Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1880-04-24
FROM THE BLUFF CITY.


To the Editor of the Standard:
Yesterday was big day in Mem.
phis. We had a visit from the ''Hempe-
ror' as your English friends would say.
U. S. arrived at the depot at 7:30 a.
m. and was met by committee, which |
welcomed him to Memphis, and escort.
ed him to the Peabody. At 1890 a
procession formed on Main street, com.
posed of members of the various mill
tary organizations in their brilliant uni
forms, the fire brigades, negroes in
hacks, white citizens in carriages, 8 or
A colored societies rejoicing in euphoni-
GUS and melliAous names, such as the
benevolent, Knights of the Orient,
Sons of Lion, &c." These were formed
into line, when a carriage containing
our whole-souled and noble DR.. Porter,
Chief of the Taxing District, General
Grant, and two other. gentlemen, fell
in and the procession started down
Main street and promenaded several
principal streets until they arrived at
Court Square, where a stand had been
erected for the illustrious visitor and
suite and principal speakers.
An address of welcome was delivered
by Col. Patterson, to which Grant re-
sponded, both address and response
were listened to very attentively by the
vast assemblage. The streets were
crowded by whites and blacks, and l
saw the procession at three different
points, and was struck with the
marked civility of the multitude, and
the noticeable lack of enthusiasm-not
a hurrah, wave of handkerchief or hat
all was as still as if it had been the
passage of Dan Rice's circus. The peo-
pie came out to see Grant as they would
to see Barnum's Elephants, and they
manifested just as much enthusiasm in
the one as they would in the other,
with this exception, that think the
elephants would have had the advan-
tage, for majority Of the darkies were
disappointed in Grant; he looked like
any other wel.fed or rover-fed, red-faced,
portly man, dressed in a plain suit of
black, and silk hat. They expected
to see man on horse back, with few
feathers and buttons, &c. In the after.
noon Gen. Grant visited a colored
church and was bored by several
speeches from colored orators; this ova
tion was moving on swimingly when a
sudden GOODNESS fell upon the "meetin,
for it was discovered that some thrifty
and enterprising "Son of Thunder" de
sired to combine business with pleasure
and doubtless disappointed in not hav
ing obtained that 40 acres and a mule
or perhaps wishing to continue in th'
procession as far as Little Rock en- rout,
for Kansas, or perhaps from the pen
chant of pure cussedness, however, thi
Grant man went through Major Some
body from Chicago, and relieved hin
: of fifteen dollars and all the railroa,
$ passes. This was the awful fly in til
pot Of ointment, the feelings of tn
: General were wounded in the house {
: his friends. After dark the party VII
: tied the theatre and the Tenn. Club, a
ter which banquet was spread at tn
$ Peabody, when a number of our loci
9 politicians and officials, and few pul
e lie men, spent few hours in toastins
e and blowing, and toadying the econ
0 ing man." the man who has seen ii
world, and who expects to. be, by IL
= grace of his friends, the next and la
h president of the United States.
u was going to say that Gen. Graz
reminded me forcibly of one of II
If special friends in McMinnville, but
o. l hope to visit you, and as l will nece
le sarily have 10 cross the square fro
ID Colville's corner to the Post Office, ar
TO as may be so weighted down vii
w Wolf River mud, that / could n
= run, and therefore fall victim for n
.. comparison, but when / come up | W
ID tell you, that is, if my friend is out
r. the country as he frequently is.
n MEMPHIS.