, and passed through all the
rough and tumble Of the canyaiEns Of
two wars, was more severely tried than
job himself and yet never in his life
uttered an oath or imprecation. He was
{. chosen son Of liberty. but lie believed in
liberty secured by law. and that a peoples
prosperity depends on public tranquility
one of his most conspicuous Attributes
was his foresight. His mental power in
this respect has scarcely q lardlItl ara
10 this gift he largely owed his matchIess
success. He never wasted time in dwell
ing upon the events Of the past but closed
them out from his thoughts and CCnCen-
tratei his mind upon plans for the future
His farSlghtednesS manifested itself liz all
his preparations, both in his military ana
civil career, and his predictions Of events
at times amounted almost to prophecies
At the breaking out Of hcstilities, while
many eminent and experienced public men
were declaring that the war would last
but few months. and orators were waving
ma
that they were large enough To wipe up
all the blood which would be she'd u the
coming struggle. Grant announced his be
lief that the war would continue for years.
and that preparations should be made
commensurate with its formidable proper
tons He wrote a letter from the field
to the Hon. f. Il. Washburne, in which he
said: 1t became patent 10 ms mind early
in the rebellion that the North and South
could never live at peace with each other
except as one nation, and that without
slavery. : anxious as am To see peace
established. | would rot therefore be r.;ll-
ing to see any settlement until this aues-
ton is forever settled Before any bat
ties had been fought he said To a staff Of
ficer: Il believe that Virginia will be the
principal field OF military operations in
this rebellion. that the cavalry will play
an important part in that section OF the
country, and mat the decisive battle in
the war will occur there This predic-
ton was verified in every particular
When it was represented that Kentucky
would remain neutral, Grant decl AIRED that
no State could remain neutral in a national
war Of such magnitude, and that it would
be taken possession Of by the troops of
one side or the other, and he, without
awaiting orders, promptly threw his com
nand into Kentucky 70 gain the vantage
ground ana hold that important territory
In his proclamation issued at the time he
spoke with the true bluutress Of the sol
der, saving. Il have nothing to dO with
opinions and shall deal with only armed
rebellion and its aders and abettoTs
When the enemy came out OF Fort Doneison, |
and attacked him, no one could divine |
the object of the movement. He promptly |
ordered the havcTsaCks OF the dead 70 lie |
examined, and. finding they were well |
filled, said: Men defending Il fort don't |
carry three days rationS when making |
a charge, unless they are trying to get |
away and after driving them back, sent |
in word, Il propose TO move Immediately |
upon your works." As early as the cap |
-ure of Vickshurg he expressed eutire |
confidence in the belief that it was not |
a military necessity to deal harshly with |
The enemy, and that all possible leniency |
should be shown 10 the Southern people,
as they would soon again become our feI-
Iow-countrynen He therefore treated
The prisoners with every consideration,
paroled the officers and men, and issued
his characteristic order: The garrison
will march out tomorrow. Instruct your
commands to be quiet and orderly as the
prisoners pass by, and to make no offensive
lie early foresaw that 10 overcome the
'ehelliOn it was not only necessary 70 |
large armies in the field, but
to have q vigorous support of the war
II the Northern States. Over a million of
oval voters were absent at the front, and
thus deprived or the right of suffrage ana
prevented from offsetting by their votes
The votes OF the dislOyal element in the
North, and he wrote q remarkable letter
TO the Secretary of War, setting forth a
plan in great detail, providing a method
v hiCh would enable the soldiers to vote
n the field The plan, accompanied as it
vas by such checks and safeguards that |
he votes would be entirely free and IN
50 strongly commended itself
10 the authorities that it was carried out,
md proved complete success. At Ap- |
it was nice question of judg
nent as to what terms to accord to the
opposing army Civil warfare is always
lie most bitter. The worst feelings had
Deen engendered; the war had claimed as
| sacrifice the best blood of the country;