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Letter on General Grant.
(On February 8, 1895, Gen. G. M. Dodge, chairman of the Grant Banquet Association, asked each of the Governors of the United States to give their views of General Grant's worth and of the lessons taught by his career. The following letter was an answer to this request:)
General George M. Dodge, Chairman Grant Banquet Association, N. Y., Dear Sir: — Here in Illinois we admire the personal career of General Grant because of his sturdy manhood, his strong common sense and the utter absence in his character of all pretense. He never claimed glory where there was none. General Grant never strutted, he never posed, he never tried to make an impression by lofty bearing or overwhelming dignity. He left all these things where they belonged — to parlor generals, club-room heroes and weak men. While he was silent he made no effort to look wise. He disliked cant, hypocrisy and sham, and had little regard for that ever increasing army of men who during the war smelled the battle afar off, but have been invincible (and insatiable) ever since. With him patriotism meant something, and he felt that a good citizen should bring something more substantial to the altar of his country than fine talk.
While Illinois glories in his public career and the great services he rendered his country, she is especially proud of having given to the world such a splendid example of American manhood. I have the honor to be,
Very respectfully yours,
JOHN P. ALTGELD.
March 16, 1895.