The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1892-04-28
The GRANT CRYPT
Laying of the Cornerstone
By the President.
cBAUNCBY M. DEPEw's GRAFTON
Riverside Park Thronged With Hundred
Thousand People. -

Flowers Upon the Tomb-A Distin-
guishsd Party Present.
New York, April 29-The President
Of the United States welded a shining
gold trowel yesterday at the laying OF
the cornerstone in Riverside Park. The
widow of General Grant, the children of
her children were there to witness the
eeremony--a ceremony simple almost to
severity, About her were grouped men
great In the affairs of the nation, and
men of note in all walks of life.
AS the moment drew near when the
stone should be placed in position, the
mighty throng of persons on every side
became very quiet. There had been
music, prayer by DIR. Hall, a brief and
concise speech from the lips of General
Horace Porter. Workmen manned the
windlasses on either side of the 12 ton
lump Of granite
With heads uncovered they waited for
the President TO scatter the mortar,
when they would receive the signal to
lower the stone
The President stepped down from the
platform, where he and other distin
Ruished guests had been seated The
trowel placed in his hand, he stepped
over to the southwest corner of the
foundation.
The crowd, which was equalled
only by that which saw the body of the
dead General placed in the tomb be-
came 80 still that the chirp of a robin
calling to its mate from the trees just
behind the stands was heard dis
tinctly.
The President stood on the foundation,
directly in front Of the stone and the
bed of cement beneath it, and the wind
lass began to creak. In moment the
stone was in place.
The cornerstone had been laid. The
/ President stepped upon a small stand
tnat had beeu .recUed in the front and
made brief address.
/ Chauucry A Depew, who for some
/ time had been ooSing as if he were pre-
| pairing to rise, stood up, giving the audi
ence the signal for another tremendous
outburst Of cheering. He said, in part:
Mr.. PRESIDENT AND FELLOW CITIZENS:
! The predominant sentiment of General Grant
/ was his family and his home. As son, husband
and father his care and devotion were constant
! and beautiful. While visiting the capitals of
! the Old World he had seen the stately mauso-
leums of their great soldiers, or statesmen,
resting i'm the gloom of cathedral Crypts OF the
solitude Of public places. The perpetual cere-
monial, the inhuman GOODNESS, Of these spen-
did tributes chilled and repeled him. He had
shrunk all his life from display and he desired
to escape it after death, To lie In the church,
/ yard where slept his father and mother would
have been more in accord with his mind, But
he appreciated that his countrymen had a
! claim upon his memory and the lessons of his
| life and fame, He knew that where he was
! buried they would build a shrine for the study
and inspiration Of coming generations.
He selected New York because it was the
metropolis of the continent and the capital of
the country, but he made one condition. No
spot must be chosen which did not permit his
wife TO be by his side at the resurrection. She
had been the love of his youth, the companion
and oonhdant Of his maturer years. She had
made the humble cottage at Galena, the camp,
the White House and the stately city residence
all equally his home. lie would have no monu-
ment, however grand which separated him
from her during the unnumbored years of the
hereafter.
The memory OF our heroes our patriots, and
our men of genius IS one of the strongest o.
tho bonds which hold together our Union aho
Svtien Jne nrus ot patriotism are ever burning
are North, South, East and West. Every state
cherishes the remains OF its citizens, whose IL
lustrious Achievements are the glory of the
country and the pride of their commonwealth
whose works and lives are ever living lessons ol
love and devotion to the dag and Constitution
of the United States.
New York, in accepting this bequest Of
General Grant, has assumed sacred trust
Upon no municipality and its citizens was evel
devolved a more solemn duty Let the monu
ment which will rise upon this conversions
be worthy OF the magnitude of the Metropolis
and the grandeur of the subject. Genera
| Grant needs no stately shaft or massive pile tC
perpetuate his memory. The Republic is hi
monument, and its history during what mus
always be It's most critical and interesting
period will be the story of his deeds.
General Sherman once remarked: Il lay
awake all night wondering where the enemy
are but Grant don't care where they are ol
what they are doing" This was because haV
ing once Drepared his plans with reference tC
every known contingency he had so complete
ly calculated the resources of his adversarie
ana of his own that he could not contemplate
disaster and never knew defeat,
When General Sherman and all the able OH
GERS about him protested against the perilou
movement to get below Vicksburg and attacl
the other side because his army would be cu
Oft from its base of supplies The North vii
, cut on our suppl, unless we succeed % h
said, and the Fourth Of July, 1868. become on
of the glorious days In the annals of war. FO
thirty DAYS ne led the Army of the POtoma
through the wilderness hurting il against tn
| entrcuched positions Of the enemy by day am
moving il by night TO assault fresh deienscs i
! tile morning. The country 6huddcred wit
I horror at the carnage and called for his rC
moVal, his officers We're auected by the un
yersal distrust of his movements, the mangle
=, / columns of troops recOiling from the shot an
i ! shell which ploughel through their ranks fror
ii hmpresnable forIucauons, sometimes refuse
y 70 attack again. But the response of the COZ
. hdent and impcrturbable commander was th
= ever recurring order, by the left flank, fol
ward. b" and to bis cOuntrymen, 81 will fight
I. out ON this line IL it takes ali summer" Crit
- cislnr Cabinets, hostile Congressman, dOultiu
Generals and distrustful people all surrende
ed with Lee at AppomaJtoX.
On resuming his seat after the sbl
address 1t was several minutes befor
a uuiet could be restored, the repeate
shouting and elapping of hands bein
almost deafening.
. When quiet was restored Dr. job
Hall pronounced the benediction and th
services ended by the firing of salut
- OF uwenty-oue guns from the U, S. $
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