Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-27

A'A
acknowledged the ruling is followed, and the
president OF the highest Legislative body OF one
of our great commonwealth, himself a member
OF the party of the minority, indorses the action
OF the Speaker, and there is a general acquies'
cence in the wisdom and the common sense
OF the rule Grant stood for his time, for our
time, and for all time as the personification OF
patriotic impulse and patriotic effort Through
out all his career in military and in civil life,
rior TO the faults and foibles which were en-
phasized and exaggerated at the time, was his
broad patriotism. which covered our Whoie
country, and embraced within the scope OF its
desires and efforts the good of the whole
people of every class and section.
Need Of the Hour.
There is constant need, never more than now,
that such an example should be held up for
the imitation OF the young men of the coun.
try. Great questions which affect the welfare
of the entire people, which 60 to the root OF
our industrial as well as our political inde-
pendence, which must influence the future
welfare as well as the present prosperity of the
entire country. is upon us. They must be dis
cussed and decided in the broad, comprehen-
sive, statesmanlike. patriotic way. Not from
the standpoint of what Pennsylvania needs, or
Maine wants, or Louisiana must have or Ne
vada demands, but from the infinitely broader
and higher standpoint of what will meet the
highest welfare of all our people throughout
the length and breadth of our entire country
in every section of it. l need not specify or
particularize these questions they now engage
the thought OF the country and the considera-
lion of our lawmakers. They are discussed in
the press, on the rostrum. in the legislative
halls, on the street corner in the bank parlor,
and in the shop of the artisan. What is
the patriotic side of each of these questions?
On which side do the interests of the United
States lie? These once settled without passion,
or prejudice, or self-interest, let there be no
doubt upon which side we are found. Let us
be found as Grant was found on the side OF
country against section; of the welfare of the
whole people against the interests of the few
IN the tariff question. on the silver question,
on the question of international copyright, on
all the great questions which we are facing to-
day, let us be ready to take the broad view. the
will assure us the enjoyment of the independ-
ence, political and industrial, for which our
forefathers fought and which we are constant
ly called upon to defend.
Grant an American.
Grant was an American. Not in the narrow
sense. Although neither illiberal nor pro.
scriptive, he believed that American institu-
tions were best for the American people. and
that they should be upheld and maintained
under all circumstances and under all hazards.
He had rare prescience as to questions which
were likely to confront us and as to the manner
in which those questions wonld be presented
for the decision of the people. There was no
uncertainty in regard to them. Although he
has not left US, as Washington did, formal
farewell address, embodying his views and his
counsel as to the future, we are no more in
douot as to what his views were and what his
counsel would be in given emergency than we
are In regard to the attitude of Washington
upon the great questions which he fore
saw as likely to engage the thought
and the attention and to demand the de-
cision of the country. Grant was not voluble.
as we know, but a sentence or TWO now and
then unOl nQastiOns not daamad immediately
pressing, made profound impression upon the
people at the time and will likely now be re-
called. as some of the subjects TO which he
referred are under consideration and may be-
come more and more debatable and debated
questions. AS he was for country against Sec
tion. so he was tor America against all infu-
ences which seek to dominate her and control
her interests from the outside. Does he pot in
this stand for us? And is not his attitude our
attitude upon all questions of this class? 1 do
not now refer especially to the Chinese ques-
grafton question, or to any OF the so-called
dangers to American institutions.
Necessity of Being Americans.
Whatever the threatened danger may be, let
us be sure that our attitude in regard to it shall
be thoroughly American. Do 1 mistake when
assert that Grant as an American, friendly to
all nations, unwilling to do injustice to any,
heedful of the rights of Others but strenuous
as to his duty to his own country, stands for US
and represents our attitude on this question?
Surely this Americus Club will recognize him
as their representative on all questions which
affect the interests Of our people as they are
related to foreign influences and foreign
Grants name and character stand for many
things to which have not alluded. 1t has not
been my purpose. as already remarked to
present an analysis of his character or to even
mention the sterling qualities of the man. 1
admire as much as anyone can the affection for
family, the loyalty to friends. the gratitude TO
which were prominent elements
Of his private character. and which influenced
him to a greater or less degree in his public
acts. The purpose has been to emphasize two
Or three points in which his public attitude
and character and for what is important and
IN the present, and this purpose has
been pursued, SO far as time and space are con-
cerned, with reference to the proprietios of the
occasion and the rights of those who are to fol-
low me.
There hangs upon the walls of the Executive
Chamber OF Pennsylvania o bronze medallion,
above which are the words: "Triumvii Amer
lcani." Below: "Pater 1883. Salvador 1S6l-65.
Custos 1S69-73." No American need be told
whose protiles are therein represented. l do
not say at this tim and in this presence which
Of then is, in my judgment, the greatest.
Each one of them served his country well.
stics which have in this brief way attempted
to emphasize. Each one of them Is honored as
no other Americans are honored by the public
observance of the day of their birth. All of
them deserve this recognition. Washington,
Lincoln, Grant-we do not distinguish invidi-
Dusly among them. Each was an American,
each was patriot, each met his opportunities,
embraced them, and fulfilled thtir require
nents. All live and will live in the hearts of
their countrymen in grateful and immortal
Whatever choice we may have
among them, certain it is that no one will
question the taste or the patriotism of the
Americus Club, so long as it shall choose to
celebrate IN this public and dignifed way the
birthday and memory of Grant