The record-union., 1891-10-08
Special to the REcoRp-UNIoN.

Special to the REcoRD-UNIoN.
CHICAGO, Oct. Under leaden sky,
from which the rain has been falling at
intervals during the day, with sharp
winds blowing across the lake and city;
in the presence of a great throng who he'd
braved the elements, and the booming OF
cannon from the Government vessels of
shore; the screaming of whistles from the
shipping; the resounding strains of the
"Star-Spangled Banner" played by
many bands; with the regiments OF Fed
eral and State troops at present arms;
while the Grand Army veterans and civic
societies clustered about, the heroic
bronze statute of the late General Ulysses
S. Grant, upon a magnificent granite ped
estal, spanning the roadway at the top
of the hill looking toward the lake, was
unveiled.
To the multitude present, the great
silent figure, firm in the saddle, looking
steadily across the broad eXpanse OF
waves, seemed as if again in life, and
Needless of the excited throng about him,
scanned the horizon for the enemies of
the land which, in Gods providence, he
had been called to majestically defend.
RdlntGCU
there formed an extraordinary figure, in
Guiding not only high civil and military
dignitaries of the Nation, State and city,
but there were gathered from far and
near those who were closest to the dead
General personally-the widow, vino
stood by him for years, and the veterans
of his original regiment, the famous old
Twenty-tirst Illinois Infantry, with the
Identical cOlors unturled at his first head
quarters tent.
The Orator of the Day, worthy of the
occasion, distinguished like his subject
in camp and counsel, was the stalwart
soldier-jurist, General Walter G.
Gresham, Judge of the United States
Court of Appeals.
An impressive hush fell on the thou
sands as General Gresham, facing the
lake, stepped forward to the edge Of the
monument. On either side, in tiers of
green slopes behind the speaker, the dis
tinguiShed guests were given places,
among them Mrs. General Grant, her
white hair showing beneath a widows
bonnet. MasSed in front were 10000
uniformed men, infantry, cavalry and
artillery, both regulars and State militia;
griZZled veterans Of the Grand Army of
the Republic; bright-plumed Knights of
Pythias, and many similar Semi-military
and civic organizations. Back of them
was the general public, and beyond
fusely decked with bunting-the steam
ers Michigan, Johnson and Fessenden,
lake steamers, tugs, yachts, city fire.
boats and miscellaneous lake craft.
Leading up to the superb column of
granite was the formation, on the lake
front, three miles distant of the great land
parade, and its march to the statue was
under command of Major-General Mel
son y. Miles, Z. S. A.
The procession was headed bya platoon
OF police, followed in order by United
States regulars from Fort Sheridan, in
fantry, cavalry and artillery; Illinois Ma
tional Guard, infantry and cavalry;
Grand Army veterans, including the So
ciety of the Army OF Tennessee, Cumber-
land and the Potomac: distinguished
guests in carriages, including Secretary
Noble, Senator John Sherman, Governor
Bulkeley of Connecticut, Governor Fifer
OF Illinois and Mrs. John \. Logan. Next
came the G. 4. r. Veteran Posts of the
Northwest, forming the entire division;
then the Sons OF Veterans and society
OF eX-Contederates, closing with civic So
cieties.
At the monument Bishop John p. New
man offered prayer. Then Colonel E. S.
Taylor presented the monument OH be-
half of the Monument Association TO the
Commissioners of Lincoln Park.
The unveiling followed and General
Gresham then delivered his address.
The opening promised not TO enter into
any minute details of the life and the
deeds of the man in whose memory the
statue was erected. y remarkable alb
Sence of vanity and conceit ~ General
Grant was conspicuous-there was no
egotistical assumption that he was a great
man The triumphs of Grant from Bel
mont to AppomattoX never destroyed his
balance, or affected the habitual modera-
tion of his utterance or demeanor. There
is nothing of the braggart in any OF his
official reports or dispatches. there is no
arrogance, no regard for dramatic effect,
no parade ofhimself. They are plain and
simple statements of fact without any
waste of words or rhetorical display, and
might have been prepared by any com
petent and unimpassioned Onlooker. The
obvious and uniform purpose of all of
them is to give the authorities at Wash
ington faithful and accurate account OF
the situation at the front, and nothing
more.
Even with the Confederacy at his feet,
he failed TO betray eXultation, and his
enemies were touched with the delicate
consideration of the victor He saw facts
and situations as they really were and
acted with reference to them as realities
Napoleon's genius may have been more
active and brilliant, but If he had been
endowed with judgment as strong and