The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-04-26
AN ESTIMATE OF GRANT.
schoaeId Speaks of the Dead Hero
Self-Reliant and Not Inau-
euced nv Eiaftcry.

NEW YORK. April zS-Lieat- Gen.
John II. Schcfe,d, u. $. A Crefirc1l. mas
accepted the invita- lion Of Mayer strong
on behalf OF the city Of New York 70 Do
one o. the guests a. the ceremonies at
teGdant upon the dedication Of the Grant
monument
In accepting the city's invitation Gen.
Schoaeld has written letter concerning
Gen. Grant As will Dc rsnen eerec, Gen.
Scacfesd was not under Grants IuiFne-
date command n the field. but WAS init
Hately associated with him both during
and AFTER the war. Al one time during
the closing months Of JohnSons admins
rrztion. he was secretary Of war. ana
therefore. for the time being. wac Grants
Official superior. Their relations were al
ways OF the most intimate and conffden-
tlal nature and Gen. ScAoaelds views OF
Grant should be most interesting al the
present time. In his letter the general
says IN part:
The greatest OF ali the traits OF Grants
character was that which lies always on
the surface, visible 10 all VINO mad eyes
20 see IL. That was his moral and snteilec-
tual honesty, integrity. sincerity, veEacity
and justice He was incapable Of any al
tempt 10 deceive anybody, except Tor To-
stimsle purposes. as IN military -, stra ~
$500 go <goss AZ ne Was sass tAo' she a.
rarest Of all human faculties, the power Of
q perfectly accurate estimate OF himself,
sai,.n lessed oy vanity. gr.ds: amoi u.rs
lar from being . modest man as thar
word Is generally understood. His just
seif-ssteeln was as far above IT as II was
When Grants attention was called TO
any mistake he had committed. he would
see ana Admit IL - quickly and unrsSerN-
e1iy as II II had been made by anyooay
elsa and with smile which expressed the
exact opposite OF that feeling which most
men are apt 10 show under Ike circun-
Sc rana NtsA
were 50 far above all personal considera-
tons that he showed anmiStakabie evil
ceacss OF qualification when any error
into which ne might have fallen was cor
rected. His pride in his own mature opin-
lon was great In that he was as far as
possible from being a modest man. This
absolute confidence in his own Judgment
upon any subject he had mastered. and
the moral courage 10 take upon himself
alone the highest respon sibility ana to de-
mand fun authority and freedom 20 act
according TO his own judgment without
interference from anybody, added to his
accurate estimate OF his own undivided
authority and responsibility an the con-
duct OF military operations and In all that
concerns the efficiency OF armies in time
OF war. constituted the foundation of that
very great character.
1T has been said that Grant, Hike Lam
coin, was typical American and for that
reason was most beloved and respected by
the people That is true OF the Statesman
and the soldier, az we'll as OF the people,
IL IL IL meant that highest type, that
ideal which commands the respect and
admira con OF the highest and best In
mans nature, however far above himself
Soldiers and the people saw in Grant, or
In Lincoln. not one OF themselves. not a
plain man of the people. nor yet a supe-
rior being whom they could not under
stand, but a psrsonification of their high
est ideal of q citizen, soldier or states
man, q man whose greatness they could
see and understand as plainly as they
could anything else under the sun. And
there was no more mystery about 1t than
there was in the popular mind