The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-10-08
GRANTS GRAFTON.
The Longest Speech of his Life

We print below the full text of the
speech delivered, or rather read from
manuscript, by President Grant, mt the
late Army of the Tennessee reunion ut
Des Moines, Iowa
COMRADES 1t always affords me much graft
tication to meet my comrades in arms, ten and
fourteen years ago, and to tell over again in
memory the trials and hsrdships of those days
-hardships endured for the preservation and
perpetuation Of our free institutions. We BE-
lieved then, and believe now, that We have a
government worth fighting for, and, il need
be- dying for. How many Of our comrades
paid the latter price for our preserved Union .
Let their herOism and sacrifice be ever
green in our memory. Let not the results of
their service be destroyed. The Union and the
free institutions for which they fell should be
held more dear for their sacrifices. We will
not deny to any of those who fought against MS
any privileges under the government which we
claim for ourselves. On the contrary, We wei
come all such who come forward in good faith
to help build up the waste places, and to per-
petuate our institutions against all enemies, as
brothers in full interest with us in common
heritage; but we are not prepared tn apologize
for the part we took in the war. Ii IL TO be
hoped that ike trials will never again befall our
country. In their settlement no class of people
can more heartily join than the soldiers who
submitted TO the dangers, trials and hardships
OF tte camp ana tne DdItle-IeluS. On WHICH,
ever side he may have fought no class of
people are more interested in guarding against
a recurrence of those DAYS. Let us then, be-
gin by guarding against every enemy prevent
ing the prosperity Of free Republican institu-
tons. lido not bring into this assemblage politics
certainly not partisan politics, but il IL a fair
subject for the soldiers in their elaboration 10
consider what may be necessary to secure the
prize for which they battled. In a Republic
like ours, where the citizen il the sovereign
and the official the servant, where no power is
exercised except by the vii of the people. it il
important that the sovereign, the people,
should foster intelligence. the promotion Of
that intelligence which il to preserve us as r
free nation. If we are TO have another contest III
the near future of our national existence i pre-
dict that the dividing line will not be Mason
and DiXon's. but between patriotism and intel
ligence on the one side, and superstition, am
bition, and ignorance Oh the other. Nowis the
centennial year of our national existence l
believe it good time TO begin the work OF
strengthening the foundation of the structure
commenced by our patriotic forefathers 100 years
ago at Lexington. Let us all labor to
add all needful guarantees for the greater &C.
curity of free thought, free speech, free
press, pure morals. unfettered religious senti-
ments ana Of equal rights and privileges 10 all
men, irrespective of nationality, color or re-
ligion encourage free schools and resolve that
not one dollar of our money appropriated to
their support shall be appropriated TO the sup
port of any sectarian school; resolve that
neither the State nor nation, nor both COM
bned, shall support institutions Of learning
other than those sufficient to afford to every
child growing up in the land the opportunity of
good common-school education, unmixed with
sectarian. Pagan, or Atheistical bias leave the
matter of religion to the family, the church,
and the private school, supported entirely by
private contributions; keep the Church and the
State forever separate. With these safeguards,
| believe the battles which created the Army of
the Tennessee will not have been fought in
vain.