A second impression
For Christmas I received To Rescue the Republic: Ulysses S. Grant, the Fragile Union, and the Crisis of 1876 by Bret Baier with Catherine Whitney. The biography emphasis’s three times Grant came to the rescue of the Republic: the first, as a Union General in the Civil war; the second, following the debacle of the Andrew Johnson presidency; the third, during the crisis of the 1876 election. In his book Baier makes connections between what is going on in our country today with what was taking place during Grant’s time.
I got my first impression of Ulysses S. Grant from an American History class in high school. As I remember he was described as having difficulty with alcohol and was not a very good leader. Special attention was given to all of the scandals during his administration. Grant was not even given credit for his Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant. Surely, such an outstanding book could not have been written by the likes of Grant. The usual suggested ghost writer for the book is Mark Twain who was a personal friend of Grant.
After reading To Rescue the Republic I have a new appreciation for Grant. It would seem that his drinking problem was greatly exaggerated especially by his critics and detractors. The evidence would suggest that he did write his Memoirs. A friend of Grant, George Childs said of Grant, “In his life three qualities were conspicuously revealed – justice, kindness, and firmness.” (To Rescue the Republic, p. 251) In writing his book Baier says he came “to feel great admiration for his physical courage, his emotional intelligence, and his selfless patriotism at a time when the nation was being tested as it never had been before.” (To Rescue the Republic, p. 328)
In I Samuel 16:-13 Samuel goes to visit Jesse the
Bethlehemite and his family supposedly to sacrifice a heifer. But, in fact, he has gone to anoint the person the Lord has chosen to be the next king. All of the sons of Jesse are present but one, David. Surely the future king is one of them. When Jesse thinks the chosen one is Eliab the Lord tells him, “Do not look at his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him: for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” (I Sam. 16:7b)
My first impression of Ulysses S. Grant was based on what the contemporary critics, many of whom were hostile to and envious of Grant, had to say. My second impression generated by To Rescue the Republic invited me to look at Grant’s heart. George Childs identified justice, kindness and firmness as his outstanding qualities. Bret Baier found him to be a man of physical courage,, emotional intelligence and selfless patriotism. From the perspective of Grant’s heart, he has much to recommend him.
In his introduction Baier writes, “I was drawn to the clear parallels between Grant’s time and our own, and in particular to the final drama of his presidency.” (To Rescue the Republic, p. xiv) The true character of Ulysses S. Grant was distorted by his political opponents, the press, and those envious of his power and position. Nevertheless, it was on these reports that I based my first impression of the man. I wonder how much the first impressions I have of today’s political leaders, on both sides of the aisle, is based on distorted information. All of them are flawed persons with strengths and weaknesses. Perhaps, I need to dig deeper, and form a second impression that is more in line with what is actually true.