River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1891-06-04
All GRANTS TOMB.
Decoration Day Services at Riverside Park
Eloquent Grafton by John 5. Wise, of
Virginia.

for the opportunity to pay tribute to
the memory of their old commander.
The last resting place of the hero was
completely covered with floral tributes.
both interior and exterior pre-.
senting a remarkable sight in
this respect. After preliminary
exercises, which consisted in the
observance of the ceremonies laid down
in the G.. A., X. ritual for Decoration
day, Hon. John S. Wise, of Virginia,
was introduced as the orator of the oc-
casion. He delivered long and elo-
quent address on the life, character
and services OF the illustrious dead, ex-
tracts from which are as follows:
The tombs Of the mighty dead OF our repub-
lie are the shrines of American patriotism At
them, above all other places, are we moved to
reflection on the blessings we enjoy, and in.
spred TO reverence and patriotism towards the
| government under which we live. At the tomb
| OF the great, the American freeman draws his
inspiration from the fountain head, for high
resolve and mighty deed. There NAV he pledge
his fealty 20 principles, without transmitting Il
through any representative.
In this tomb lies one whose great qualities of
head and heart, whose bravery, whose simple
| ity, whose magnanimity, whose patience,
whose steadfastness OF purpose, whose loyalty
10 every obligation, whose capacity for admin
| istratlon in the highest Offices in the world,
H military and civic. have placed his name
among the most remarkable men who have
ever lived. The theater OF his career was only
the United States OF America; the most dra-
matte episodes of his life, were in his character
as leader OF one of the armies OF his divided
people. Yet, even on that narrow field, and
/ under those restricting conditions he so bore
himself that the whole world watched HIM. and
when his work was finished proclaimed him to
be of the stamp OF true greatness, rarely devcl-
/ oped; and OF greatness, blended with such
qualities of manhood as entitled him to be held
up as an example to the world.
/ The man is surely great whose fame Is
worldwide. And such was Ulysses S. Grant.
There is to-day an Arab stroking his steed
under shady palms by the SOLITARY fountain
rejecting on the greatness of Grant. There are
gentle Japanese reading in their own language
the story OF his life with wonder and adf iira-
tion. There American Indians crouching
/ by desert fires picturing to themselves in rude
imagination the sort OF man he was There are
Egyptians floating ON the Nile dreaming Of
Grant and Nickshurg and the far of Mssis-
| sippi There are Russians with half IL
lumined minds struggling to reconcile
the strength and tenderness, the power
and mercy, to them strangely
blended in mis- great character. There
/ are Frenchmen learning pert nacity. There
are Spaniards and Italians on whom his for
/ giveness and magnanimity will not be lost
/ His life and character are known TO the
4 farthest bounds OF fame. Men will model their
/ characters upon this ideal when we are dead
/ and forgotten. BY the memory Of his indOmit
able pluck columns will surge forward 10 des-
/ perate assault in centuries To come. Mankind
/ will be stronger by emuating his endurance
and fortitude; war will be less brutal victory
! less arrogant, defeat less bitter: and human
nature more gentle by the eonspicuousness of
/ his moderation, his magnanimity, nhis Kindness
TO his foes, and his yearning longing when war
was past for fraternity and peace
Such was the man whose memory we com
memorate this day We know his history and
we know his worth. We were actors in the
great passion play in which he emerged from
obseurity to become the central figure Of the
greatest drama OF our day We him. man
that he was, take sides in the hour of discord,
and rise until he was chief partisan in section
al strife. We saw him, on the instant OF re
stored peace, transformed, as II were, TO be
come champion Of forgetfulness, advocate OF
mutual forgiveness. and counselor of restored
/ fraternity. We saw him in the hour of his
strength. Wewatched and pitied him in the
hour of his weakness, until his patient. painful
death. An l now We are standing by his tomb
after full time for reflection upon what he was.
Some of us were soldiers I'm his army. To
such would not venture To picture what they
must feel beside his grave. Some OF US were
followers OF his great antagonist. Time was,
when he was our chief enemy Timewas, when
he was our victorious adversary Ii is true that
cynic history tells us the vanquished are not,
as a rule, the magnanimous. Yet this / saw
with perfect confidence that il is true Be-
tween Grant and the confederate soldier, even
in time of war. there was ever feeling of mu
tual respect and much that was akin to kind
hess. Towards Grant for gentleness and mag
nanimty which touched them inexpressblV
there went forth from the hearts Of the sol
dlers or the army OF northern Virginia, even at
the hour of their surrender TO him, a feeling
which they entertained toward no other fed
eral commander.
