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Letters of Ulysses S. Grant to His Father and His Youngest Sister |
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Among the national leaders whose names will always hold an honorable place in American history is Ulysses S. Grant, the simple-hearted man and capable soldier, to whose patriotism, courage, persistence, and skill was so largely due the successful termination of the war between the States, the contest which assured the foundations of the Republic. We are interested not only in learning what this man did, but in coming to know, as far as may be practicable, what manner of man he was. It is all-important in a study of development of character to have placed within reach the utterances of the man himself. There is no utterance that can give as faithful a picture of a man's method of thought and principle of action as the personal letter written, with no thought of later publication, to those who are near to him. Edited by his Nephew JESSE GRANT CRAMER With Portraits 1912 PREFACE
There has of late years been a tendency, as a result of the teachings
of certain historical authorities, to minimize the influence of the
leadership of the so called Great Men, and to question the importance
of their work as a factor in shaping the history of the time. Great
events are referred to as brought about by such general influences as
"the spirit of the time" (Goethe's Zeitgeist ), the "movement of
humanity," or "forces of society." If we accepted the theories of the
writers of this school, we should be forced to the conclusion that
generations of men move across the world's stage impelled by forces
entirely outside of themselves; and that as far as the opportunity of
individual action is concerned, that is for action initiated and
completed under his own will power, man might almost as well be a
squirrel working in a revolving cage. The squirrel imagines that he
moves the cylinder, but the outsider knows that the movement is
predetermined, and that there is no change of position and no net
result from the exertion... Continue reading book >>
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