…wanted to use the (federal government’s) centralized power to subsidize business in particular,…so as to make them supportive of an ever-growing state…(He) believed that the new American government should pursue the course of national and imperial glory, just like the British, French, and Spanish empires.” Alexander Hamilton (1757-1804), is the father of American nationalism. All of these American nationalists stressed the supremacy of the national (federal) government. Although never known as a deep thinker in political or theological matters, he followed the nationalist views of Alexander Hamilton, Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, and Abraham Lincoln. Grant ranked number 21 out of 39 in the class of 1843. His nationalist fever arose from his military training at West Point and his military experience in the Mexican-American War (1846-48). If Grant had any political philosophy at all it was that of an American nationalist. Grant the Champion of One Nation Indivisible In reality Lee and Grant cannot be compared but only contrasted. But from the South there lingers the refrain penned by Father Ryan, the Poet Priest of the Confederacy, “The triumphs of might are transient-they pass and are forgotten-the sufferings of right are graven deepest on the chronicle of nations.” There exists an antagonistic gulf between the estimations of two different peoples as they take measure of the men who championed their nation’s cause. For those who believe that might makes right, then the answer is clear-trial by combat has pronounced General Grant as America’s icon of patriotism, valor and honor. Yet, despite surrender by one and victory by the other, controversy continues regarding which man better represents the virtues of honor, duty, and American patriotism. Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia to General Ulysses S. Over a century and a half has passed since Confederate States General Robert E.

Robert e lee and ulysses s grant