Morning journal and courier., 1891-06-04

Grants memorable words upon receiving the freedom of the city of London: Al though 8 soldier by education and profes-
 sion, have never felt any sort of fond
 ness for war and have never advocated
 it, except as means of peace"-and they
 will hail him as one of the benefactors of
 mankind.
 He has been called silent man, and yet
 have often heard him hold little com
 pany in delighted attention for hours by
 the charm of his conversation. His sim
 pie narrative was graphic, his discussions
 lucid, and subtle flashes of humor spark
 led through his talk. He said that when
 he spoke to an audience his knees knock
 ed together, and this was evident in his
 manner and address, but the speech was often a welcome message to the country.
 As he was speaking one evening with con siderable embarrassment, he pointed to a
 speaker who had just entered the
 in inn his % shoes Sos' and he 0'no in mine, nsna
 how much happier for me and better for you" Who of this generation could fill that great placea As the years increase events crowd upon each other with such volume that the lesser ones are crushed out of memory. Most regulations are for gotten by the succeeding generation, and few survive 8 century. In our thousandth year as nation the only statesmen or soldiers of our first hundred years whose 1 names will decorate the celebration will be Washington and Hamilton for the begin ming. Webster for the middle period and Lincoln and Grant for the close.
 General Grant was the product and rep l resentative of the best element in our so- cial life. Home and it's associations have | been the training and inspiration of our greatest and noblest men. They have come from the class which had neither l poverty nor riches, and which was com l pelled to work for the support of the fam | fly and the education of the children. Its ] members are God-fearing men, and lov- 1 ing, self-sacrifcing women. It gave us Lincoln from the farm, Garfield from the tow-path, Sherman from the crowded house of the brave and struggling widow. l Sheridan from the humble cottage and | Grant from the home of the country store l keeper of the Ohio wilderness. These men never lost their sympathy with every hu- l man lot and aspiration or the homely
 simplicity of their early conditions I and training. Grant was clerk in the | custom house and president of the United States, lieutenant in Mexico and com | mander in chief of the armies of the Union numbering over million men, the un- known junior in tanners firm at Galena
 and the guest of emperors 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 partizans for their cheif leader and of the world for one of it's 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 grand children. Though he received
 such honor and recognition abroad and such distinction at home he was always, whether in the presence of royalty or of the people, a modest, typical American citizen.
 Through the verses of great poets runs a familiar strain, through the works ofgreat composers an oft repeated tune, and through the speeches of great orators re-
 curing and characteristic thought. These are the germs which exhibit the moving forces of their minds. During the war ''I propose to move immediately upon your works" "Unconditional surrender" ''I shall take no backward steps," 'T pro pose to fight it out on this line if it takes
 all summer" are the beacon lights of the l plans and strategy of Grant | the soldier. At Appomattox, 'The l war is over." 'sThe rebels
 are our countrymen again." at the thresh-
 old of the presidency ''Let us have peace;'
 on his bed of agony and death at Mount I McGregor, when his power of speech was gone, writing to a confederate general by 1 his bedside, "Much as I suffer, do ii
 with pleasure, if by that suffering can be
 accomplished the union of my coun- try" are the indices of the labors, the as. 1 pirations and the prayer of Grant the
 statesman and the patriot.