The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1874-11-12
DEDICATION OF THE LINCOLN MONU
NENT,

4
MENT.
SPRINGFIELD ILL.,, October 18th, 1874.
The procession began to form at lam.
Governor Beveridge acting as Grand Mar
snail President Grant with Secretary
Balknap occupied a carriage at the head
OF the procession, preceded by the Militia
ry Band and escorted by the Governors
9aurd, military organization of this
city, as guard of honor Next came n
Rev. DIR. Hale, an old friend of President
Lincoln, and Bishop Wayman, colored;
and in other carriages rode Vice-President
Wilson with Secretary F. Powell and Gus.
ton, Member of Parliament, and w. G.
Forester, Member of Parliament of
England, Generals Mcdowell and Custer.
with Hon. j. X Dubois Mrs. Grant and
Mrs Gov. Beveridge. GencriI Sherman
marched on foot at the mead o; the Socie-
ty. and following was long array of mil
itary and civil societies The procession
arrived at the cemetry at one o'clock p. m.
Not less than twenty-five thousand per-
sons were present. After the playing of
the dead march by the band, Bishop Way.
man made an eloquent prayer. The
choir chanted, with Malice Toward
None, with Charity for All" Hon. J. X.
Dubois then read historical sketch of
the Lincoln Monument Association, and
the result of its labors. concluding as fol
lows
SPRINGFIELD, Oct I5.-After more
music from the bands ex-Gov. Oglesby, of
Illinois, stepped forward and was greeted
with cheers. He proceeded to deliver an
Grafton
The choir then sung. 0Rest, Spirit.
Rest" and at its conclusion two Sisters of
Charity, seated ON either side of the stat
ue, rose, and amid breathless silence re-
moved the red, white and blue drapery
from the marble form.
President Edwards, of the Normal
University, then read poem written for
the occasion by James Judson Lord.
The bands again played an appropriate
air. and a loud call being made for Presi-
dent Grant, he stepped forward amid en-
thusiastic applause and said:
On an occasion like the present feel it
duty on my part to bear testimony to
the great and good qualities of the patri-
otto man whose earthly remains now rest
beneath this dedicated monument. 1t
was not my fortune to make the personal
acquaintance of Mr.. Lincoln till the be-
ginning of the last year of the great strug-
gle for National existence. During those
years of doubling and despondencya yamong
many patriotic men Of the country, Abra-
ham Lincoln never for moment doubted
but that the final result would end in
peace, and Union, and freedom to every
race in this broad land. His faith that an
All-wise Providence was directing our
arms to this final result was as the faith
Of the Christian that his Redeemer liveth.
And ami lst oblquy, personal abuse and
hate undisguised, and which was given
vent to without estraint-through the
press, upon the stump, and in private cir
cles-he remained the same staunch, un-
| yielding servant of the people; never ex-
hibiting revengeful feeling toward his
traducers, but rather pitied them and hop
ed for their own sake and good name of
their prosperity they might desist for 8
single moment. 1t did not occur to him
that Abraham Lincoln was being assailed,
but that treasonable spirit, one willing
to destroy the freest government the sun
ever shone on, was giving vent to itself on
him, as to the chief executive of the Ma
ton only, because he was such executive
| As lawyer in your midst he would have
availed by all this slander, for his life
was pure and simple one, and no doubt
he would have been much happier man.
But who can tell what might have been
the fate of the Nation but for the pure
qnlasflssaf plIhsaf asb.u and wise administratien s5
the day when the assassin opened the
grave for Mr.. Lincoln, then President of
| the United States, my personal relation
with him were as close and intimate as
the nature of our respective duties would
permit. To know him personally, was to
love and respect him for his great quail
ties of heart and head, and for his pa
, tiance and patriotism. With all his dis
appointments from failures on the part OF
those to whom he had entrusted command,
and treachery on the part of those who
gained his confidence but to betray it, |
never heard him utter complaint nOr
cast censure for bad conduct or bad faith
1t was his nature TO fix excuses for his
adversaries In his death the nation lost
its greatest hero; in his death the South
lost its most just friend.
Ex-Vice President Colfax, who was dis
covered on the platform by the crowd, was
loudly called for, and finally spoke, and in
very eloquent and feeling remarks paid
his tribute of love and respect to the hon
ored dead Remarks were also made by
General Sherman, Vice President Wilson,
and General L. v Linden, after which the
doxology was sung and the benediction
pronounced, and the vast assembly quiet
ly dispersed