One of the sources I refer to each night as I prepare the day's issue has this entry for today: "Ulysses S(impson) Grant, U.S. army general for the Union, 18th President of United States; his presidential administration was characterized by corruption and bitter partisan politics." And everybody knows he drank heavily.
One of the great joys of this project is that I'm spending two or three hours every evening unlearning things like this. A chronology of Grant's career goes on for pages, and most of it is amazingly positive. The exception is that Grant couldn't make money on his own, after leaving the army with the highest rank in history he ended up working in his fathers hardware and leather goods store. After leaving the presidency he was slightly involved in a family banking firm on Wall Street, but when the managing partners (including his son) lost everything, Grant lost all his money and then some. But in war and government he had great talent and energy, and met with great success. I didn't find anything that suggests that Grant was involved in corruption in the White House, and I do find arguments that he never had a problem with drinking. I'm having to correct the "facts" I remember from many years ago in school, and the Grant entry today is longer than most.
Today marks the birth of a historian who didn't have the Internet to use as a research tool, and didn't try to depict complex historical transitions in a paragraph: Edward Gibbon. Someday I firmly intend to read more than excerpts from this huge project, but I don't see having that much time in the next few months!
1521 - On the first circumnavigation of the globe, Ferdinand Magellan was killed by natives in the Philippines. The whole trip was plagued by trouble. He was a Portuguese commanding Spanish captains and had to deal with two mutinies, the world was a lot bigger than he thought it was, and then he got involved in a local dispute. One of his five ships made it back to Spain, fortunately including the one sailor who kept a diary.
1667 - English poet John Milton, 58, sold the copyright to his religious epic "Paradise Lost" for ten English pounds (less than $30).
1832 - The American Baptist Home Mission Society was formed in New York City. During its first 15 years, $1.66 million in contributions were raised, 14,426 churches were organized and 1,116 missionaries were sent out.
Saur Revolution Day, Afghanistan - On this day in 1978 a Russian-backed military coup topples the government created by the previous Russian-backed government. A year and a half later the Russians, tired of sponsoring coups, invaded themselves.
National Resistance Day, Slovenia - Celebrates the 1941 meeting of most of Slovenia's political parties, they decided to actively oppose the German and Italian occupation which had started 6 April.
1737 - Edward Gibbon, British historian - Born Putney, Surrey, endured a sickly youth, educated at Oxford where he converted to Catholicism (then a treasonous act), sent to Switzerland by his father to break him of this. Visited Rome first time in October 1764 and recalled immediately wanting to write the history of the fall of the city. In 1776, the first volume of "The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" was published, and the first several printings were sold out immediately. Volumes II and III published 1781, met with similar success. Died in England 16 January 1794.
1791 - Samuel Finley Breese Morse, US artist, inventor - Born Boston, indifferent student at Yale, upset parents by becoming a painter. "Invented" a telegraph because he didn't know it was already done, but his serial (dot and dash) Morse Code was much more practical than the existing five-wire parallel system. The first inter-city transmission was from the Capitol building in Washington to Baltimore in May of 1844, "What Hath God Wrought!" Died in New York City on April 2, 1872.
1822 - Ulysses Simpson Grant, US soldier, politician - Born Hiram Ulysses Grant in Point Pleasant, Ohio. Was commended to West Point by congressman as Ulysses S. Grant in error, graduated from West Point in 1843 without correcting his name. Opposed war in Mexico but earned distinction there, married, was sent to Oregon, gained (probably unjust) reputation for drinking, left Army in 1854. Failed at farming, worked in father's hardware store. Lincoln called for volunteers, Grant signed up. Set the record for most military prisoners captured, twice. Steady promotions, first four-star general in US history after war. Presidency marked by ending most international disputes, establishing black voting, better treatment of Indians, fighting the Ku Klux Klan, kept the peace in disputed election in 1876. Died penniless on 23 July 1885, a month after completing his memoirs which made his survivors wealthy.
The budget should be balanced, the Treasury should be refilled, public
debt should be reduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered
and controlled, and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed
lest Rome become bankrupt.
- Cicero
If you are experiencing resistance, you must exert some persistence in
order to improve your existence.
- Malcolm X. Trotter
Resistance to tyranny is service to God.
- James Madison
Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear - not absence of fear.
Except a creature be part coward it is not a compliment to say it is brave;
it is merely a loose misapplication of the word.
- Mark Twain
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