Excerpt from Grant as a Soldier and Statesman: Being a Succinct History of His Military and Civil Career<br><br>Iris the duty of every American to consider well the part his country is called upon to take in the great question of the develop ment of the human race.<br><br>The discovery of this continent at the end of the fifteenth century confirmed the new theories of the physical formation of the earth, and gave an impetus to the study of physical science, which since that day has characterized the tendency of the thought of the civilized world. Again, early in the seventeenth century, America by afford ing an asylum for those desiring religious freedom, set an example to the world, the influence of which is still at work. Yet again, in the eighteenth century, this country, by realizing after an eight years' struggle the theory of a democratic form of government, held up before the world an example of the benefits of political freedom, which has had such an influence, that now in Europe even the most despotically inclined ruler claims only a constitutional right to his position.<br><br>The divine right of kings has become as great an absurdity as the dogma that the earth is flat, or that religious persecution is the best means for spreading the reign of the Prince of Peace.<br><br>About the Publisher<br><br>Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com<br><br>This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.