The Portland daily press., 1886-06-01

And what of other military geniuses? The
field of Marathon was won by. Greek gen
eral who was afterward tried by his country
men for a capital offence, and condemned TO
suffer the death penalty. Pompey, the Ro-
man, represents the aristocracy OF Rome; ana
fell in their defence. Hannibals brllllant
genius was given, not to the establishment Oh
broad principle, important to human
ity, but to the maintenance OF the
commercial supremacy OF his country:
Scipio Africanus but followed the legend OF
Rome-Delendd est Cdrthdgo-and knew
no loftier purpose than the destruction OF
commercial rival. The empire of Charlie
magne, representing no new epoch IN his
tory, and no establishment of great princi-
pie fell to pieces after hisdeath. Wellington
was not so great a soldier as Napoleon;
while his sword was carried at the simple
command of sovereign not often just and
never magnanimOus. In something less than
quarter of a century Napoleon Bonaparte
came upon the field of human activity; ran
through his dazzling. career, and, like an
eagle shOrn of both talons and pinions, was
cooped up in narrow prison walk, where
he was destined to terminate his days
in inglOrious complaint. During his brief
career the European world was shaken to
its centre, nations were oVerthroWh, dynas-
ties leyeled with the dust, new states were
brought into being, and unknown men were
called to rule them. The fields of Europe
became eneampments of moving armies, and
the world rang with the glory OF a solder,
who was mysterlously spoken OF DIS the the
period mentioned this human meteor had
risen and flashed along the sky; had culml-
mated in the zenith of military glery, ana
had disappeared beneath the horizon, leav-
ing scarce line to mark It's Drllnant pas
sage Some substantial results nave re-
NAMED to the French people from the career
of Napoleon; but, for the most part, MS
achievements were personal IN u. character, ll
and their only glory lies peneaon a sne FTapa eapc
wading through blood to reach republican
ism, and, through personal ambition, ne TIv-
eted the chain of empire upon 1t. Inc
Roman general, Sulla, was one OF the most
brilliant military geniuses OF ms perclo9. ms
career covers an important page of Roman
history. After his death monument was
erected to honor him, upon when was
inscribed an epitaph that ne himself had
written, as follows; Il am oulIa, the lorlu-
nate. who in the course of my life have sur
passed both friends and enemies; the former
by the good and the latter by the evil have
done them.''
Men and women of Americal In our gen.
Grafton man has lived great enough as a
military leader to subdue a force OF insurrec..
ton that could have annihilated any army OF
the world from the time OF Cyrus down to
that of Napoleon. A man has lived, VINO,
weighed with the enormous results moving
from his work into the ramificatlons OF the
unknown future, was immeasurably greater
than CYRUS, above Alexander, grander than
Caesar, supreme over Pompey, Hannibal, ana
Scipio, towering among Charlemagne, tne
Prince of Orange, Frederick the Great, wei
lington and Napoleon, and whose name Is
not to be mentioned in connection with those
of Miltiades and Sulla. In all authentic
military history, the work of put one lndl-
vidual approaches that OF Grant. Two
names should be chiseled upon the majestic
column that, leaping from the banks OF the
Potomac, rears its graceful head far into the
clouds, the living ambassador from CRATE,
full people to the borders of the undiscovered
country. to which both soldiers have gone
Washington and Grant! The warriors OF
liberty! One its father and the other lts
latest defender.
blowing over sterile plain bore within It's
arms little seed torn with ruthless force
from its matrix on lofty tree and dropped
the seed upon the sand to perish. bright,
winged beetle, weary with flight and languld
with the chilly air, rested for moment upon
the arid plain. The little seed dropped by
KOlus served to satisfy the hunger OF the
beetle, which presently winged its flight to
the margin of swift-running brook tnat
had sprung from the mountain Slde anu
cleaving a bed through rocks OF granlte |
went gaily laughing upon It's cneery way
down to the ever-rolling sea-. Slipping drop |
of the crystal flood, the beetle craWled With |
in a protecting ledge and, folding its wings, |
lay down to pleasant dreams. The Ice klng
passed along and touched the insect IN us
sleep. Its mission was tulhlled; Dat Dl!, me me
conflict of the seasons continued until the
White Destroyer melted in the breath OF
balmy spring. And then sunbeam sped 10
the chink wherein the body OF the insect |
lay, and searching for the little seed en-
tombed but not destroyed, invited it to ''joini
the jubilee of returning life and nope.
Under the soft ~ooing of the peopled ray the
little seed began to swell with Joy, tiny root
lets were developed within the BODY OF tne
min a SlOf
its gaping mouth, and, To- a mighty tree had
been carried from the desert, saved from the
frosts of winter. nurtured and started npon
its mission of life and usefulness pJ an NUM-
bic insect that had perished Wltn tne mowers.
The agent had passed away; but building
better than he knew, the wlde-spreaqlDg Tree
remained by the margin OF the lfe-glving
brook, a shelter and rest to the weary
many fretfuI centuries. A child, abandoned
by its mother to perish IN an egyptian
marsh, may become the instrument TO deliver
a nation from bondage, and an unostenta-
tious man, unknown TO fortune ana 70 lame,
tined to benefit the human race as long as IL
may last upon the earth.
Oh mighty agent OF a grateful people,. we
are here to do you honor. On! inspired
genius, we are come to render testimony OF
the benefeence of your work. Noble citizen,
kind husband, loving father, good FRIEND
great captain, chosen agent! the work thou
hast done will shine from the armament as a.
new star to light the coming generations; Its
ray shall pale the rich troopers OF the night,
and forever flash with undiminished fire In
presence of the god of day. Until another
year shall reawaken the flowers and fill the
yernal air with incense, we leave , thee with
the faithful spirits that guard thy rest and
smile about thy tomb
General Logan was frequently applauded
and occupied one hour in his Grafton All
the minute guns were fired from the war
ships anchored under the bluff, and at the
conclusion of the services the battalion OF
then the warships fired a salute, Bishop
Harris then pronounced the benediction and
the entire assemblage sang America" 1t
then dispersed.
President Cleveland and Secretaries Lamar
and Whitney left Jersey City on the Wash
ington express shortly after midnight.
NEW York, May 31-The Memorial Day
ceremonies which began yesterday In Brook
lyn were continued to-day upon scale which
exceeded that of any ever held before: Inc
twenty third regiment of the National Guard
of the State of New York had the honor OF
escorting the President and party from the
ferry to the residence of Joseph Knapp. The
streets along the line Of march were thronged
with spectators, anxious to get look at tne
President, and the crush was so great that 1t
required the services of large force OF po-
lice to clear sufficient space for the process
sion on the streets. The line formed and
PISSED in review. The President said he was
much pleased with the appearance OF the
men and the parade. After the procession
was dismissed, various Grand Army posts
then wended their way to the various ceme-
teries, where appropriate ceremonies were
held and the graves of the soldiers decorated.
FROM WASHINGTON.