New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-08-08
THE BURIAL or GRANT

From the moment when the ueau o""S VI
General Grant became accessible to the
noonc the swarming crowds have Hooked 10
royo tbe;r last upon it. From Mt McCregor ID
Albany rho conntry turned out to line the road
o,d view the funeral car At the State Capitol
thousands awaited their turn to pass the
catafaloue: aud here in the great centre VI
population the stream of pilgrims has presst
stead ly to the City Hall night ana day "''n""'
intermission, so long as entrance was per-
mitted But the last opportunity Tor hxihg III
the peoples memory that pale, stern, sad lace
bas nassed. and to-day the final honors VIII DC
maid to the great dead in Transferring tue
remains to the tomb. In New York great
PROCESSION. splendd with the pomp OF military
disnl,v. imposing in numbers and III the
character and variety of the civic bodies TAKING
mart in il. solemn and touching in the "mourn-
f,l martial music" that accompanies It, VIII
wind through the silence streets ana escort
the catafaldue to the temporary tonD. Az lhe
same time throughout the country, III cities
towns and hamlets. other professions VIII ne
held and other services and ceremonies ne per-
formed to mark the universally of the sentl-
ment which unites the Nation Ill mourning
over the bier OF Grant
II is not vulgar curiosity nor frivolous love
OF parade. that strs the people of the United
States to-day. Whoever has observed the end
less stream pressing TO view he BODY a IL lay
in state knows that deeper and higher feeling
is being manifested. The people realize that III
the burial of Grant an epoch Is about 10 DC
closed that earth has seen the last OF the thlrd
of the great trinity of patriots to whom the
Republc owes its existence, puriiication ana
n,eservation. In the names Of Washington,
Lincoln and Grant is embodied all that is most
critical in the country's history. and all that Is
most heroic in the deeds of her sons. The
passing away of the last of these great men
marks the end of a division i'll the National liie'
and hen .eforth that book is sealed. But Grant
dead has done more than most men living could
effect to remove the lingering traces OF dlscoru.
| In the freshened memory OF his patriotism
his devotion, his achievements and his noble
| simplicity, National pride has received strong
stimulus. The feeling thac this was great
| American citizen has penetrated everywhere
and has overmastered sectional prejudice. Inc
bonors paid to tn dead chief in England have
/ doubtless heightened this National pride, and
| to-day the union Of the country over his open
grave tvpitied BY the presence of Confederate
| Generals among his pail bearers. is genuine.
heartfelt and all-pervading emotion.
| Never has the Nation exhibited so spon-
| taneous and general a grief n, for this loss.
! The pathetic circumstances OF the last Illness,
the gallantry and modesty of the fight against
disease. certainly 1uckened public interest and
| held public attention to the details OF the slow
moving tragedy. But the mourning OF to-day
| is founded on recognition of the important part
| taken by Grant in National history, and on
realization of the high qualities which alone
could have fitted him for the great work he
| ACCOMPLISHED 1t is in two aspects that he Is
| and must be viewed: the great captain and
~ the remarkable man. The people OF
America will perhaps cherish most and longest
their remembrance of those traits in him which
marked his superiority to the average man
the force of character, the self-polse, the tran
ouillity of mind, which enabled him to master
| the most entangled critical military situa-
ton. They will remember these traits because,
after all, it is knowle gc of the personal
character of the great which is most desired by
the world, and naturally. since 1t Is this
knowlc ige which establishes the chain OF
sympathy through a common humanity.
Grants greatness has been acknowledged, not
| only by his own countrymcn, but by the
civilized world, and this fact lends additional
significance and solcInnity to his obscquies.
Contemporary observation is always 50 dimmed
by the msts of envy and detraction that the
clearest visions OF historical characters are too
often retrospective. If it has not been so in
Grants case the fact is due to the genuncness
of his deserts and the utter absence i'll him OF
| self-seeking. This, too, the common people
have marked and appreciated, and they will put
aside their business to-day, and drape theiI
houses in mourning, and do honor to his
memory in all ways open to them. not only
because he wrought 80 greatly for his country
not only because he has earned immortal
renown, but because their hearts warm to this
simple man among men, who only knew his
duty, and who did it always without talking
about it, according to his lights.