The record-union., 1891-04-28
Ground Broken for a Monument
to the Dead General.
IMPOSING CEREMONIES AT RIVER,
SIDE PARK.
Three Hundred Children from the
Sheltering Arms Institution In New
York Cast bouquets Upon His
Tomb = Many Notab1es Attend a
Banquet in Commemoration OF the
Birthday of the Dead Soldier.
Special to the REconD-US1ox.

special to the RECoGD-UNIoN.
New YORK, April q. - Amidst the
plaudits of thousands of citizens, the
biare Of trumpets, beating drums, boom
ing cannon, the melody of children's
voices and eloquent orators, ground was
broken to-day for the monument which
Is to be raised at the tomb at Riverside
Park, where rests all that is mortal of
General Grant. The members of Alex
ander Hamilton Post, q. A. r., and other
societies participated, and the United
States steamship Yantic anchored near
by on the Hudson fired a salute of
tWenty-one guns. Before the regular
ceremonies commenced three hundred
children from the Sheltering Arms In
stItutlon and a drum and fife corps, play
ing America" marched past the tomb
with flags drooped. Each child carried a
bouquet of forget-me-nots, which it cast
upon the tomb. The Marine Band PLAYED
an overture, after which Rev. DIR. Clark
Wright, Chaplain of Department Com
mander Freeman's staff, offered PRAYER.
ana the chorus sang 'Star-spangled Ban
ner." commander Freeman presided
lie introduced General Horace Porter as
Orator of the Day.
General Porter said: "SiXty-nine wears
ago to-day there issued into the world a
being who was destined to stand pre-
eminent in the history of his country.
and whose fame was to reach into the ut
termost parts of the earth. The most
conspicuous characters in history have
risen to prominence by gradual advances,
but Ulysses 5. Grant came before the
people with a sudden bound Almost the
nrst sight caught of him was in the blaze
nf In i 4
guns those wintry days and nights in
front of DonelsOn. From that time until
the crowning triumph at Appomattox,
he was the leader whose name was the
harbinger of victory. From the final
sheathing of his sword till his ashes were
laid to rest in yOnder tomb he was the
chief citizen of the Republic and the
great central figure of the world"
General Porter then, in an epigram-
matte way, contrasted the obscurity of
Grants early life with his fame in later
years; touched upon the salient features
Of his character as a soldier and Chief
Magistrate, and sketched the prominent
acts of his Presidential career The
speaker then said that Ibis unbounded
generosity to his friends and his magma
nimity to his foes will be remembered as
long as his manly qualities. He never
tired Of giving unstinted praise to worthy
subordlnates for the work that they did.
Like those chief artists who weave Gobe-
lin tapestries, he was content with his
work behind the cloth, leaving those in
'front.' to appear to be the principal con-
tributors to the beauty of the fabric"
The orator said that lone word which
more characterized General Grant than
another was loyalty; loyalty to his coun-
try, to his friends, to his God For this
reason, chiefly, they were loyal to him.
He was created for great emergencies. In
] NtrN,.. 1,
man; in momentous affairs he lowered as
giant"
The speaker closed by saying: 'No
effort of human hands can add a single
laurel to his brow; all the honors that
earth can give have been bestowed upon
him. But the people whom he served
have resolved to fashion tomb worthy
of his ashes and rear a monument fitting
tribute to his fame.''
| After General Potter's address the
! chorus sang America when Com
/ mander Freeman arose to initiate the
! particular ceremony of the day, breaking
ground for the monument. The spade
which he used is a fine specimen OF
| American handicraft, bearing inscrip-
tions giving the chief events of General
Grants career. Before turning up the
sod Commander Freeman said:
I'VE gather to-day, not simply repre-
| Sentatives of hundreds of thousands o.
| the living and dead whom he led to vic
| tory, but of the entire nation-men who
wore the gray as well as the men who
| wore the blue. Now, in the presence of AL.
mighty God and these witnesses, we, rep.
resentatives of the Grand Army of the
| Republic, break the sod preparatory tC
| laying the foundation of a monument
which shall stand as slight expression
of the love of this nation for its great
chieftain, and shall tell to all the world
that the United States Of America does
not forget her heroic dead.'
At the close of his remarks Commando
| Freeman took the spade in his hands anC
| with it tossed up the earth. This ended
the ceremonies and the crowd dispersed
GENERAL GRANTS BIRTHDAY.
NEW YORK, April N.-An annual din
ner in commeration of the birthday O
General Grant was held at Delmonica'.
tonight, and attended by many notables
The banquet hall was beautifully
| decorated After toast to the memory
! of General Grant was drank in silver
the gentlemen present all stood up anC
! greeted Mrs. Grant, who was in the gal
| lery with applause. She was accom-
panied by herIdaughter, Mrs. Sartons, anC
other ladies. Hon. Joseph II. Choat
| presided.
Among the other prominet gentlemen
present were Senator Evarts, Chauncey
| NJ. Depew, Minister Romero of Mexico
Senator Brice, George Nj. Pullman an(
General Swayne.
Senator Evarts spoke to the toast of th
"Day We Celebrate" briefly reviewing
Grants career and closing with al
eloquent tribute to his works.
Colonel Douglass, of Baltimore, an ex
Confederate, made an address, in whicl
he said: ''Let us have peace" anC
thanked God that we have peace, ant
South and North are united in more way
than one. The speaker referred to the deatl
of all the great leaders of the late strife
but said there Were still a few old Con
federates left. He would raise enough t
make regiment to lead against Italy, o
any other foe. There is not Confeder
ate soldier to-day who would not con
tribute his mite to help the erection of
monument to the memory of the de
parted hero.
The first annual dinner of the Harlem
Republican Club was given tonight il
honor of the birthday of General Grant
Among the prominent guests We're Gen
eral Bussey, Senator Spooner and Gen
eral George Sheridan.
THE LOTTERY FIGHT.