Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1911-05-04
NO.IS
6eHerdI U. S. Grant.
Gary, w. Va, May l, 1911.
azewell Republican,
Tazawell Va

IazeWell Republican,
Tazewell, Va.
VIII you allow me space in your paper
70 say word for my old captain, Gem
eral U; .. Grant! l have noticed that
several papers in this section have Of
late, made comment deropatorv to his
ability as general, but thought il hest
TO say nothing; however, the article
tnat appeared in the Lynchburg News
OF last Saturday calls for a word in his
lows: - 30 A0i-
Thursday was the anniversary of
General Grants birthday. How n1anv
people knew it, we wonder? How MANY
tnought about it? AS matter of fact.
IL passed off without any general obser-
vance. vance. !t was celebrated at Galesburg,
H1,nnols-oy the Grant Army Posts of
CINCINNATI, and perhaps at some other
places. but no general attention was
given the matter one way or the other.
|
And yet Grants memory is fast fad
ing; his stature is dwindling; his fame
being forgotten. Obscurity, ever ready
10 claim mediocrity as its own, is reach
ing out to encompass Grant. Time sun
pies the test of Rreatness-it is the
stern, relentless, infallible enemy of un-
merlted pretense-it furnishes the hand
by which the gaudy trappings and
snowy gew-gaws of shallow reputation
are torn from the body of reality. and
supplies the guage by which true merit
dealing with Grant. The man has mass
ed off the stage His fate is with pos-
terlty-and he is being forgot.
Compare the two men now-the viz
tor and the vanquished- who ia
fast passing from public thought. with
Lee, who grows taller with the march
OF decades. Was ever the truth that
mere temporary reverse or temporarv
triumph count but of small moment in
the sum of human effort and human
greatness, more eloquently and lumin-
ously attested than when considering
how 1t is now with the man to whom
surrender was made at Appomattox and
feat?"
This is, apparently, the opinion of one
man. Certainly it is not the opinion of
the brave Boys in Gray" who actually
fought the battles, and with whom I
have talked. They, at least, will give
brave foe justice. Much has been
said of late to speak with tolerance in
regard to our domestic affairs of half
century ago. but such articles as that
appearing in the News makes it diff
cult to do so.
will not, at this time, give in detail
the history of General Grants achieve
ments. Sufficient to say, he is the onlv
general ever known who never met de-
feat. am perfectly willing to leave
MS place IN history to posterity. 1t is
Clos lnexorable law, that the names of
those who succeed survive, while those
who fail are forgotten. Who now re-
calls the generals who, however brave
ly, fought against Alexander or Caesar.
and of all the captains who met Napo.
leon on many a bloody battle field the
name OF only one is now remembered
wellington. And why? Because he is
the only one who could conquer Napo-
leon.
One word about the public celebration
of General Grants birthday. and / will
close. Due to difference in their tenn
perament, the members of the G.. A r.
are not as demonstrative as their now
brothers, of the u. c. ", but thew are
none the less sincere, and / will venture
the assertion that there was not a camD
fire IN single Grand Army post in the
entire land where there were not apnro-
pirate remarks made relative to the
birthday of their great captain. Anv
one who saw the tear-stained faces of
the grizzled veterans on the dav their
leader was laid away will know that
luis Is SO. G. A. r.