Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-10-29

Tue Louisville Editors Charming Trit

The Louisville Editors Charming Tribute
His Career Was Compiete--By One
Speech he Mounted to the Heights of
American Manhood = seif-poised and
Peerless.
Mr.. Henry Watterson sent to Mr.. Clark
Howell letter of regret ut his Inability to
attend the Grady monument unwilling, in
which he said "Whilst Henry w. Grady
lived, he was young colleague of whom
was very proud, and when he died, /
lamentod him as patriot prematurely
snatched from great and noble work,
which he had made his own. If | pre-
ceded him in that work it was but the &C
cident of seniority, for in single bound
he measured the entire distance, achieving
by one brief speech, what had not been
able to compass by fifteen years of con-
slant speaking and writing. From that
day, December 2lst. 1886 to the day of his
death, December a3d, 1850, he stood upon
the signal-heights of American manhood
and brotherhood, self-poiscd and peerless.
He was prose-poet and an orator Of COM
manding power, OF irresistible personality,
and his death, which brought so much
sorrow to 50 nooy hearts that knew and
loved him, became public and national
bereavement
THE conveyance of Gods message of
peace to America was fittirgly reserved for
the coming of one SO young in feeling, yet
so old in wisdom; so gentle, yet so brave;
SO like child, yet SO truly man He was
sent direct from heaven. bringing with
him its light, and the touch of the angels
impressed upon the sensibilities Of his
countrymen, he was taken away; leaving
only Il blessed memory. II was not for
his radiant spirit to be contaminated by
long contact with the unclean things and
sad realities Of this world; and, his mis-
sion of goodwill to mem accomplished,
a ~ I'd 10. th..h .ag ..f 10
Maker. His appointed work was done.
HIS race was won. His career was COM
plete.
lie pleaded, as no other, for the past.
the present and the future. He stood as
1t were, midway between two generations,
and was at once n type of the good that
had been and sign of the good that might
be. From him the south heard the voice
of its best beloved, speaking for millions
who could not speak for themselves. In
him the north saw promise and hope
which it was unable to sec in party leaders
whose utterances were often identified
with political interest and contention, and
whose motives were, therefore, always dis
trusted: Even the open-hearted and broad-
minded appeals of Lamar and Hill
came. short of the mark and fell
outside the breastworks Of sectional
| passion. Grady took up the Won
drots tale of valor, travail and de-
spair, and, by the magic of his pres
cnce and his words, subducd the genius
of war whilst he vitaized its heroes; the
| legions Of Lee lived again, but no longer
in martial array; the camps Of Stoncwnll
Jackson shown anew, but on fames
eternal camping ground; and back of all
| were pictured the living, allied to the dead
in glory and in grief, but Christian men
and women still, loving their dead and
true to them, yet loving their country and
true to it. The spell of prejudice was
broken. On both sides the unreconciled
listened, and, passage once made for
truth, the north began to realize equally
| withthe south the need of something more
than justice, and to rejoice in a rivalry Of
| generous concession.
1t is easy now for all of us to Join in
| this. Grant and Lee, and Sherman and
| Johnston, and Grady, comrades at last in
immortality, walk together amid the light
of the perfect day and, in little while, the
| rest of us whom the war divided will be
| immortal too. and know the truth The
ark Of the covenant is restored; the flag of
the Union waves on high. Esto Perpetua
1t was a politicians war. 1t is peoples
peace. Let the north and the south alike
rejoice and give thanks To God, sure that
the final verdict will not be political or a
| sectional verdict; because il will be regis
tered in heaven, where all is made right,
that so puzzles us here. In the meanwhile,
let him be esteemed the best American
who least remembers sectional bitterness;
let sectionalism be expunged from the die
tionaries; let it be blotted from the geogra-
phies, so that the living may do their duty
to their country and the dead, and the
purpose and the glory of the fathers may
be fulfilled.