, 1889-10-10
THREE HEROES.
dwelling the Portraits of Grant,
Sherman and Sheridan at
West Point.
imposing Ceremonies and an APP
propriate Address by Cen
eral Horace Porter.
The Venerable General Sherman
Weeps and Gives the Cadets
Good Advice.

Point to-day was the scene of imposing
ceremonies, which are destined TO be-
some memorial in its annals. The visit
,f the international American congress
and the unvoiing of the portraits of
jrant, Sheridan and Sherman presented
~ George w. Childs, were the principal
features. A special train containing del.
.gates to the international American
congress arrived about O'Clock. Car
.iagcs awaited the delegates and they
were driven to the residence of Supcrin-
.endent Wilson, where distinguished
company had assembled to welcome
hem. a booming of cannon announced
.ho arrival at the post ol
;hC distinguished guests. The Sec
retary OF war was the first to
,light from the carriage and as he
stood upon the veranda of the supern-
.endents quarters he was warmly
greeted by General Sherman, General
Horace Porter General Van Vloet, Mr..
George w. Childs, Wayne MCNeagh and
Tho academic and military stan of the
post. There was an immense crowd OF
spectators Congregated under the trees
On the edge of the plain. A battalion OF
,udets marched In review before tho
visitors. The machino.likc precision OF
mOyement and soldierly appearance OF
,he cadets elected from the foreigners
many complimentary remarks. The
battalion marched to Grant hall The
;rowd quickly followed, and in II twink
ling the hall was jammed with people.
A platform had been erected at the north
anu of the room where the portraits OF
.he great generals, Grant, Sherman and
Sheridan, hung on the wall, each yelled
IN the United States flag. The exercises
were opened with prayer by the chap
lain Of the post, Rev. DIR. Postlethwaite.
The superintendent then raised bis
hand. A tap of the drum followed. The
Hags fell from the pictures and they
,tood revealed in all their beauty. The
battalion presented arms, the band
played Hail Columbia" and the audi
,ncc sprang to their feet and cheered.
General Horace Porter was then intro
duced and made the presentation adj
dress, in which he eulogizcd the three
generals and donor of the pictures sub
itantially as follow:
ADDRESS OF GENERAL HORACE PORTER.
1t has been said that the only repre-
'entatives of royalty recognized in this
and are our merchant princes. We are
Indebted for the occasion which brings
Us together to-day to the princely act of
public spirited and patriotic citizen
who has conferred upon the military
academy souvenirs fher three most dis
.nguished graduates whose historic
features have been transferred to canvas
oy the limners art. One dwelling in
our midst two dwelling in our mem
)rles. One bearing the laurel upon
living brow; two wearing the laurel
ntertwined with the cypress The his
.ory of their lives is the most brilliant
,haptcr in the history of their country.
II tsavors more of romance than reality;
( is more like IL fabled tale of ancient
lays than the story of American soldiers
>f the nineteenth century.
Most of the conspicuous characters in
history have risen TO prominence by
gradual steps, but the senior of the tri-
mvirate, whose features are recalled to
IS to-day, came before the people with a
iuc'den bound. Almost the first sight
,.lught of him was in the blaze of mis-
,;nup'iires and the flashes of his guns
hose wintry days and nights i'm front of
pcnolson. From that time until the
losing triumph at Appomattox the
I ysses ), Grant. AS light and shade
3Tuduce the most attractive effects in q
picture, so the singular contrasts, the
''rauge yicissitudes of his evcntftil life
'uirUund him with an interest which at
aches to Few characters in history. His
'iSc from an obscure lieutenant to tho
command of the veteran armies of the
great republic; his transition from II
iroItier post of the untrodden West to
the executive mansion of the nation; his
slttingat one time in little store at Ga.
to lao
Elan from his district ut another time
stTlding through the palaces of the old
world, with the descendants of II line of
Sings rising and standing uncovered in
his presence. These are some of the
features OF shis marvellous career which
appeal to the inauguration, excite
mems wonder and fascinate all who
make study of his life.
lie was created for great emergencies.
was the very magnitude Of the task
which called forth the powers which
it. In ordinary matters he
was an ordinary man; in momentous
aHairs he lowered as u giant. When
performing the routine duties of a com
pnny post there was no act to make him
above his fellow.otflcers
but when he welded corps and armies
the great qualities OF the commander
flashed forth, and his master-strokes of
genius stamped him as the foremost
soldier of his age. When he hauled
wood from his little farm and sold it in
81, Louis his inlnciering was hardly
equal to that of the small farmers about
MIN, but when message was to be sent
by president to congress that would
puncture the iallacies of the inhationists
and throttle by a veto the attempt of
iinwisc legislators to cripple the finances
Of the nation, state paper was produced
which has ever since commanded the
wonder and admiration of every believer
IN @ sound currency. He was made for
great things, not for little. He could
collect fifteen millions from Great Brit
iin in settlement of the Alabama claims:
ic could not protect his own personal
savings from the mscreants who robbed
lim in Wall street.
II there is one word which describes
better than any other the predominating
of his nature, that word Is
.oyulty. lie was loyal to his friends,
Oyal To his family, loyal to his country
and loyal 10 his God. This trait natur-
ally produced reciprocal effect upon
-hosc vino were brought into relations
with him. and was one of the chief rea-
sons why men became SO Loyalty at
.achcd 10 him. Many public man has
hud troops of adherents who chung to
him only for the patronage dispensed at
his hands, or being dazzled by his power
bccamc blind partisans In u cause he
represented, but perhaps no other man
.han General Grant ever had so many
friends who loved him for his
own sake, whose affection only strength
sucd with time, whose attachment never
varied in its devotion whether he was
general or president or simply private
citizen.
Even the valor of his martial deeds
was surpassed by the superb heroism he
displayed when fell disease attacked
liEl, Wacn the hand which had seized tho