New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-28
present and on future generations vet unborn
At the close of mis- invocation the chaplain said
the Lords Prayer, all present joining with him.
GENERAL PoRTER'S GRAFTON.


the orator of the day, with the following words
Commanders ~ the Grand Army, Trustees OF the
Grant Monument Association Ladies anu ios
We have assembled to-day under divine ausp'c vith
bright shes-upon this magnificent promonltory VIII,
the broad Hudson sweeping by us, our eyes LOOMING 10
memorial to be erected TO the memory of our beloved
chieftain, President and comrades, ulysses : urans'
acIe1 and services Iy one who was his chosen friend
faithful officer who shared his trials ana truapns anu
confidence and whose known eoquence nvSos n ~ nre
sent TO you the orator of the day chosen pS
s Hssnclation, o. General Horace Porter.
General Porter said:
sixtynine years ago to-day there was ushered INTO
the World being Who was destined to stand pre-,
eminent In the history Of his country, anu "Ho9V ear
Wo, ~ the conspicuous characters in history have
risen to prominence by gradual advances Pnt hHYd
Almost the first sight caught Of him was in the nis1e
of his campfres and the flashes 81 ms e' From
that time until the browning triumph at Appoma.'CHs
he leader whose name was ~ oie hi. sword til
victory. From the lnal sheatnhg UI ~ I'M he was
bis ashes laid 20 rest IN yoader TOM great az cen
the chief citizen Of the kepnSc ana 'ne s'eS' ''"
The history Of his life more Of romance tnSh
reality 1t seems more Ike IaDea % citizen Of the
nnsteenib century As light and shade produce the
@ rSStra ssFaf e s fsSs 6 eyena
career surround him with an lRtGTeS[ %o
HE rise from an obscure lieutenant to the connap
OF the veteran armies Of the great Republic s va The
ton ron ton df the Nation; his sitting at one
time in little store in Galcna not even khown 70 t6
@ s3rrSnrh the palaces Of the Old World. with the
descendants Of line of kings rising ana S'snus curc
o,ered in his nresence: his humble birth III an OD,CI
town scarcely known to the geoT9phe t ms f of be
illness and courageous death IN S%e nreTe breathed
IN his behalf from every pulpit and hresde ~ Ie de
These are Of the features OF ms ce mems wonder
and iascihate all who make study OF Ills in' zap
pisuse9 o,,., 10 had received fair common school
training subsequently he was educaea az 1 b,
Mlnt S non GRADUATION was No. 81 in class o
thirty.nne members His mgnesl Starr rde in mathe
Mates beng 49, and in engineering 10 ,,rnoIs and
his life he close reader OF puDJ IeIiiaent OBJ
eure ~ events He possessed in large degree tLaI
most uncommon Of all virtues common Sg' the great
mus ,ereity ~ experience While his mind was orc
great sorehogse Of useful he did not posses
He believed with Addison that pedantry IN ioaII t
out the power of 1T Applause)
SLOW IN SPEECH, SWIFT IN THOUGHT.
HE writings fully attest the practical training oi
his mind While in speech he sometimes seelsU "
labor and hesitate for word, he wrote s"il'S anu
jrteruptedly. His thoughts flowed as freely aS 'n0
ink from his pen; he never at loss lor VI, %
,,rassjon and seldom interlined word or Ha'o
material correction His style was ciesr' @fSS S civ
Vigorous attempt at ornament tbnse derived
saxon words much more frequently Ial iHdnlped
from the Greek or Latin tongues lie selaolh =, ac
n metapnS Sav eue original and striking when he de-
scrlbed a hemmed In army as Delmk az ono lime |
strongly corked" referred TO our armies aV Eo ever
TnyiSG' ike horses in a balky team no TWO ever
pullng together and spoke OF recruiting aiInoS "
his syle inclined to the eplgrammatc apparently
without his being conscious OF IL. mn sentences
Sould nor be selected fit to he set in notices or placeGG
upon transparencies AS examples may Do works
Shall take no backward step. Inc lalIons Gun,
propose to fight it out this line II IL taxes an S
.Vba hast OF
obnoxious law is its vigorous enforcement anu
lis memoirs contain many chapters as graphic as
ANYTHING that be found in Caesars ConinentaTs'
ON account of its authoritative statements and valuable
contributions to history, but fJr It's actu" h'er"S
General Grant possessed in a striking degree all the
characteristics of successful soldier His methods IN
warfare bore the stamp Of originality ana ingenuity
Ills snccess depended more upon his powers of nven-
ton than adaptation. The fact that he has 6een COM
pared at times TO nearly all the great coman9 G LII VI
history is the proof that he was like none OF ten
His self was one sr OF hS resBoSsteS With
their attendant risks without asking any one 20 i"S
adopne the means at hand TO the accomplishment of
his purposes which contributed IN no snlaI uesIce
to his success Both his moral and physical courage
were equal to every emergency in which he was placed
Never unduy elated by to or depressed Dy rS Ge
trials and never in his life uttered oath or impeca
ton. His habits were simple and he enJoycl ply
form Of fatigue and privation incident to military
service in the field While POSSESSING ee sl;dS
his sensibites to Interfere with the stern duties of
rocks with finely tempered razor, he realized that
paper bullets should not be fred in warfae he felt
and that more died from disease in slcky camps
than from shot and shell in battle. lie had
knowledge of Topography which seemed to be inti'lve
hibited rapidly of thought and action in the field
which enabled him to move troops In the presence OF
an enemy with a promptness which has rarely, if
ever been eqgallsd There was spur on the heel Of
particular aim of service He naturally placed his
main reliance on his Infantry but made more Tg6E
day and was udieious in regulating me amount OF ms
operating. Applause)
While his achievements in actual battle eclipsed by
in his campaigns vet the extraordinary combinations
effected and the skill and bodness exhibited in moving
the qualities he displayed in the immediate presence
Of the enemy.
So brilliant was his career soldier that are too
apt to overlook the he achieved states
ena terms their msgninde is snch that they c6a
lenge comparison with those of any other Chief Mags
permits only brief aluson TO them upon an occasion
The affairs of the Nation were intrusted to his hands
when the country had not yet recovered from the de
Fifteenth Amendment the Constitution had not yet
been ratified by the requisite number Of states In the
sttuted authorities. and lawless bands Of armed men
clothed with doubtful powers in the restoration Of law
and order A change Of Administration had brought
mdabls than the armies he had encountered in the
field. Political ancor had envenomed whole sections
Of the country, the public debt was oppressive IN
fatOnsts and regulators weakening the Nations
credit. our merchant marine had almost disappeared
from the seas, Indian were brewing, unsettled
disputes foreign Powers threatened the National
peace and the formidable problems which confronted
the new Executive such TO appall heart less
stout than his. (AppauseD
NO POLICY But THE PEOPLES WILL.
He began his Administration by declaring that he
should have policy of his to enforce against
the will Of the people"
In his first inaugural address he urged measures
which led to the passage Of IAN act to strengthen the
pubic credit which gave 10 the world an official
pledge OF financial honesty. "
His first annual message earnestly recommended the
Christlanizng and ciyllZng Of the Indians, and his
pOlcv resulted In placing them on reservations, treat
ing them as wards OF the Nation, preventing wars ana
saving vast sums OF money. .