Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1891-05-01

he same year he urged measures for
/ building up our merchant marine. and
/ gave the subject his constant attention.
/ DE next urged a radical reform in the
| civil service, and in the face of the most
persistent opposition organized the first
civil service board.
Upon the breaking out of the Franco
| German war he so clearly defined by proc
Iamation our rights and duties to both
be!llgereEts that we were enabled to avoid
all foreign entanglements and comphca-
tions.
During the siege OF Paris he instructed
the minister he had sent there to extend
the protection of the American llag TO
peoples or ali nationalitles who we're with
out the protection of flag of their own.
an act which saved much suffering and
loss and gained worldwide commenda-
ton.
BY suspending the wris of habeas cor
puS IN some localities and boldly bringing
to justice the most prominent offenders,
he finally succeeded in suppreSSing the
armed bands that were spreading terror
in several of the states. and compelled
obedience to the national authority BY
hrmneSS and untiring efforts he wrung
from Spain ample apologies and replra,
ton which had long been withheld,
brought about settlement of the Ala
bama claims and the San Juan boundary
question, signalizing thereby his distaste
To- war, MS love Of peace, inauguratad
Tie principle of arbitration in interna-
tional disputes and taught the world It's
grandest lesson in the history of diplo-
macy.
in the third year of his administration
amnesty was declared, restoring to civil
rights nearly every person In the south.
When the mad cry for initiation had uu.
seated the Judgment Of Legislators it was
his timely veto ptnned in opposition TO
many of mis- closest political adherents
which saved the honor and credit of the
nation.
In the summer of 1874 he urged the re-
sumption OF specie payments; MS written
views attracted much attention and were in
large measure embodied in the reSump-
ton act, which passed the next winter
He suppressed the formidable b2rd Of
cOnspirators known as the w(iskey ring
and pursued and punished al offenders,
his vigorous order for their prosecution
ending with The famous words, Let no
guilty man escape. Whatever efforts
may have been made to rob him of the
credit Of this work the honor of it belongs
primarily to him.
In 1875 he summed up his political
faith in remarkable letter saying, Let
US labor for the security of free thought,
free speech. free press, pure morals, un-
fettered religious sentiment, equal rights
and privileges Tor all men irresp spective of
nationality, color or religion.
During his administration, so big
with events, reconstruction became an ac-
complshed fact, the two oceans were
united by our great transcontipental rail
ways. taxes were reduced over $500, ,O00,-
00O. the national debt was reduced over
$50. 900 COO the interest on tie debt fron
Sl60, 100000 to Sl00,000,00O. and the
balance of trace was changed from $780,
900, 900 against the country TO Sl30,000,-
600 in its favor.
AT the close of his eight years of hon
est, earnest labor, he left no unfinished
work to turn over to his successor. There
was peace within our borders, peace with
stood higher on the honor roll of nations
than it had ever stood before.
"On McGregors mountain-top, as if al
ready part way on his journey to the eter-
nal throne, Gen. Grant met in death the
only enemy to whom he ever surrendered.
At last he was permitted to enjoy what he
had pleaded for in behalf of others, for the
Lord had let INN have peace.
His remains were borne to their rest
ing place bv the tender hands of his own
veterans. As the funeral train wended
Its solemn way to RiVUIoi the flag which
had never been 10 xered in his presence
dropped to half mast, as If conscious that
his strong arm was no longer there to hold
1t to the peak; the nation stood within
the shadow of an OverpOwering grief and
a sorrowing people wOve their garlands of
eternal farewell. Distant lands, untring
in our grief hung ont their embIems of
and even historic Westminster
flung wide its portals, as if to let the
spirits of England's illustrious dead listen
to the distant funeral march Of brother
In greatness.
mo effort of human hands can add
single laurel to his brow; all the honors
earth can give have been bestowed upon
him; but the people whom he has served
have resolved to fashion a tomb worthy of
his ashes. and rear in monumental rock a
fitting tribute to his fame.
I'VE have assembled today on this Sc
lected site to take the steps preliminary to
the work The department commander
of the Grand Army of the Republic, COM
mandlng the veterans who so often fol-
lowed their iIlustrious chief to victory, has
been charged with the task of removing
the first sod.
The monumental sepulchre erected
here will be the shrine of which American
patriots will worship Generations yet to
come will pause to read the inscription on
its portals, and the voices of a grateful
people will ascend from this consecrated
spot as incense rises from holy places, in
voking blessings on the memory of him
who had filled to the very full the largest
measure of human greatness and covered
the earth with his renown."