The record-union., 1898-02-18

full career in the greatest legislative
forum os the world
Mr.. Grant has manifested on no field
,of intellectual activity commanding
abilities OF any order.
He has deserved no recognition at the
hands of any political party as leader
to whom it owes either gratitude or
fealty.
He has not energized the national con-
science concerning any great principle of
civil liberty, or instructed or enlightened
the nation on any great question Of pub
lie policy.
He has delivered no speech at any
time or place which would stamp him
as an intellectual leader, philosopher,
politician or statesman
He has rendered no distinguished SER
vice to the Republican party and has
not contributed appreciably to it's sue
cess in the State or in the nation.
The questions We have propounded
being irrefutably answered in the mega
tive, 1t follows by the conclusion of in
exorable logic that U. S. Grant, Jr., di-
vested of his name and the patriotic as
ISOLATION with which it will be forever
connected, and Invested of the historic
lineage which belongs to him, would
possess no personal qualifications con-
stituting valid claim to the great Of
tee OF Senator or suggesting his name
and personality for that office.
The name of q. S Grant is associated
with the strongest patriotic sentiments
the human mind can know. From Bel
mont to Appomattox T.. S. Grant was
the one peerless military hero of the
great historic period of this nation. A
proud and happy nation acknowledges
with the deepest gratitude the service
he rendered his country as a military
captain. But the attributes of character
which distinguished him ended with
his military career. If the great quail
ties of General Ulysses S. Grant have
descended to his son. they are in the line
OF military genius and patriotic devo-
ton, for the administrations of Presi-
dent Grant We're conspicuous failures.
1t was infinitely greater to be Grant
than to be President, and the Presidency
added nothing, but detracted much from
the foundations upon which the fame of
the great General of the civil war rests.
The claim of q. s. Grant, Jr, to be
therefore has no broader foundation
than the mere fact that he is the son
of a distinguished General and patriot;
one to whom the nation owes a debt of
gratitude To acknowledge a claim of
this nature by the conferment of official
dignity is in the highest sense a con-
cession to the right of heredity.
This Government is founded upon in
dividual manhood. Under its institutions
the humblest pay aspire to the highest
honor within the gift of its people. This
is the highest and noblest conception of
civil liberty which has ever dawned up
on the human consciousness. 1t would
be debased and prostituted by any con-
.cession to hereditary right. 1t is the
glory Of America that it's most distin-
guished citizens enjoy equal distinction
with the brilliant men Of other nations
without borrowing from heredity a sin
gle lustrous ray.
OF these great men the most illustrious
examples relate to Abraham Lincoln
and Z. S. Grant. They were in a sense
their own ancestors. In their individual
qualifications they vindicated the insti
tutions of this country, because they
indicated the supreme value of indi-
vidual merit and the inherent right of
great qualities to occupy exalted sta
ton.
To elect any one to great high Office
simply because he bears an honored
name would be to dishonor U. S. Grant,
Abraham Lincoln, James A. Garfield
Thaddeus Stevens and hundred others
whose names add luster to the pages of
American history
Nor can it be said that the elevation
of his son to the office of United States
Senator simply as a reward for services
rendered by his father would be favor
to the dead hero. The question intrudes
itself: What would u. S. Grant, ST.,
have said to the proposition of placing
the son Of distinguished father in po-
sitfon whose elevation would merely give
emphasis to his mediocrity?
Moreover, it cannot be said that the
memory of General u. S. Grant would be
honored by that proceeding All the
nation could do it did for General Grant
1t honored him while living. 1t lives
upon his memory now that he is dead.
1t made him President two successive
terms and his remains repose in a mau-
soleum fit for the tomb of a dead God"
That tomb is the Mecca of American
patriotism.
The attempt to pay tribute to the
memory of this dead hero by elevating
his son to a position for which he does
not possess the necessary personal
qualifications would be infinitely belit-
ting to American Institutions Living,
it might have fiattered the paternal
vanity Of General Grant; but dead, it
is scant honor to his memory
Can stored urn or animated bust
Back to its mansion call the fleeing
breath?
Can honor's voice provoke the silent
dust,
Or fattery soothe the dull, cold ear OF
death?"