Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-04-28

TIE DESIGN That TOOK The FIRST PRIZE.
members OF the Grand Army and other
bodies were gathered, and on the Hudson
opposite the tomb the man-of-war Yantic
lay at anchor. while at intervals of thirty
seconds she fired salute OF twenty-one
guns From truck to keel almost she
was dressed in bunting.
floral Tributes from Children.
Before the regular ceremonies COM
menced Lawson ". Fuller, at the head Of
300 children from the ~Sneltering Arms"
institution, and drum and fife corps
playing America" marched past the
tomb with flags dropped Each child car
ried bouquet of forget-me-nots, which
was cast upon the tomb The Marine
band played an overture, after which the
Rev. Dr. Clark Wright, chaplain of De-
partment Commander Freeman's staff,
offered prayer and chorus sung %The
Star Spangled Banner" Commander
Freeman presided. In a few wen-chosen
words be introduced Gen. Horace Porter,
the orator OF the day, who delivered an
eloquent address.
Gen. Porter's Address.
The eloquent soldier said: Most OF
the conspicuous characters in history
have r1sen TO prominence by gradual adj
vances, but Ulysses :. Grant came before
the people with sudden bound Almost
the first sight caught of him was in the
blaze Of his camp fires and flashes Of his
guns those wiatry days and nights n
front ot Donelson. His rise from an OBJ
scure lieutenant TO the command OF the
veteran armies OF the great republic; his
transition from frontier post of the IN
trodden west 20 the executive mansion of
the nation; his sitting at one time in a
little store IN Galena, not even known to
the congressman OF his district: at an
another time striding through the palaces
of the Old World, with the descendants
OF a line Of kings rising and advancing
uncovered in his presence, his humble
birth in an obscure town scarcely known
to the geographer: his agonizing illness
and courageous death in the chief city Of
the country lie had saved. with a nations
prayer breatEed IN his behalf from every
pulpit and every fireside in the land.
These are some OF the features of his mar
velous career which appeal to the mag
ination, excite mems wonder and fasci-
nate all who make study Of his life
Equal TO Every Emergency.
were equal to every emergency in which
he was placed Never unduly elated by
victory or depressed by defeat, he was
calm amJSst excitement, patient under
trials, and never in his life uttered an
oath or imprecation. His habits were
simple and he enjoyed physical consti-
tuition which enabled him to endure every
form of fatigue and privation incident to
military service in the field. While pos
sessing a sensitive nature and a singu-
larly tender heart be never allowed his
sensibilities to interfere with the stern
duties of a soldier.
His Career President.
$50 brilliant was his career as a soldier
that we are too apt to overlook the sue
cesses he achieved as a statesman; but
when we sum up the events of his presi-
Dental terms their magnitude is such
that they challenge comparison with
those OF any other chief magistrate since
the formation of the government. At the
close of his eight years Of honest, earnest
labor he left no unfinished work to turn
over to his successor. There was peace
within our borders, peace with all the
world. and the name of America stood
higher on the honor roll of nations than it
ever had stood before.
Loyalty His Chief Characteristic.
@If there be one word which describes
better than any other the predominating
characteristics of bis nature, that word Is
loyalty. He was loyal to his friends,
loyal to his family, loyal to his country,
and loyal to his God. This trait naturally
produced a reciprocal effect upon those
who were brought into relations with
him and was one of the chief reasons why
men became so Loyalty attached to him.
Perhaps no other man than Gen. Grant
ever had Innny personal friends who
loved him for his own sake. whose affec-
ton only strengthened with time, whose
attachment never varied in its devotion,
whether he was captain or general or
president or simply private citizen.
Created for Great Emergencies.
ale was created for great emergencies
It was the very magnitude of the task
that called forth the powers which mas
tered it. In ordinary matters be was an
ordinary man; in momentous affairs he
lowered as n giant. When performing
the routine duties Of company pos