tween them and him a kindn ess which grew
and waxed stronger as the yearsrOlled on, until
when he died. his coffn bore as many flowers OF
the south of the north every state OF the union
stood around his bier; and the old confederate
veteran had feeling at his heart such as he
had not known since he stacked arms at APP
pOmattox or wept at the tidings that Lee was
dead. IL is no disparagement OF the other feder
a generals TO say that, in this firm hold up
The affections OF his old antagon SITS, Grant was
alone That he knew il, and t hat il pleased
him, is beyond doubt i RENE mber hearing
from his own lips, after his election to his sec
ond term. that the electoral vote of Virginia
caused him as much genuine qualification as
any lncldent o. MS presidential campaign He
delighted To display genuine friendship towards
every southern soldier who would give him OPP
/ portunity
Politics took such shape in the years sue
ceedng the war, that Grant was opposed polit
ically by the great mass of confederate soldiers
Other federal commanders were candidates for
federal Office To SUCH political support was
given, accompanied, for the time being, by
more or less enthusiasm. But at no time, and
to officer Of the federal armies has the heart
Of Lee veterans ever warmed, for none have
their tears been she'd as for him at whose
tomb we stand assembled
Yes, my countryAen. strife and bitterness
have passed away Here stand we loving
brethren, about Grants tomb-members OF a
happy, reunited, prosperous country. How
much he did TO bring about this fraternal and
loyal feeling all men know. We come rejoicing
at an opportunity to testify respect for the
memory OF our great countIyman. We have, IL
is true in many a southern cemetery army
of dead comrades to whose memory and TO
whose valor we delight TO pay the tribute OF
loving hearts. In quiet chapel under the
shadow OF the Blue Ridge sleeps one who, in
days gone by was to our love. to our hope. and
to our idea OF patriotic duty all that Grant
represents TO you. Yet. our hearts are large
enough for both, and when Grant sought them,
he never asked US to forget our dead
IAN that Grant contended for was estab-
lished. All that Lee maintained failed of &C.
cOmplfshment. Every sensible citizen of this
republic now acquiesces cheer'ully in the re
suit II is certain that many thousands of the
confederate veterans t0-QHV affection
ately loyal TO the federal government as il the
lamentab e strife had never been. We come as
men who feel that tim has taught all citizens
of this republic that they honor themselves in
honoring this great American Passion has
subsidized sufficiently TO let us see him as he
was-greater than any part of our divided
country; patriot whose fame belongs to all
his fellow citizens As To our own beloved
commander IL may be that the time
will never come when the men who sustained
the union cause can reconcile il to their
sense OF loyalty to do public honor to his mem
orv. Far be IL from me to urge that course
upon you We who followed him and loved him
seek not to share our veneration for his memo
ry with anyone who Is unwilling. 1t may be
that his name and fame will be left to US as all
our own. Yet IL will be strange-passing
strange; II will reverse all history in the past
IL with the American love of valor. OF honor,
self-sacrihce and humility your grandchildren,
when the bitterness Of our day Inns been
forgotten shall deny their sharein the name and
fame of him whose sword so often and so gal
lantly crossed that Of Grant and never lowered
its point to any foe but him oryielded save TO
LDe power OF overwhelming numbers ana re
sources-one who. when he ceased To fight, &C
cepted the result In cheerfulness and displayed
the same manhood sincerity and humility
which make us honor Grant great
do the dead look down on usy 1t must be
What JOY OF elysium could compare with
that experienced by the dead warrior, as look
ing down upon the land for which he died. he
behods il blessed with peace, prosperity and
fraternity fruit of his self-sacrihcef
Can we look up 70 themf With
mortal vision, no. Yet. in imagination yes,
indeed! And this, my brethren Of the north
and south, is the vision which / saw OF late:
Through the open portals of the great beyond
saw the boundiess plains OF Walhalla-where,
far the eye could reach, were spread the
snowy tents Of ghostly legions ranged beneath
the banner OF eternal peace L heard the
booming Of Heavens artillery, the strain OF
shouting thousands. Here and there, out
of the hurrying hosts stood out the faces
OF the long ago. young and fresh, as We
knew them when they volunteered the cruel
scars all gone-the blood stains washed away.
Now and again. came forth clarion voices OF
on the beleagured line Of Petersburg, or in the
bloody angle of Spottsylvan1a; voices which
startled the doting memory. and make the old
heart leap IL but for one throb, with the pulse
OF long dead youth. ! saw and heard them
all just as we knew them. Your brothers
longer arrayed in opposing ranks, but side by
side. as brethren. Once again / heard the
steady tramp and saw the wheel and flash OF
marching thousands, at a grand review. On
sunny slope. IN most pellucid air, beneath
a streaming standard famed by supernal
the army Of peace There sat Grant on Egypt,
and by his side was Lee on Traveller, the same
Grant and Lee we knew of old, save that the
lines OF strife and care were smoothed away.