The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-04-29
AT GRANTS TOMB.
"After Many Days.

AS usual, DR.. Chauncey NJ. Depew was
felicitous in his address at the laying of
the corner stone of the Grant monument,
Wednesday. The affair passed off with
great eclat, and every indication now
points to the fact that Americas great
soldier will soon have fitting memorial
to perpetuate his brilliant career. With
the flight of days, the memory of Grant
is taking a stronger hold on the affec-
tions of the people of all classes,
The Boston view of the affair is shown
in the Journals editorial, published be-
fore the cornerstone was laid. as fol-
lows: "It is certainly matter of con-
graduation that the day for laying the
corner stone of the monument at New
York in memory of General Grant has
finally arrived. There have been serious
misgivings from time to time as to
whether it would ever come. Projected
with loud beating of tom toms, and an
ecldt peculiar to the greatest city on the
American continent, so near did the
completion of the enterprise appear then
that one could almost hear the eloquent
cadences of the dedicatOry orator. But
the summer deepened into autumn, and
the autumn passed into winter, Decem-
ber succeeded December, and still the
UuOuHuluGuI lulu IdllGu W Keep pace
with even the normal rate of infant
growth. Eloquent Mr.. Depew has told
us of the Connecticut agent of a philan-
thrOpic colonization society who used
each year to collect Just enough money
from the friends of the enterprise to pay
his own salary and then to pass the re-
mainder of his time in elegant leisure.
But there were doubts at times whether
the contributions to the Grant fund
would even be sufficient to meet the
clerks weekly bill. In the meantime
other distinguished men had died and
the generous New Workers were enter
tanning rainbow-tinted visions about do
ing something handsome for their
memories. The result was it had began
to look as if Boston would have to take
the matter in hand or an appeal be made
to Congress q la Chicago.
But the turn in the lane seems to
have been reached. Energetic General
Porter has given the undertaking a
boost that has, if nothing more raised
it into definite and tangible form. The
preparations for the laying of the corner
stone are all in keeping with the occas-
ion. With the presence of hundreds of
old soldiers, with the representatives of
the National and State Governments, and
with the graceful and eloquent tribute
which Mr.. Depew is sure to pay to the
work and worth of General Grant, the
exercises promise to warrant the place
that they will take in history, Boston
ians naturally will run back to the lay
ing of the corner stone of their own
Bunker Hill Monument One dedicated
to the memory of man, the other to a
battle they both yet combine within
them the essence of the two great epOchs
in the history of these States. The one
signifies the birth of this Nation, the
other tells of its preservation. May New
York come to feel the same sense of per-
sonality and pride in its memorial that
Boston does in Bunker Hill"
The Washington view is given in des-
patches dated the Goth: "The President
and number of distinguished men left
for New York to-day to attend the Grant
monument ceremonies. This action is
more significant than it appears. 1t is
a recognition by the officers of the Unit
ed States Government, undoubtedly, that
the remains of General Grant are not to
be removed to Washington, but ale to
remain where they are. Senator Man.
derson, upon the death of Senator
WIN up bAiO bioh NhlOh MI
Plumb had assigned to himself of reviv-
ing the agitation in favor of removing
the body of Gen. Grant to Washington.
But Senator MandersOn, finding that
the family of Gen. Grant would be
greatly grIeved to have the change made
is understood to have abandoned the un-
dertaking So that it is to be regarded
that the remains of Gen. Grant are to re-
main in New York. And the citizens of
New York will sometime build a monu-
ment for Grant if they can"
The popular opinion is probably vOic-
ed in this note, which we find going the
rounds: Through the energetic efforts
of Gen. Horace Porter the fund for the
Grant monument is being rapidly in
creased. The money, if it is ever to be
secured, will have to be raised before
the interest in the laying of the corner
stone has subsidized. That gone by, it
would be difficult task under anv cir
cumstances, but in New York, with the
well-knOwn mercurial generosity of the
citizens of that town, it would be more
serious undertaking than that of the
condemned Sisphus."