The Press., 1885-08-13
MEMORIAL ADDRESS
ON THE DEATH OF GEN. U. s. GRANT

ON THE DEATH OF GEN. U. s. GRANT At Norwich, Conn.,. Aug. sth. 1885, by REV. K. M
 TAYLOR of Stafford Springs
 MT. President-Ladies and gentlemen The honor your committee conferred upon me through their invitation to stand in this presence, at this hour, is one which lays firm hold of my heart.
 For nine weary months the eyes of this nation have been turned towards the sick room in which death was making his steady advance upon the life of the greatest sol dier of our country. To-day the crape- fringed flags, darkened streets, and the slow moving procession of nation in sor- row, tells us that death has at last conquer ed our great Battle Chieftain. With lov- ing hearts and reverent hands, the nation he saved wraps the flag of his victories about him, and lays all that is mortal of pointed for all living.
 He has gone from us, and our hearts yearn to bring in these memorial services the offerings of our love and reverence
 We loved him for his magnanimous spirit. We trusted the orb of his genius in the trying days of battle. We respect ed his robust manliness. We admired his character of lofty principles in union with his gentle kindness. In these last days we have wept tears of sympathy at his matchless fortitude and christian patience by which he met the grim adversary from whom he escaped during the dreadful scenes of a hundred battles.
 On the 16th of February, 1862, the wires flashed the news all over the Repub- lie that GEN. GRANT had taken Fort Don- elson.
 On that day the nation first caught 6 public view of GEN. GRANT.
 As the smoke of that battle cleared away it revealed to us the man who was to di- rect the destiny of our army and stamp out the life of monster rebellion.
 From that day onward, through the stir ring scenes of Vicksburg, Shilo, and the unparalleled conflict in the Wilderness, we have trusted him.
 Our gloomy doubts became bright hopes. Our anxiety was exchanged for confidence when we remembered, in the darkest hours of those dreadful days, that the hand of our chief was on the helm.
 Like the storm terrified mariners, with Cesar on board, who were restored to cour- age by the voice that cried out in the storm, "Fear not Remember, you carry Caesar!' 5s-s-
 So our trembling hearts grew strong, and the clouds of despair were tinged with the bow of promise, as veteran and citizen remembered that the Invincible ULYSSES of the American Republic was directing the destinies of our cause.
 We would be false to the proprieties of this hour of sorrow, if we should attempt to place an estimate on or undertake an analysis of his public life as formative factor in our nations history.
 We stand too near the man to-day to form correct judgments in this respect.
 The artist who strives to put on canvas the sublime features of the mountain does not simply stand at its base and look nI it's grandly sloping sides. He removes to the distant valley or the neighboring hill where sunlight and shadow blend in diff ferent tones of color, where the majesty oi it's outline and. the sublimity of its height may be judged by comparison with its fel lows. EE* s3sE EHEs2s
 How grandly will our hero shine, as hls name rises through the scenes of the flu. ture His name and fame will be undy. ing wherever goodness is q'eveTed and Lib erty loved. As the old Romans braided the wreath of oak leaves and crowned the man who saved the life of one of her citizens, SC Liberty stands by the side of her noble soI today, with tear-traced cheeks, and braids with loving hands her oaken wreath, lay ing it in her sorrow upon his cold brow, as the fitting symbol to him who saved hel life to the American people. From the tender solemnities of his hour of nationa grief, the fame of U. s. GRANT will gt forth to climb the starry pathways of i'm mortal memory in company with those choice souls of all ages, who knew nt danger, who regarded no sacrifice
 :sWhere bonds were to be broken, and Liber l ty won," - Whose armor to-day shines in the beams o
 Eternity's Sun.
 Our nation has stood by the graves o many of her noble sons. Other grea names have had many of the characteristic of the man for whom we mourn to-day Many on: this roll of honor have been tn possessors of gifts and graces far beyon' him in some respects.
 But in one peculiar sense our natio never buried such man.
 She never stood by the grave of one wh by the magnanimity of his spirit had unite the hearts of his enemies and called fort such tender expressions of sympathy an affection from the men whom he conquere in bitter civil strife.
 The very cities through which he rod as victorious Union General are at hi funeral to- day with hearts full of sympathy
 If we reverently seek the cause of thf respect and affection which to-day unite the nation over the grave of GEN. GRAN! we will find that it consists in as large measure of those qualities which he DO sessed as a man and citizen as it does those victories and honors which mao him Conqueror and President.
 The first of those qualities claiming m tice is his magnanimity as man.
 The old adage has sounded ill our ca many times, ''Of the dead speak nothir , but good. y
 Certainly of our dead we can say that the hving he spoke nothing but good.
 Some one has said of the great Vc , Moltke, ss'That he could keep silent in SC en. different languages" And how true this thought as applied to the life of GE CHANT.
 In the midst of the jealous cavils of tn army life through which he struggled success, history fails to record sing utterance derogatory to the character any man. <.
 During his life as president, when u papers were maligning him and the tongl of islander was busy with his name, never had hard or cruel things to say abo his defamers. Perhaps in future years may be known as our" William the Silent