The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-10-10
GENERAL HowARp's LECTURE.
An Interesting Talk on the Character
Of General Grant.

An Interested audience gathered in City
Hall last evening to listen to lecture by
Maj. Gen. y. o. Howard, U. S. A, upon the
topic dear to the hearts of all Americana 8.
"The Life of General Grant, Mayor Melcher
presided and introduced the speaker. On
the platform were seated Secretary Lawrence
of the 4. M. c. A, George F. French, Major
VIM. Nick. Dunn, U. S. A Gen. Henry G.
Inomas, U. 5. A; r. K. Galley, ESQ.,, Hon.
Henry b. Cleaves, d. d. Kicker, ESQ, Hon.
w. +. Lunt, H. Mitchell, ESQ, L. b. NAL
lett, Jr', Commander Frank Wildes. u. 5.
NJ; Capt. j. L. Parker, u. S. II. M, Thomas
>. Little, Esq, and Mayor Melcher. General
Howard commenced his address by saying:
He supposed his audience was disappointed
ia MIN as certain man said he was when
tnat the third quarter of the 18th century was
signalized In this country by the formation
OF the present stable government Of which
Washington was the leading figure. The
lied by mighty CONFUSION which was
guided to a safe issue by single figure.
Grant. Or In fact there were two figures,
Lincoln and Grant; both were at first oppro-
priated but both In the end triumphed over
their enemies The General then sketched
.
the Generals military talents were inherited
from long line of war like ancestors. As a
boy, Ulysses displayed fondness for noise
and confusion, keeping however calm and
unmoved during the tumult himself. At the
age. of II years he was nominated for the
military academy and carried there the
same traits that had always characterized
him. He entered the army at the commence
ment OF the Mexican war as a brevet second
lieutenant and served with credit and dis
tination raaaipinn fun hraua M
married in 1S4S to Miss Julia Dent of st.
Louis, and soon afterward was ordered to
the Pacific where he performed service for
two years.. when after having been pro-
mtted to be captain, he resigned and re-
entered private life: First he tried farming,
entered the tanning business with his father
at Galena. Ill. He was here when the war
broke out. He at once volunteered and be-
come colonel of the 21st Illinois volunteers.
In the first years of the war he was ig-
nored or maiigned. but he worked his way
up by genuine ability to recognition and i'm.
portant command. The capture of Vicksburg
was the turning point In his career. From
then on his friends increased and multiplied
and his enemies grew less numerous. From
personal "reminiscences. General Howard
related in an interesting manner the story of
his first acquaintance with General Grant,
and many little incidents during their later
friendship that tended to bring out the great
commanders character in the strongest
light He gave touching account of his
last visit to General Grant. after the fatal
disease had clutched him by the throat, and
then in closing answered the question, as to
whether or not Grant died a Christian.
Taking the test Of Christianity asIthat given
In the Bible, to visit the widowed and the
fatherless in their affiiction and to keep the
law, General Howard showed that General
Grant fought the good fight, kept the faith
and died in the hope of life beyond the
grave.
General Howard spoke in an easy, IA
miliar style. frequently nterpolating his lee
ture with explanations and asides, and held
the close attention of the audience through.
out the delivery.