Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1891-06-13

able embarrassment, he pointed TO n
speaker who had just entered the hall, and
said: IF could stand in his shoes and
he in mine how much happier for me and
better for you" Who of this generation
could fiji that placei As the years increase
events crowd upon each other with such
| volume that the lesser ones arc crushed out
of memory. Most regulations are forgot
ten by the succeeding generation, and few
survive n century. In our thousandth year
as a nation the only statesmen or soldiers
of our first hundred years whose names
will decorate the celebration will be Wash
| ington and Hamilton for the beginning,
Webster FOR the middle period and Lincoln
and Grant for the close.
| General Grant was the product and rep
resentative of the best element In our So
cial life. Home and its associations have
been the training and inspiration of our
greatest and noblcst men. They have
come from the class which had neither
poverty nor riches, and which was com
PEELED 10 work for the support Of the fam
lily and the education OF the children. It's
members are God-fearing men and loving,
self-sacriticing women. IL gave us Lin
coin from the farm, Garfield from the tow
path, Sherman from the crowded house of
the brave and struggling widow, Sheridan
from the humble cottage and Grant from
the home of "A country storekeeper OF the
Ohio Wilderness These men never lost
their sympathy with every human lot and
aspiration or the homely simplicity of
their early conditions and training. Grant
was clerk in the custom house and presi-
dent of the United States and a lieutenant
in Mexico and commander-in-chiefo of the
armies of the union, numbering over "a mil
lion of men, the unknown junior in "a tan
ners' firm at Galcna, and the guest Of en-
perors and kings. But the memory OF the
church of his mother was ever visible in
his reverent regard for her teachings
The applause of soldiers for their
commander, OF partisans for their
chief leader, and of the world
for one of its most illustrious heroes was
grateful, but the sweetest music for him
was within the family circle in the loving
companionship of his wife and children
and the prattle of his grandchildren
! Though he received such honor and recog-
milton abroad and such distinction at home
he was always, whether ina the presence of
royalty or of the people, "A modest, typical
| American citizen.
Through the verses of great poets runs n
! familiar strain, through the works of great
composers an oh-repeated tune, and
| through the speeches of great orators "a
recurring and characteristic thought
| These are the germs which exhibit the
moving forces of their minds. During the
war II propose to move Immediately upon
your works, - Unconditional surrender -
II shall take no backward step" II pro-
pose 80 fight IL out on this line il il takes
| all summer" are the beacon lights of the
plans and strategy of Grant the soldier
! At Appomattox, "rhe war is over" The
rebels are our countrymen again at the
threshold OF the presidency, LET us have
peace" on his bed of agony and death at
Mount McGregor, when his power of speech
was gone, writing To "A confederate general
! by his bedside. Much as ! suffer. ] do il
with pleasure, if by that suffering can be
accomplished the union of my country"
are the iudiees of the labors, the aspira-
tions and the prayer Of Grant, the states
man and the patriot
The proceedings came to a close with
an address by Judge Crabtrees on be-
half of the Grand Army of the Repub-
! lie and the procession reformed and
marched back 10 the city. This after
noon general jollihcation is i'm pro-
gress. After leaving the stand the dis
| tinguished guests, reinforced by a large
| portion of the spectators visited the
old house on the hillside east of town
| for which President Grant once paid
the modest rental of Sl25 IA year to-
gether with the new home still belong
ing to the Grant family which was pre-
sented to the victorious general by his
admiring fellow-townsmen when he
returned home crowned with the laurel
leaves, and also the old store on Main
street, now occupied by Galena mer-
chant, and within which Z. ). Grant
once helped to carry on the curriers'
trade by which his father made a live
lihood.
The monument unveiled today is the
| gift of Ii. H. Kohlsaat,a a former Galena
boy and now one of the millionaire cit
! liens of Chicago. 1t Is now year
since he intimated To some of his
| friends his desire that the city of Ca
statute to The Old Commander. T"
who with his family had resided
there during one of the most important
periods of his life. The matter was
formally presented to the city council
and the citizens of Galena by Mr.. Kohl
saat and Mr.. James w. Scott, of the
Chicago Herald, the latter another
Galena boy. No appropriate
site for the monument, however, could
be found until Mr.. Scott initiated a
movement by which an elevated plot
of ground on the east side of the city.
forty feet above the Galena river, and
covering six acres was ordered pur-
chased, and to bc forever dedicated to
the city for park purposes. A portion
of the purchase was contributed by the
city council, second sum was raised
by the citizens. of Galena, and the bal.
ance was secured in Chicago through
the efforts of Mr.. Scott. The enclosure
was named Grant park and already
contains magnificent soldiers monu.
ment, and fountain erected by the
ladies of the city. The bronze statue
dedicated today stands on solid base
formed of three tiers of Quincy gray
granite, with n pedestal of beautifully
carved and polished red granite from
the quarries of Maine. On the front
surface is the simple inscription in
plain, large letters, Grant Our Citi.
zen" The statue is heroic in size and
represents General Grant in citizens
dress standing as If in reelection. The
likeness is excellent, and the portrayal
Of the subtle individuality of the man
is admirable.