St. Paul daily globe., 1888-04-28
Anniversary of the Birthday
Of Gen. Grant Fittingly
Observed.
DeImonico's Filled With s
Throng Of Able and Dis
tinguished Men.
Roscoe Conkling's Seat Va
cant and Crowned With
Laurel WreathS.
Numerous Letters of Regret
---The Day at Pittsburg
and Elsewhere.

| Special to the Globe.
NEW YORK, April 27.-A banquet was
given at Delmonico's tonight to COM
memorate the birth of Gen. Grant. AS
was most fitting, the arrangements for
the affair were made by an old comrade
of the dead general and president, Gen.
W. T. Sherman. About one hundred
and fifty persons were present. All
parties and all ranks were represented
and everywhere appeared the small
bronze button significant of service in
the late war and membership in the
Grand Army of the Republic. The
walls of the banquet room were almost
concealed with flags and bunting, and
at the head of the room were three oil
paintings representing the dead soldier
in both his military uniform and in
civilians dress. In the arrangement of
the tables Gen. Sherman had departed
from the time-honored custom. Instead
of rows of long, closely-crowded tables,
eight round tables were scattered about
the room in the form of diamond and
in the center of the diamond was
ninth table. All the tables were pro-
fusely adorned with flowers and
lighted with wax tapers. The seat at
Gen. Sherman's table, which was to
have been occupied by the late Roscoe
Conkling, was vacant, and on the chair
was hung
HEAVY WREATH OF LAUREL.
Each table was presided over by
some distinguished soldier, statesman
or man of affairs, and On either side of
the presiding officer were seated six or
seven others. Gen. w. T. Sherman
presided over the first table, and on his
right sat Chauncey M. Depew-tbe
orator of the evening-and on his left
Mayor Abram s. Hewitt. The others
at the table were Gen. William Malone,
Gen. William III. Seward, the son of
Lincoln's secretary of state, Hon.
George W. Childs. Cyrus W. Field, Rev.
John r. Paxton Edward S: Pierrepont,
Gen. 9. B. Comstock, w. c.. Andrews,
Samuel Sloan, Capt. w. w. Paxton and
Albert Bierstadt. Among others pres
ent were: Gen. Fitz John Porter, Col.
A. LoudOn Snowden, of Philadelphia;
ID. 0. Mills, Gen. Stewart l.. WOOdford,
Gen. Wager Swayne, Col. Douglass,
Col. Robert g. Ingersoll, Elliot +. Shep-
ard, Hon. Elihu Root and Herman c.
Armour. The menu card was an elab-
crate one, engraved on double sheet of
celluloid, shaped like field tent aud
richly trimmed with cOlOred silk. On
one side was portrait of the late gen.
eral, on the other was the following:
U. S. Grant,
Born at Point Pleasant, o.,
April 27, 1922.
Graduated from West Point June 80, 1S43.
Married to Miss Julia Dent,
Aug. %, 1848.
Commissioned brigadier general 1861.
Surrender of Fort Donelson,
Feb 16, 1862.
Battle of Corinth, May 80, 1862.
Surrender of Vicksburg, July a, 1868.
Appointed lieutenant general. March, 1864.
Surrender of Lee, April g. 1865.
Inaugurated president, March 4, 1869.
Died at Mount McGregor, n. Y,
July 23, 1885.
sLet us have peace"
Among the letters of regret were
those received from the following: Hon.
William M. Evarts, Gen. j. S. Mosby,
Gen. S. B. Buckner, Gen. j. E. John
ston, j. G. Bancroft Davis, Gen. p. III.
Sheridan, Gov. d. B. Hill, Senator John
Sherman, Senator HiscOck and Admiral
Gherardi.
LETTERS OF REGRET.
Gen. Joseph E. Johnston wrote:
"Sympathizing earnestly with those
who desire to do honor to the great sol
dier's memory, it would crafty me
highly to avail myself of this invitation,
but very much to my regret, my obliga-
that privilege"
Col. j. S. Mosby's letter was as fol-
lows: Il am in receipt of your invita-
ton to banquet at DelmOnicO'S to cele-
brate the birthday of Gen. Grant. re-
gret that | cannot be with you on that
occasion to add my tribute to the mem
Dry of the generous soldier, whose vic
tories in peace were no less renowned
than in war. With pride | remember
that | honored him in life, and was not
one of those who did not discover his
virtues until he was dead"
Gen. Longstreet wrote from Gains
vile, Ga; II was more indebted to
Gen. Grant for personal kindness than
to any friend living or dead"
Col. Fred Grant sent the thanks of
the family in the following note; "Hav-
ing promised year ago that l would be
in Pittsburg ON the 9th of this month
to attend banquet given in honor of
Gen. Grants birthday, it is impossible
for me to accept your committees kind
invitation for the same date. The honor
thus paid to the memory of Gen. Grant
is deeply appreciated by his family, y,who
beg that the friends assembled with you
will accept their heartfelt thanks"
DR.. j. III. Douglass, Gen. Grants
physician, excused himself on the ground
of ill health.
President Cleveland sent the follow
ing telegram: "Gen. w. L. Sherman
/ will recall with heartfelt homage the
virtues and achievements of the illus
trious American"
Fitz Hugh Lee wrote citing the utter
ances of both Grant and Lee in favor of
peace, and said if followed it would as
sure our prosperous future.
Letters were also received from Gen.
Buckner, j. Bancroft Davis, Gov. Hill,
Gen. Sheridan, Senators Sherman and
HiScOck and others.
A Brilliant Gathering.