New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-06-18
GRANT AND MOTLEY.

IFRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF TUE rRtBusEI
LONDON, June ct was strange accumulation
of chances which brought Gen. Grant to London in
the week Of Mr. Motley's death, and which seated
him IN Westminster Abbey last Sunday to listen TO
Dean SANKEY'S spoken requiem over his departed
friend Gen. Grants visit to the Abbey had, be-
lievc, no connection with the honOrs paid TO the
illustrous historian. He had no knowledge that Mr.
Moeys death would be referred to by the preacher.
He did not co. certainly because it was to be re-
ferred to- He went to the Sunday service in the
Abbey and to hear the Dean, and fthink am not
wrong in stating that intimatOn Of his intended
presence had been given two three days before.
At any rate, the General was expected, and the
Deans private pew was reserved for him and was
occupied by Gen. and Mrs. Grant and Mr.. and Mrs.
Pierrepont. Some hint of their coming had got
abroad, and the Abbey thronged The Dean
found himself in most unusual position. If he had
been free TO choose he would have devoted his whole
discourse to Mr.. Motley of whom as SAID last week,
he old and intimate friend But he had
been pledged for a month to preach that day for the
restoration of St. MarGarets Church. the humble
ediio which nestes close to the side of the world
famous abbey of ST. Peter. That sermon he preached
accordingly, with the text Hast thou but one
blessing my father9" and was broad enough 10
cover the other topics which fresh circumstances
made 1t desirable to introduce. BY transition as
graceful as it was ingenious, the accomplished ora
tor passed to a brief euogy upon Gen. Grant, and
a hearty recognition of the ties which connect the
country of which he is representative and the
country in which he is guest The Dean had, more
over, the good sense, and knowledge of affairs, not
TO confuse the soldier with the statesman. What he
said in praise of Gen. Grant apart from his greeting
to him "a an American was said of his military sue
cess not of his Presidential failures lie chose the
strong not the weak qualities of Gen. Grant for APP
pause; his skill in selecting the commanders who
served under him; his loyalty in recognizing their
merits and services and his generosity to his de-
feated foes
There was no difficulty after the few sentences Of
welcome to Gen. Grant had been uttered, IN APP
preaching the subject Of MIR. Moteys sudden death,
or in pronouncing just encomiun on hs character
and career. IL done with feeling aud cloquence
Il need not add with perfect taste. Dean Stanley
is not The nan to err IN such matter as that You
Will not ia to note that IN this, in every other
English tribute TO Mr. Motley, his Amerlcanism is
one of the points Ia his character which is dwelt
upon. | read last week two remarks about this
which are worth quoting. They appeared in the
two leading weekly papers. One of them says:
"When nothing occurred to excite his susceptible
patriotism. he was one If the most agreeable aud
instructive of companions The other: Person
ally, Mr.. Motley a most favorable specimen OF
a remarkable class-the cosmopolitan Amerlcans-a
man of thorough culture, very unusual knowledge,
and considerable insight into the political situation
OF Europe, and at heart most genuine aud pat
rotic American, nevertheless" Such was. know,
the impression he made on every European with
whom he came in contact. If refer to 1t again, 1t
is because of the foolish cry once raised against him
by people who knew nothing Of the feryent love of
country which burned in his heart. To his literary
| Ia itc of cha tr
Stanley did equal justice. His eulogy occupied less
than quarter of an hour in delivery, but it left no
essential point untouched, and pcryadcd with
the sympathy which one scholar feels for another
There was, possibly kind of irony IN the tafe
which compelled Con. Grant to listen to 9Senlogy
pronounced in the most famous church IN England
by one OF its most famous preachers ppon an Amer-
can whom be- when President, had made Minister
and whom he had unmade with such circumstances
of haIshness as to hasten his death. do not mean,
do not think that Gen. Grant cherished any feel
ing Of animosity against the man he had injured.
The rule that they neer pardon who have done the
wrong admits OF exceptions.
Gen Grant and his party invited into The
Deanery after servce-a considerate attention with
ont which they might have had some difficulty IN
| extricatlnp themselves from the crowd. The fact
that il was Sunday, and in church, could not re-
strain the curiosity OF the thousands OF people pres
ent. They swamed about Gen. Grant win latter
ing but incOnyenient eagerness and 1t was long De-
fore the choir and nave were emptied. few lren1s
were present in the Dcancry, among them MI ana
Mrs Tom Hughes Mr. j. K. Green, the historian,
and Prof Farrar. The Deans guests were shown
tbe Jerusalem chamber with its tapestry wrought
nv the hands of the wife of William the COnqueror,
and taken up into the library, which IS, in its way,
one of the most delightful rooms IN London.
Mr.. Motley was buried on Monday IN Kcnsal Green
Cemetery, Dean Stanley performing the service
The funeral was neither quite public nor quite prl-
yate 1t had been Dean Stanleys Wish that IL
should take place in Westminster Abbey. lie had
nrouosed that the body, when brought from Dorset
shire. should lie overnight III the Abbey that
ceremonv should be held there in the morning, and
that the friends of the deceased should assemble ut
the Abbey and accompany the body thence to the
co,,etery Bnt some dificultes-I could not make
ont what-stood in the way of this arrangement.
II il cause for regret that the kind purposes of the
Dean could not be carried out. Mr.. Moteys friends
and all Americans because he was an American
would have liked that some of the last words SAID
over him should have been sad in the great church
which has so peculiar an interest for Americans
which Americans in general yenerate as they vene-
rate no cathedral and no other church. As 1t was
not 10 be- we can only express our gratitude 10 Dean
Stanley for his readiness to bring 1t about
The service at the Kensal Green Chapel was OF
course the burial service OF the Church oil Ehgahu'
of which Mr.. Motley was member Ills thfee
daughters Lady Harcourt, Mrs. Sheridan ana Miss
uotlev were presept. and with Sir William Ilarcourt,
Afr Rrssel Stur.gis and Mr.. Sheridan, followed the
coffin from the chapel to the grave. Among Others
present were Mr. Bright, the Duke OF Argyll MI
Frcude Lord Houghtou Mr. Thomas hughes the