, 1880-04-18
GEN. GRANT.
A Hearty Welcome Extended to
Him from Cairo to Bfoom-
ington.
Citizens Of Bloomington Wild
Over the Presence Of
the Hero.
The Generals Speech in Reply to the
Addresses Of Welcome.

Al bLOOhlNtIONs. lL1s~
Special Dtspateh to Tbs Chicago Tribune.
| BLOOMINGTON, Ill.,, April Bloomington
never saw wilder or more excited day. I
had been announced that Grant would arrive
here early in the forenoon, and every train
OF night and day came in loaded down.
Early in the day the city fairly glowed with
bunting floating from every building, win
dows full OF pictures Of Grant and bright
with National colors, and the streets fairly
blockaded. When it was learned that the
party could not arrive before late in the even
| Ing, great WIS the disappointment The
party left Cairo at 10 on special train, In
President Ackerman's private car. The train
stopped at every station. Senator Logan was
! aboard, and came as fur as Carbondale., His
presence added to the excitement through
| out Egypt, and he was made to speak often.
| Gen. Grant appeared at each station, shook
hands, and now and then made a brief
| speech. At Centralia great preparation had
been made, and the party disembarked and
were rendered reception, which was very
neat affair. At Decatur Senator Oglesby
and the Committee from Bloomington got
on. On the way the train was delayed three
hours at Elkville by an excursion train OF
the track. When the train reached Clinton
all the bells OF Bloomington were rung By
prearrangement. An immense crowd gath
cred at the depot. At II o'clock the
train arrived, and, amid cheers and
salute OF artillery, the party moved into
carriages, and proceeded into the city il pro-
cession, headed by a military band. Arriy-
Ing at the hotel, Gen. Grant and friends
passed into the hall upon the second floor.
when Justice John II. Scott, of the State Su-
preme Court stepped forward and in few
well-chosen and eloquent words welcomed
the honored guest to the city. Gen. Grant
stood hat in hand surrounded by attentive
auditors When Judge Scott had concluded,
Mr.. Gus Hill, a colored student OF the Wes-
1eyan law class, stepped before the General,
and In a brief and eloquent speech, which
was heartily applauded, presented mag
nifcent bouquet, plucked, as he said, by the
hands Of toilers made freemen by the illus
trious visitor. Gen. Grant then responded a
follows:
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: 1t Is alike
pleasing for me to be thus welcomed by those
who have always been upon the same side
with me and those who recently were not.
It may be appropriate on this occasion to
refer to my trip through the Southern States
and to what have seen while travelling.
have been gratitied at my reception in all the
TBe,ctG;ntiy-repelliqHs B,e States. l passed from
and on my return came via Texas FROM Mex
leo, thus passing. through all the rebellious
States. and 1t Will be agreeable to all to know
that hospitality was rendered me at every
city through which I passed, and accepted il
nearly all OF them by me. The same deco
ratl0nS were seen in every State that are seen
here tonight The Union flag floated over
US everywhere, and the eyes Of the people In
those States are Us familiar with its colors
as yours, and look upon it as guarantee
ing to them all the rights and privi-
leges OF a free people without re-
gard to race, color, or previous condition
Of servltude. In most OF the States, upon
the Reception Committees, side by side, we're
men that wore the blue and men that wore
the gray, and reception addresses were made
in part by those who wore the blue and those
who wore the gray: We have no reason to
doubt that those who wore the gray will fuE
fill all they have promised in loyalty to the
flag and the Nation. After travelling nearly
three years in foreign lands, and comparing
their conditions and institutions with those
Of the United States, | am sure that we all
and gentlemen of Bloomington, thank you.
In reSpose to long and repeated cheering,
Gen. Grant stepped on the balcony and
bowed. The party then stepped into the
dining-room and partook Of supper. Gen.
Grant retired early, being thoroughly worn
cut by the days labor. The party consists
of Gen. and Mrs. Grant, Col. Fred Grant.
Miss Kittie Felt of Ga1ena, and Miss Ti,lie
McKenno1l, of Wheeling, w. Va. To-mor-
row Gen. Grant attends the First Methodist
Episcopal Church, and in the afternoon will
visit Normal. Tile party leave Bloomington
at II o'clock Monday.