The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1892-04-30

soliciting subscriptions, and the other
invited guests, among whom were
many senators and congressman. An
other platform nearby accommodated
300 members of the Loyal Legion and
1000 seats were placed upon the level
sward south of the tomb for members
of the Grand Army of the Republic.
All the United States troops in the
vicinity were present and the navy was
| represented by several men-of-war an
chorcd i'll the river near the tomb.
President Harrison arrived at the
park at 1,30 o'clock and when the
crowd behcld the coach of the chief
magistrate of the nation he was given
an ovation. lie was accompanied by
several members of his cabinet and
they all witnessed the ceremony except
Secretary Blaine, for whose absence i'll
health was assigned. The state de-
partment was. however, represented
There was no marked martial dis
| play attending the ceremonies save the
presence of sprinlling here and there
of officers of the army and navy and
the troops which accompanied the
| President to the park. The ceremony
was civil from every point of-view.
Notable among those who gathered
around the bier of the hero of Appo-
mattoX were Generals Howard, Slocum,
Schofield and Dodge, the only living
generals who were associated with
Grant in the great civil struggle.
A few minutes before o'clock the
United States Marine band opened the
| exercises with Hail to the Chief"
Then the Rev. DR.. John Hall, of the
Fifth Avenue Presbyterian church of
fered a prayer.
General Horace Porter, president of
the Grant Monument association, then
made a brief speech reviewing the
work done by the association and ex-
pressing the determination to complete
the raising of the sum required to
erect the monument by next Decoration
day, May 80.
Then the corner stone was swung
into place, and President Harrison
placed the first cement upon it with a
trowel made of gold
Depew's Grafton.
In opening Mr.. Depew, orator of the
day, paid simple tribute to General Grants
love for his family and his last request that
he should never be buried where his be-
loved wife could not rest by his side. 'New
York, he said, ''in accepting this beg uest
of General Grant, has ass umed a
sacred trust. Upon no municipality and
its citizens was ever devolved more
solemn duty. From the tenderest motives,
he took from the national government the
task which it would most loyalty and low.
ingly have performed, and entrusted it to
this great city. The whole country are en-,
listed in the army of reverence and sorrow,
but he appointed New York the
guard of honor. Let the mon.
ument which will rise upon this corner.
stone be worthy of the magnitude of the
metropolis and the grandeur Of the subject.
General Grant needs no stately shaft or
massive pile to pcrpetuate his memory.
The republic is his monument, and its his
tory during what must always BE- its most
critical and interesting period will be the
story of his deeds"
The speaker pointed TO the rise of Lin.
coin and Grant as grand instances of the
possibilities under free Institutions and re-
ferred to the fact that nearly all the presi
dents had been poor men. Then the career
of the general in his early days and his
sudden bursting forth as the leader
of the armies We're sketched in turn
and high tributes were paid
to the wonderful military mind of the gen.
eral. Salient incidents of the war were
touched upon and the final climax OF the
struggle referred to in the words "Criti-
cising cabinets, hostile congressman, doubt
ing generals and distrustful people all sur
rendered with Lee ut AppOmattoX."
The magnanimity of General Grant, his
letter to General Sherman when there was
talk of the latter being made commander
in-chief at the time of the Wilderness cam
paign, and Grants subsequent refusal to
supersede Sherman when tie termA
offered TO General Johnston had been
rejected by the secretary of war
were dwelt upon, and his quiet gen,
erosity to General Buckner after Donelson
referred TO. His firm, unwavering friend
ship and his absolute freedom from en-
w or jealousy Were touched upon The
speaker then paid tribute to Grants great
est opponent, Lee, and said that Lees sur
render and his return of that peneraI,s
sword was the eliminating triumph of
General Grant.
Grant as a Peace Advocate,
In closing the speaker said:
Above Belmont and Done.son, above Chi
loh and Vicksburg, above the campaign in
the West, and Appomattox in the East.
rise the ineStimable services winch he
rendered in the peace and reunion
of his country, when he threw
himself and his fame between pres
ident Andrew Johnson's scheme ~
vengeance and the Confederate leaders ba
had parolcd, and when again he threatenad
TO draw his sword TO prevent a transfer NV
the same president TO the same leaders of
the power they had lost and the govern
ment they had tried to destroy.
The most brilliant jewels in his crown NJ
glory will be, that though conaueror in
the field, he counseled through life, and ad-
vised with his pen when in his last hours
his voice had failed, peace and reconcilia-
ton among his countrymen, and that
though soldier president he success ssfully
demonstrated the Justice and wisdom OF