The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1877-07-12

GRANT AS A sPEECHdAKER.
His Happy Responses-Unwrit-
ten speeches-Nicely Turned
Phrases.
corrsspsndsncs Of the Tribune,
Gen. Grant IL, all the world agrees, q
pretty good soldier, but am not sure
that he was not mistaken in his vocar
ton, after oil. Not sure that he was
not born to make speeches on occasions
Of ceremony, and neat little replies 70
toasts ct great dinners, and mots 1t ell
suitable opportunities. 10 has happen
ed-I say II. modestly-that was .
good deal In his company yesterday. ]
doubt whether anybody else has heard
Gen. Grant make three speeches In one
day. The drst was q somewhat elab-
crate address In the library Of the
Guildhall, in response to the stilI more
elaborate address Of the Chamberlain
In offering him the freedom of the city
Of London. 1t was thoroughly well
done In manner and In, matter, and 1
shall refer TO 1t by-and-by. The second
was at lunch in the Guildhall, and
was simply gem. It Is 20 clumsily
reported In the morning papers that I
insert here the true version. The Lord
Mayor having proposed, and the
guests having drunk, Gen. Grants
health, he replied in these words:
My lord Mayor, Ladies and Gen.
tIcne,s-Habits formed In early life
and early education press upon US as
we grow older. ! was brought up Q
soldier--not to talking. I was not
aware that l ever fought two battles on
the same day I'm the same place, and
that I should be called upon to make
two speeches on the same day under
the same roof is beyond my under
standing. What I do understand is
that l am much indebted to all of you
for the compliment you have paid me.
All I can do is to thank my Lord
Mayor for his kind words, and to
thank the citizens Of Great Birain here
present in the name Of my country
and for myself"
I never heard more perfect speech
of Its kind than that. There is q
charm, felicity In the turn of one or
two of Its phrases that would do credit
to the best artists in words-to Mr..
Kinglake or to Mr.. Matthew Arnold
themselves.
Later in the day at the quiet and
almost private dinner in the Crystal
Palace, Thomas Hughes asked the
company in a few words full Of grace
and feeling to drink to the health Of
Gen. Grant. Mr.. Hughes took pains
to say that the occasion was not formal,
and that he did not mean to impose
upon his guest the burden OF reply.
Gen. Grant sat looking into Mr..
Hughes face; there was q moments
pause, and then the general, screwing
himself slowly up out Of his chair till
he stood erect on his feet, said;
Mr.. Hughes; must none the less
tell you what qualification 1t gives me
to hear my health proposed In such
hearty words by Tom Brown OF
Rugby"
I do not know what could be better
than that. Still later in the evening,
during the exhibition of fireworks,
Gen. Grant sat silent while his own
portrait-a capital themselves drawn
In lines Of changing flame against the
dark back ground OF Beckenham hills.
Not muscle moved; there was not a
sign Of pleasure at the splendid CON-
pliment paid him; not movement of
recognition for the cheers with which
the great crowd below hailed the por-
trait. But when this had burnt out
and the next piece--a sketch OF the
building which crowns the heights
above the Potomac-was burning, q
slight smile parted the Generals lips
as he remarked to Lady RipOn who
sat next him: "rhey have burnt me
in sf'iSS| and they are burning the
At the ceremonies at Guildhall,
when Grant was presented with the
freedom Of London, while the city
stood in that attitude which I believe
is habitual to him; his head
q little sunk between his shoulders and
bent forward; the whole figure and face
motionless. When it came his
turn to reply, he spoke ut first with
some slight hesitation--with rather
less, I should say, than most English
men would have shown-then went
straight on to the end, in Just that
simple, conversational style which
Englishmen like, and Of which few
Americans are masters. The words
came SO readily of his tongue that
supposed they were learned by heart,
but when some of the reporters for the
London papers applied for the manu-
script, 1t appeared that not sentence
had been written. The General said
he had found ne could only make q
speech by not thinking of Il before
hand. 1t was, therefore, Just what IL
appeared to be, the natural expression,
in At terms, of his own feelings; con-
ceived in good taste and delivered with
surprising effect on those who heard It.
GEN. GRANTS SPEECH AT GUILDHALL.
The following is the full text of Gen.
Grants speech at Guildhall-only an
inaccurate report having been previ-
ously published:
MI Lord Mayor Mr.. Chdnaberlin and
Gentlenaen-It is matter Of some re-
gret to me that / have never cultivat-
ed that art of public speaking which
might have enabled me to express in
suitable terms my gratitude for the
compliment which has been paid to
my country and to myself on this oc-
easion, GApplause. and even were /
in the habit Of speaking in public, I
should not be able adequately to ex-
press my own opinion, and what /
believe to be the opinion of my coun-
trymen when the proceedings Of this
day have been telegraphed to them, as
to the reception which has been ac-
corded to me. Cheers. / have been
surprised, very much surprised, at the
reception which L have had at all
points from the time when I landed In
Liverpool up to my appearance In this
the greatest city In the world, London.
1t was entirely unexpected, and Is par
ticularly gratifying to me. believe
that this honor Is intended rs much
for the country which I have served
in two capacities, lCheers] quite as
much "a for myself; and l am glad
that this Is 50, because / want to see
the happiest relations existing not
only between the United States and
Great Britain, but also between the
United States and all other countries.
Loud applause.1 Although o soldier
by education. have never felt any
tOndness for war, and have never all
vocated It except as o means OF pro-
ducing peace. Applause. / have
always wanted peace, even II I had to