Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-06-05
EXPERIENCE OF 1S69-77

u
Henry Watterson refers to Presi
dent Grant as a political non
descript." This, we are constrained
to believe, was not intended to be i;
term of disrespect. 1t was intended
we infer, to convey the idea, which
was fact, that Grant had taken 81
little interest in public affairs tina
scarcely anyone knew to what part!
he belonged or what views he enter
tanned upon important problems con
fronting the Nation during the re-
construction period following tn,
Civil War. Grant was nominated b!
the Republicans and elected by tn,
people because of the enthusiasm re
sulting from his success as a military
leader.
The facts regarding Grant wer,
fairly and sympathetically stated b!
Prof. Andrew c. Mclaughlin, of the
University of Chicago, in hrs Histor,
of the American Nation, wherein h,
said:
General Grant was at this time
almost entirely without political ex-
perience and without training in
civil duties. He was a graduate of
West Point and had served with
distinction in the Mexican War. At
the outbreak of the Rebellion he
occupied a humble position as a
private citizen. His success as a
general gave him a worldwide rep
utation, and he was hailed by the
enthusiastic North as the savior
of his country. He was a man of
strict answering honesty and of
pure motives.
1t may be doubted whether his
talents. that so well fitted him for
conducting great aggressive war,
were equally well adapted to the
no less difficult tasks of peace.
Downright and upright himself, he
was not always successful in win
ming and holding the best men of
his party by giving them frank
confidence; nor did he have great
insight into the weaknesses of men
about him. These characteristics
account. in part, for some of the
difficulties of his administration.
Giving an account of affairs near
the end of Grants first term, Nc
says that some Republi-
cans felt that he had shown rare in
capacity for civil duties, and that he
was surrounded by men who were
greedy, if not corrupt. This did not
reflect in the least upon the honesty
of Grant. When subjected to the
test of practical service, he had been
found wanting. However, the Lib
eral Republicans" nominated Horace
who was endorsed by the
Democrats, and the country was con-
fronted in 1872 by two candidates.
neither of whom had been prepared
by previous experience and training
for successful administration of the
high office of President. AS Nc
puts it, There was a
strong feeling that Greeley was unfit
for the Presidency. A high-minded,
honest man, with strong purposes
and noble aims, he was impractical
and visionary. He had almost
no experience in public office" The
country chose to continue it's war
hero as President, Notwithstanding
with his administra-
ton. The unfortunate scandals OF
the remaining years of his service
are incidents that historians pass
over as briefly as possible.
An admiring and grateful Nation
thinks of Grant not as a President
but as a soldier who proposed to
fight it out on this line il it takes
all summer" and who demanded
unconditional surrender" thus ex-
pressing in laconic terms the spirit
of Americanisn. AS Watterson truly
says, Grant was political monde
script" but that was nothing to his
discredit. The country made the
mistake of trying to put n round
peg in a square hole, and it did not
fit The country has made the same
mistake on other occasions, and has
always paid the penalty. Let us hope
that we have profited by experience