The Waco daily examiner. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 187?-1888, 1885-07-29
Grants Resting Place.

II is a melancholy reflection that In
the death of the first American sol
der there should arise such discus
sion as the one now going on. or that
such necessity should exist. lie had |
been for nine long months, dying, full |
in the face of fifty millions of people.
Every word spoken, every prayer
brcathed at the sick bed, every
thought. purpose aid emotion of the
great man was given to the public, al |
most while the sound fingered in the
room. IL was indeed, atrying ordeal,
and that he came out of II as he did,
does honor to the race and covers his
own name with imperisbable honor.
IL is n shame. however, that M soon IA
the breath had left his body, as soon |
as the guiding hand had been stilled
in death, sad mistake was made-one
of tn Sc things was done which show
so plainly the mate vulgarity and I'M
fitness of those left behind-illustrat-I
ing again, and in a forcible way, that
the sons of the great men Of this age
OF the world, stand farthest in the
shadow of greatness. The selection
of New York as the resting place of
Grant, was vulgar selection, 1t was
pandering to the hurrah tastes of
the times, which, of itself, was I'M
seemly aud ridiculous in the
extreme. The selection of Cen
trail Park-the pleasure ground of
the great metropolis, place
dedicated to music, mirth and gayety
as the place of scpulture of the savior
of the nation is in and of itself one of
the most grotesque exhibitions ever
made. Were the church to select the
stage of variety theatre as the more
fitting place to administer the holy
sacrament of the Lords supper the
taste would not be more execrable,
the sacrilege more glaringly mon
strous. Aside from its vulgarity it is
unpatriotic and for these reasons:
At Arlington, across the river from
the national capitol, sleep many thous
ands of men who followed Grant, and
won for him the fame that will send
his name down to the remotest ages.
as the patriot who,ncxt after WASH
ington was dearest to the nation--the
one established the nation and the
other preserved it. These heroes OF u
lesser mould lie in sbady, quiet
, graves. Green grass and bright How
ers are Gods adornments of their
tombs. The quiet and seclusion fit
; tingly solemuize the last resting-place
of the soldier, who spent his life for
the perpetuation of that government
tho spires of whose temples show
: above the trees. What more fitting
: place of sculpture for the chieiiain,
who led the now silent hosts to
victory Who, have better right
10 be ncighbors TO him in the last
e blyouac this side of eternity! Ger
: tainly not the struggling mirthiul
garish crowds who seek Central
Park as they would monkey show
What compliment such selection
: would have been to the heroes who
made Grant possibility. What eii-
couragement to those who III
the future are expected Ia
bare their breasts to the storm
of bullets of the enemies of the coun'
|, try ID is very unfortunate that thit
selection has been made, and still
more unfortunate that the discussion
i has been had. 1t is a glaring exhibit
ton of vulgarity, and empty pretense
!, as shameful as il is unfeeling toward
the soldicry of the nation.
Had Col. Fred Grant been in pos
c session of shadow OF the strong
common sense which the son of hi:
father should have had, his heart
would have turned as unerringly tC
Arlington as tho sun turns TO the
c west, when the death OF the day comes
4 on. This great opportunity TO wed
his own name aud that of his father
TO the mass OF the common citizen
y ship of the country, has been lost. A
vulgar snobbishness, an aping oi
aristocraiic modes which place Their
dead kings full in the glare of the pub
4 lie gaze has operated TO induce the
family of General Grant 10 violate
4 one of the laws of feeling, and all Of
the laws of good taste in the final dis.
position of his remains. The time
: will come, when Americans will
y blush over this affair. 70 have
his honored remains among his dead
: followers at Arlington would have
met every requirement ofieeling and
q taste. The government might prop
4 erly have built over them, or on one OF
. the streets of the capital, national
. monument to his greatness. New
, York could have built one for herself
in Central Park. Philadelphia, Balti-
more, Boston, Chicago and st. Louis
also wherever they pleased. This
J would have been far better. But
what would be better still would be
to unite and found a great hospital
for the reliei. succor and care Of the
soldiery OF both sections al some con-
yenient point, and give TO II The hon.
ored name of rant.