St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-08-09
Address of r., Drake

The next speech was that of Mr.. E. r.
Drake, the main points of which were as
follows:
We are here to-day, an assemblage COM
posed of all political parties and all religious
| creedS, with 4 common impulse and with
united voice, to do honor to the memory of
the patriot soldier, whose death is mourned
by the whole American people. Neither the
time allotted me nor the occasion will permit
any extended review of the life and deeds of
the renarkable man whose mortal remains
are to-day consigned to his mother earth
The history of the life and acts of Gen.
Grant, when fully written, will abound with
real incidents as startling as ever imagined
by writer of fiction.
MIR. Drake here gave an account of the
history of Gen. Grant, his early home life,
admittance into the military academy, with
brief reference to his history as war
riOr and statesman.
BY mistake of the congressman who rec
commended him for West Point, his name was
entered ut the academy as Ulysses S. Grant
10 this incident were the soldiers indebted
for the magic letters u. S. c., which they
humOrously rendered Uncle Sam Grant"
unconditional Surrender Grant, and
UNITED States Grant, After brief SER
vice in the army the general resigned his
commission, married. engaged in farming
with little success, and when war came and
tine national flag was fired upon, he was en-
joying Il clerkship in small business with
salary OF $500 n year. Those of us who
had reached manhood when Sumpter was
fired upon will remember how the act startled
ami awakened the patriotism of the entire
Northern states. Sumpter was fired upon
April 18TH. The president called for troops
on the 10TH On the 10th Gen. Grant,
then n private citizen was drilling volunteer
He had been educated at the public expense
and felt it to be duty to offer his services to
the government Mcclellan had been placed
on duty in Ohio; to him Grant offered his
services, which were not accepted.
HIS JOURNEY AROUND THE WORLD.
Mr. Drake then continued:
After he retired from public life he made a
journey around the world, receiving atten-
lions and hOnOrs such as no other man ever
received; though "a private citizen he received
the homage of kings and emDerors. The i'm
pcrious Bismarck, the sacred mikado, both
extended to him the hand of welcome, and
even the aristOcratic queen of England, smart
ing as her nation was under the humiliation
of having to pay millions for the injury done
or permitted during our war. received Gen.
Grant with marked attentions and honors
Neither Office and applause at home nor at
tcntiOns abroad ever changed the plain and
manly character of Gen. Grant. He remained
tine same transformations citizen as when he
entered on his grand career. 1t is well known
that he more highly priced the distinction of
being chief OF the Grand Army of the Repub-
lie than all other hOnOrs he enjoyed. Years
must pass after death before worthy memoirs
Of men can be written. Impartial history
will portray faithfully the vice and virtue
and the folly and wisdom of men.
1t is difficult by comparison to estimate
Gen. Grant as a soldier. No general in COM
mand Of armies before him had such a task
to perform, none had such armies to COM
mand, such an enemy to meet. The people
he was fighting were his brethren, the OPP
posing officers his personal friends He went
forth 10 duty stern, silent, persistent, taking
any place or rank assigned him, obeying his
! Supporters, seeking not promotion, jealous of
none. He was fierce in battle, but when the
/ enemy surrendered, gentle and kind as
( father to an erring, submissive child. By his
generous terms to Lees army he made friends
OF the South, and by his firm demand Of his
! own government that the generous terms he
had accorded should be faithfully adhered to
( he saved the honor of our rulers.
HIS PRIVATE LIFE.
| Here we leave the public life of Gen. Grant
/ to consider briefly his private life, his social
and family relations. 1t has been said that
/ prior 10 the war he was Incorporate. III thai
/ were true, his life since has been q grand eX-
hibitiOn of his moral greatness. After ne
took upon him the burthen OF pubic service
/ his hfe has been without reproach. AS
friend he was firm, lasting and steadfast as
| the pole star. In his family he was q model
husband and q kind father. To the poor he
was generous. The Christian religion he
| honored, and respected the religion of all
! creeds entitled to respect. When disease had
/ fastened upon him and death became certain
/ i'm the rear future, his thoughts were not for
| his own fame. but his wife, who had been
/ during his eventful career the sharer of hia
/ iovs and sorrows was, his chief con-
/ eern. His labOrs in completing on q
bed of pain his war history placed
[ her beyond pecuniary want. Then came uu
( the question where should he be buriedf
! He answered, Wherever my family and NV
! country wish, with only one condition, nv
wife must be permitted to rest by my sile.h
1t viii be no breach or privacy for me to here
relate touching incident illustrative of this
tender husband and loving wife 1t sounds
like some story of romance. After the stern
soldier had closed his eyes in DEATH there was
found in his pocket near his heart a letter OF
many pages addressed to his wife no doubt
full of advice for her future, and breathing
last farewell assurance of love. As he now
sleeps in his silent grave there is in that same
pocket near his heart q tender response to
that last letter from her who survives him
we seek not to know the contents of either
letter. We know from their afectionate lives
that these last messages were of love.
THE CONCLUSION.
Inc time allotted me has expired I leave
with you subject, which feel is too great
Tor my limited abilities. Other and ADLER
| speakers Will follow me- They hope will
present incidents of his last days, when on