such a man as Charles Sumner, is expressed in these opposite sets of circumstances. While Sumner, born to plenty and reared in an atmosphere of scholarship and semi-aristocratic ease, became at once a book-worm, and learned nothing of men, because he never came in contact with but a single point of their natures, Grant was thrown from the first among practical affairs, and passed through an · almost unintermitting school of human life and experience, calculated to develop those practical qualities essential to a good Executive. While Sumner was immersed in books, books, books, Grant was everywhere encountering men, men, men; studying their strong and their weak points, and learning lessons from both. That he improved his opportunities is shown from the quickly, keenly penetrating "common sense" which he, as President, has brought to bear, almost unerringly, upon the questions of state which have presented themselves for his solution. A man of practical common sense, and of well-balanced impulses is better in the President's chair than a man who has Vattel at his tongue's end and Grotius dog's-eared in his library.

CHAPTER XVI.

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GRANT AND THE COLORED RACE.

The Real Question for the Colored Man's Consideration-Grant's Record as to Treatment of Negroes-Early Orders, Letters, Etc.-He Shuts Down at Donelson upon Fugitive Slave Hunters-Issues Practical Military Orders in Behalf of Freedmen in Advance of the Government-Organizes the First Freedmen's Bureau-Encourages the Formation of Negro Regiments-Favors a Negroes' Paradise at Milliken's Bend-His Expressions as President—Appointments of Colored Men to Office, Etc.

Considerable effort has been made by the partisans of Mr. Greeley to excite among the colored voters some jealousy of Grant, and thereby make votes for Greeley, whom they propose to foist upon the negroes by means of his old anti-slavery record. The argument which these sophists use against General Grant is, that he was not known as an Abolitionist before the war. They also make an assertion, founded upon no trustworthy authority which can be discovered, that Grant expressed himself, early in the war, in decided opposition to emancipation as an object of the war. But even if this apocryphal assertion should be proven, it will not go very far, since Abraham Lincoln, whom the negroes justly regard as the particular benefactor of their race, expressed himself, less than a month before issuing his preliminary Emancipation

Proclamation, as in great doubt of the correctness of that policy.

THE REAL QUESTION.

But be these things as they may, it will be generally admitted that the main question for colored voters now is, who has actually shown in his acts the most friendship for our race? Who is now with our friends, and who with our enemies? If Grant is the representative of the party which emancipated the colored race from slavery, and which now favors their elevation to the highest functions of citizenship, he is the colored man's candidate par excellence. If Horace Greeley, no matter what his past record may be, is now acting with the party of the slave-holder, the party of the Ku-Klux, and the party of Rebel rights as against national power and loyalty, then Mr. Greeley is the man for the colored voter to help defeat as effectually as Mc Clellan was defeated in 1864, or Seymour in 1868.

Nevertheless, it is worth while to look over General Grant's record as to the colored race, since it is found not merely to corroborate his present favorable attitude toward the race, but also shows that Grant was one of the negro's earliest, staunchest, most practicably valuable friends. And in doing so, we shall use, in the main, the language of a colored citizen of Washington, who has made the matter the subject of careful investigation. Writing in reply to an article in the personal organ of Gov

ernor Warmoth, of Louisiana, obviously written for the purpose of misleading the minds of the black population on this subject, he brings up the following facts:

THE

PROCLAMATION OF LINCOLN-GRANT'S EARLY

ACTION.

Mr. Lincoln, in his proclamation, warned the Rebels that he would, on the first day of January following, proclaim emancipation in those States where the people shall be in rebellion against the United States. That glorious proclamation he accordingly issued; but Kentucky, Tennessee and portions of Louisiana and Virginia were not included in it.

General Grant commanded the armies which were moving southward from Cairo and operating in Territory affected and unaffected by the proclamation. I find by consultation with an exofficer in that army, who knew all the orders issued, that General Grant was always up with or in advance of authority furnished from Washington, in regard to the treatment of persons of color, then slaves.* Thus a large number of the Blacks, through

*The following order, issued at Fort Donelson as early as February, 1862, is an evample:

'HEADQUARTErs District of West TennESSEE, "FORT DONELSON, Feb. 26, 1862.

"General Orders, No. 14.

"I. General Order No. 3, series 1861, from headquarters department of the Missouri, is still in force and must be observed. The necessity of its strict enforcement is made apparent by the numerous applications from citi

his orders, were furnished employment within his lines, or transportation to homes and places of comfort for themselves and families, and education for their children, in the North. And when he reached northern Mississippi, or the region where the people of color were more numerous, I find that he issued, November 11, 1862,- before the emancipation proclamation, and before authority was furnished from Washington, and solely on his own conviction of the military necessity and right,an order caring for the "contrabands."

THE FIRST FREEDMEN'S BUREAU.

Those of the negroes fleeing from slavery had been not inaptly designated contrabands of war by General Butler. Those of us who participated in or witnessed these scenes can recall with sufficient vividness the exodus from slavery to liberty through the Federal lines wherever the soldiers in blue appeared. General Grant saw the demoralizing effect upon the army of thousands of men, women and

zens for permission to pass through the camps to look for fugitive slaves. In no case whatever will permission be granted to citizens for this purpose.

"II. All slaves at Fort Donelson at the time of its capture, and all slaves within the line of military occupation that have been used by the enemy in building fortifications, or in any manner hostile to the Government, will be employed by the quartermaster's department for the benefit of the Government, and will under no circumstances be permitted to return to their

masters.

"III. It is made the duty of all officers of this command to see that all slaves above indicated are promptly delivered to the chief quartermaster of the district.

"BY ORDER OF BRIG, GENERAL U. S. GRANT. “JOHN A. RAWLINS, A. A. G.”