The National tribune., 1907-07-11

loving German retired from the stand
muttering .'Vot mani"
Lincoln was ready talker; Grant
the most reticent of men.
In the case of Grant the Simpson
| blood was strongly in evidence. Behind
those set lips his plans of campaign
were as secure from friend or foe as II
they were at the bottom of the sea.
Unlike surely; but looking a little
deeper you find they had much in COM
| mon.
In pretty close touch in their early
surroundings, but both could swing an
axe and both had more or less of pio-
| neer experience.
Plain men-Lincoln was open to the
humblest, having no desire for the trap
pings of royalty, and any one looking
| for Grant in the field would be almost
sure to pass that little wall tent and go
| to the great one just beyond, but they
| would fail in their quest, for that plain
| ly dressed officer in the small tent was
the Gre:.t Captain.
Honest to the core-yCu smile at the
story of Lincoln's keeping the balance
due the Government frOll Lis little p.
O. in the old stocking, yet it was a
good index of the man; and while Grant
suffered from the dishonesty of others
his own character was above suspicion.
The time called for courage and
! neither was found wanting.
Lincoln presenting his Emancipation
! Proclamation to his Cabinet, simply
saying that he was not asking for con-
sent TO issue, only for advice as to de-
| tails, is an heroic figure; and Grants
action in dropping down between two
great armies and cutting loose from his
base, or keeping his poise in the terrible
! Wilderness, has in it the same essential
quality.
But in that time of stress no spas
modic energy would avail; it must have
Il f.1t Il
while showing itself in different guise,
grim tenacity was a dominant trait in
each.
Lincoln listened patiently to those
who differed with him, but when his
mind was made up .he held his course
| thru storm and calm.
So with Grant. Il propose to fight it
out on this line if it takes all Summer"
As the lightning flash reveals the land
scape, in that incisive dispatch the old
man wrote his biography in a sentence.
Again We find the closest agreement
| in their entire devotion to the Union.
1t is no meaningless phrase to say
that it was "A time that tried mems
souls
Not all stood the test. Some went
over to the enemy, others tried the Oft
| repeated but never successful, ex-
pertinent of serving two masters
Still again, there were those who gave
lukowarm service. but these gave them
selves without stint.
Others might fail and be dscour-
aged" but they never turned their back
to the foe. meeting the perpleXing prob
lens that came with each new day with
unfaiiing patience and answering 10y
atty
| The story of the great struggle is al
most ancient history to our children,
and Will become less distinct as the years
go by; but as the historian Of the fu-
| ture looks over the records OF that time.
while he may give scaat attention to
the Tecor Is of many Il heroic soul, he
cannot fail to note these two figures
moving in the thick of the conflict,
brave. strong and true.
| The contending forces sway baci; ana
forth. 1t is no child's play: but how
ever great cr prolonged the hardship,
from these two there is. but one note
and that so clear and incisive that
many timid one almost ready to fall
out, hearing, rallies and goes on.
Before both President Lincoln and
Gen. Grant, q realized fact to their