Mexico weekly ledger., 1901-08-15
CLARK THE KLOoUENT


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wins Opera House was one Of the
features Of the reunion. Mr.. Clark's
speech was not Of the ordinary, in its
substance OF in treatment OF the sub
ject. For instance, he sees no peace
for the world, and evidently considers
that The Hague conference was not
wholly a success. In his tribute to
the two great geniuses Of the war
Grant and Jackson-Clark was at his
best, and many a grizzly veteran found
tears yelling from his eyes as he
listened. Mr.. Clark said.
After nineteen centuries OF Chris
tian endeayor, humanity has not been
sufficiently purged Of the Old Adam
to obey the injunction contained In
the Sermon on the Mount, which runs
in this wise:
"Whomsoeyer shall smite thee on
the right cheek, turn TO him the other
Also
"On the contrary, we are prone to
smite the smiter. Despite the posi-
tive command Of the Savior, few, even
of the best Of US, ever pray for our
enemies. If w redo, 1t Is with an elias
tic mental reservation. The day has
not yet arrived when swords are beat
ell into pillow shares or spears into
pruning hooks; and judging from facts
which can be neither blinked nor de-
MED, that era Of perfect peace is out Of
sight in the distant future. With
every nation Of Europe supporting
ornaments of immense proportions
and straining every nerve to augment
them, it cannot be truthfully said
that the world has attained that paci-
fic status foretold In the Gospel OF
the Prince Of Peace. The clank Of
the sword is heard and the flash Of the
bayoneti is seen in every quarter Of the
globe.
Herr Krupp lately went to his fin
al account in a halo ofglory, bequeath-
ing a vast fortune to his children, be-
cause he had invented an engine Of de-
struetion more terrible than any
hitherto known among men. The In
genuity of the world is laid under
tribute to discover a smokeless pow
der, so that death may have an unob-
structed look into the faces Of en-
battled and c~ontending hosts. That
mythical and intangible thing called
the balance Of power in Europe is In
as ~precarIous and dangerous condi-
tlon as when Louis XIV and William
OF Orange commended for the mastery
at Stelnklrk, Namur and Landen-as
when Marlborough and bold Eugene
conquered at Oudenarde, or as when
Peterborough scaled the walls Of
Barcelona.
GRANT AND JACKSON.
"It is hardly oyerstating the case
to say that when that shot was fired
at Sumter Ulysses Simpson Grant and
Thomas Jonathan jackson we're, Of
all the graduates Of West Point, the
most unpromising. Yet impartial
history win record the fact with iron
pen upon her glowing page that they
were the colossal figures In that
gigantic contest.
whether circumstances make men
or men create circumstances, is a
problem impossible of solution, and
about which people will forever dis
pute. However that may be, Grant
and jackson, perhaps unconsciously,
possessed military genius Of the high
est order and were only awaiting the
occasion for its display. 1t came and
to them it brought enduring fame.
"Fate plays fantastic tricks with
men. The well-authenticated truths
Of history are sometimes as startling
and appear as improbable as any tales
from the Arabian Nights.
nWhen the call for volunteers was
made In Illinois, Grant was SO obscure
that he was not even personally known
to Elihu B. Washburn, the Congress
man from his district, who lived in
the same small town. After he ten
dered his sword to the government II
was some time before he could fine
employment. In vain he sought ser
vice In a humble capacity upon the
glittering staff of Major General Geo
B. Mcclellan then Landed as an EN-
bryo Napoleon. After many rebufis
Governor Dick Yates gave him worl
as a sort Of combined clerk anC
organizer of raw recruits. In thu
nick Of time aColonel Of infantry re
signed under pressure for incompe
tency, and Grant was appointed as
sort Of Hobson,s choice.
ssOn that transaction, little noteC
at the time, hinged stupendous events
Grant had found his calling and tn
Union had found its ~preserver. With
out friends, without influence, with
out reputation, without money, he be
gan that career of unbroken success
which ended only at Appomattoz
which filled the world with his &C
claim and which landed him in tn
White House. A rise so sudden, fror
a position 50 lowly, to a pinnacle Q
glory so high has rarely been voucf
safed TO any Of the ms OF men.
"The taking Of Fort Henry was
: success, but of such small moment a
to attract little attention. The cap
ure Of Fort Donelson was such a bri
/ liant feat Of arms that it turned a
, eyes upon the unknown knight VIII
} had ridden, silent and vulnerable
Into the lists Of the awful tourni
ment. The laconic reply TO Genert
Buckner's proposal to appoint con
/. missioners NO terms except vi
! conditional and immediate surrend'
. car be accepted'-fred the Norther
heart and fixed upon Grant the q
Ifectionate regard Of Abraham LII
coln-a matches Judge of human n
ture. The people interpreted n
/ initials in a lucky way for him, an
olfondly called him 'Unconditioni
d Surrender Grant
vi ITO Grant belongs the credit
possessing mental acumen enough
comprehend what the war really VI
1.-The swapping of Of three or FOL
Northern men for one Southern, al
Thereby eventually swapping u
oonfederates clear out Of the game.