Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1891-10-17
CHICAGO HoNoRS A HERO
The Grant Statue is Unveiled To-
= day in Lincoln Park.
Thousands OF People Witness tho Cere-
monies--A Scholarly Address on the
Life and Services of General Grant
Delivered by Judge Gresham.

OILS OF the west SuSpends the hustle
and activity of its business interests
today to do honor to the memory OF
the illustrious citizen-soldier and
statesman. who, next to the immortal
father of his country, is enshrined in
the hearts and memories of the people,
not only of these United States, but oi
lovers of freedom and liberty the wide
world over. With the blare of cannon,
the patriotic music of hundred bands,
| the enthusiastic acclaim of n hundred
thousand throats, in the presence OF
the honored and venerable relict of the
dead, of the son amongst all his
children he loved so well, of constitu-
| tional advisers of the present chief
executive of the land, of representa-.
tives of every religious denomination
of men whose heroic deeds upon the
field of battle have craven their names
upon the pages of history, of veterans
who once wore the gray and met in
bloody conflict the forces of him To
whose memory they did honor today;
of men distinguished in trade and
commerce, in science and art, in litera-
ture and philosophy, of tens of thou.
sands of little school children who
have been taught to honor and ven
crate his name-the magnificent
statue erected by the citizens of Chi
cago to the immortal memory OF
| Ulysses Simpson Grant, artizan, citizen
soldier, general, commander-in in-chief of
the armies of the United States, and
twice elected to the highest office in
the gift of the people of his native
land, was formally unveiled this after
noon
Prayer was offered by Bishop John
| =. Newman, after which the statue
was presented on behalf of the trus-
tees of the association to the commits
sioners of Lincoln park and the people
| of Chicago, by Edward L. Taylor. AS
the statue was unveiled a naval and
military salute was fired. Hon w. c.
| Gowdy made speech of acceptance on
behalf of the park commissioners end
| Mayor Washburn spoke for the citi-
zens of Chicago. Judge Gresham then
delivered his grafton. Judge Gresham
upon being introduced was heartily re.
ceived. He opened his grafton with q
statement that it was hardly necessary
| TO enter into any minute account OF
| the life and deeds of General Grant. as
they are a part of the history of the
country. After reviewing Grants per.
sonal character and methods, the
orator went on to say:
The monument before us Is dedicated 10
the illustrous general of our armies,
rather than to the chief magistrate of our
republic, and ii is therefore meet that nv
address should dwell more on his military
| than his civic life. Whatever NAV have
| hppn his fOarit2 his Aafacfs s,l
executive, he was unquestionably our
| greatest soldier, and his matchless
| achievements in the field and their in
| huence upon the fate of his country amply
| justify this beautiful testimonial. So long
as love of liberty and equality, aud ad.
miration of heroic deeds and unselfisll
! patriotism last, the memory of Grant will
| be venerated. Some of the acts of his
civil administration were really worth
| more to the country and the world than
the dull routine, and solemn respectability
| of D,any others. While men had dreamed
and written about the uselcssness and
wickedness of war, as an agency for the
settlement of controversies between ma.
| hons, and urged the substitution of more
civilized methods, it was reserved for our
| greatest soldier to reduce these
| theories and vague aspirations "a
| practice. 1t was the successful leader OF
our armies in our greatest war, who took
the lead in bringing the civilized world Ia
| practical recognition of the value of a
| peaceful arbitrament of international dis
! putcs, and the treaty of Washington is a
| monument TO his memory which will out
| live those of brass and stone. Its moral
| influence extends infinitely beyond the inn
! mediate parties to IL, or the age in which
1t was negotiated. More than once he dis
played independence, high courage and
! strong sense of duty by vetoing legislation
| u,hi iab l.- thraa ,aA
fare. 1t is mistake to suppose that pop.
| nlar government is an art or a mystery.
| Some of the details of administration re-
quire special training and experience.
| But in its broad policies, in the adjustment
| of ii to the ends for which il was organ.
| lied. in the promotion of its purposes, men
! like Grant, who feel rightly and see clearly
who have a sound Judgment, and saving
| common sense, and who will resolutely as
sert themselves under all circumstanc
may be safely trusted with its affairs and
| destinies. 1t would not be popular govern.
ment If it were otherwise. The men who
| have left the profoundest impress on our
| history were not so much distinguished fol-
| their wealth, or their erudition, as the
| qualities, or some of them, which d istin.
| gushed Grant. These qualities are essen.
| tial ingredients In political manhood and
| they are no less useful and necessary in
| peace than in war. We need men pos.
sessing them to resist the aggressions OF
those who seek to make of our politics
both an art and a mystery Ineligible only
! to the adept and initiated, who assume the
management of them, by virtue of their
| capacity for the deft and artful manipula.
| tion of their fellows. Their influence or
on the country Is corrupt and debasing
| and the area of political venality con
| stantly enlarges under it. According &c
| their views the whole interest that any
| .it hao In. ~, al %.
| government is measured by what he car
make out of it. 1t is worse than idle &c
| shut our eyes to the existence of corrupt
| methods and practices in our politics
| which threaten to subvert our free insti
tutions. The people are often cheated a,
the polls and in legislation, and prizes
| which should be the reward of honest
merit are too frequently bestowed upor
the cunning and INSCRIPTIONS rich. Rea
| freedom is not enjoyed by the people ur
| less the laws are enacted by their hon
estly chosen representatives, and theil
/ freedom of action Is as much impaired
when 1t Is corruptly influenced, as If con
trolled by force. The man who accepts c
| bribe OF any sort. places his conscience
and judgment in the vilcst bondage. III,
is no longer free. Argument Is wasted or
him Considerations of the public
| veal or woe do not affect him
Bayonets .: the polls would MOI
| control his conduct more effec
| lively. And men who contribute none,
| TO buy votes, and to bribe the peoples rep
resentatives, as well as those who disburs.
1t, are deadly enemies of tho republic
Their greed and love of power are greatel
than their love of country. They impai,
popular respect for law, which Is the onl,
safeguard for life and property; and 4
will be an evil day for the nation when it.
preservation depends upon their patriotism
and courage. They may masquerade in
the garb of righteousness, and address tn,
people in the language of patriotism, bu
| their virtues are assumed; they are hypo
critics and assassins of liberty, and would
welcome dynasty rather than shed theil
blood in defense of popular government
| Their shameless and insidious attacks on
free institutions arc infinitely more danger
Gus than the revolutionary teachings ant
| practices of comparatively few vision
ary and misguided men and women In
our large cities. 1t is not such men a.
these, but the great multitude, engaged IL
active and hardy pursuits, who constitu I
the real strength Of the nation. They are
| not enemies Of the law and order, they de-
not envy or hate those who hs, 10 acquired
! property by honest methods, and bear ths
| full share Of the public burdens, aud &C
long as the powers of the nation are mo-