[Monterrosa-24]

I’m a Southerner to the core but I have respect for Grant just as Lee did. I would never advocate the removal of his statues.

My favorite Grant quote is his description of Venice and how the city would be quite livable if drained.

[V_TWIN]

“his description of Venice and how the city would be quite livable if drained”

I’ve been there and seen that water.....before draining you’d need to police up all the turds....it could take a while.

[StAntKnee]

Good topic for a thread. Grant quotes. A time of trial that called for the man to step up. The early histories of him were written by his enemies.

[Levy78]

Same. Southerner here descended from many confederate vets and I have respect for Grant, his military prowess and how he treated the defeated Confederates at Appomattox, one of which was my GGG grandfather (29th Va Inf)

[crz]

Ever see what he said about the fourth bridge in Scotland?

After getting a look at it he said..”That is a mighty big bridge.”
That was it, just that and nothing more.

[vetvetdoug]

I'm a Southerner and am in opposition to those that distill the Civil War to just over slavery. I honor those that followed their beliefs with respect to state's rights and fought the oppression of the North. Having said that I also honor those that fought for the North. Grant was an honorable and brilliant man and leader. Read his recently published The Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant; The Complete Annotated Edition by John F. Marszalek. The annotations explain the mistakes in the memoirs and also the fallacies of his memories. Still it is worth reading.

To show the ambivalence and uncaring of the North with respect to history, ask yourself, "where is the US Grant Presidential Library"? It was moved to Mississippi State University because up North they didn't give a damn and let his memory go into disarray so his descendants and managers removed it to MSU where people still honor and study history without adding their prejudices and false beliefs. They would move his remains if they could. Just as Lee, Grant was a great American.

[Paul R.]

Wasn’t Grant the source of “Life is just one goddamn thing after another”?

Now past age 65, I can say he seems to have been correct.

[Retain Mike]

I used this passage in an essay I wrote about the Constitution and the Confederacy.

“In my opinion the officers and men paroled at Appomattox C.H. and since upon the same terms given to Lee, cannot be tried for treason so long as they observe the terms of their parole…..I will state further that the terms granted by me met with the hearty approval of the President at the time, and of the country generally.”

When Grant went to the White House, he found Johnson unyielding. The President said he wanted “to make treason odious,” stating that Lee and other rebel leaders had to face punishment…..“When can these men be tried,” asked Johnson.

Grant replied, “Never, unless they violate their parole. I have made certain terms with Lee, which were the best and only terms. If I had told him and his army that their liberty would be invaded, that they would be open to arrest, trial, and execution for treason, Lee would never have surrendered, and we should have lost many lives in destroying him. My terms of surrender were according to military law, and so long as General Lee observes his parole, I will never consent to his arrest. I will resign the command of the army rather than execute any order to arrest Lee or any of his commanders so long as they obey the law.”