m personal
effort for personal advancement that distinguished him as an officer
of the army. But he did not bring into civil affairs the habits of
command that were the necessity of military life. Although by virtue
of his position he was the recognized head of the Republican Party,
he made no effort to control its action. Wherever he placed power,
there he reposed trust.

There was not in General Grant's nature any element of suspicion, and
his confidence in his friends was free and full. Hence it happened
that he had many occasions for regret.

On no man in public life in this generation were there more frequent
charges and insinuations of wrong-doing, and in this generation there
has been no man in public life who was freer from all occasion for
such insinuations and charges.

When he heard that the Treasury Department was purchasing bullion of
a company in which he was a stockholder, he sold his shares without
delay, and without reference to the market price or to their real value.

General Grant had no disposition to usurp power. He had no policy to
impose upon the country against the popular will. This was shown in
the treatment of the Santo Domingo question. General Grant was not
indisposed to see the territories of the Republic extended, but his
love of justice and fair dealing was such that he would have used
only honorable means in his intercourse with other nations. Santo
Domingo was a free offering, and he thought that its possession would
be advantageous to the country.

Yet he never made it an issue, even in his Cabinet, where, as he well
knew, very serious doubts existed as to the expediency of the measure.
He was deeply pained by the unjust attacks and groundless criticism
of which he was the subject, but he accepted the adverse judgment of
the Senate as a constitutional binding decision of the question, and
of that decision he never complained.

In a message to the Senate of the 31st of May, 1870, he urged the
annexation of Santo Domingo. He said, "I feel an unusual anxiety for
the ratification of this treaty, because I believe it will redound
greatly to the glory of the two countries interested, to civilization,
and to the extirpation of the institution of slavery." He claimed for
the scheme great commercial advantages, that it was in harmony with the
Monroe doctrine, and that the consummation of the measure would be
notice to the states of Europe that no acquisitions of territory on