Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-02
The squires Memorial Bill Meets
With Popular Favor.
MEMORIAL ASSOCIATION OFFICERS
Many Determined the Honor Shall
Be No Longer Delayed.
w II A r T II E Y S A Y

Gen. Grant at the national capital is at
tracing increasing attention among mem
hers of the House. Maj. Pickler, chairman
Of the committee on invalid pensions, yoic-
ed the sentiment of many upon this sub
ject when he spoke to a Star reporter to-
day, as follows
There are many reasons, as it seems to
ne, why a monument should he erected in
Washington tC the memory of Gen. Grant.
Washington is the center of patriotic
events and the patriotic history of the
ton. Its public buildings, of which the
Capitol is chief Congress, its libraries,
statuary, it's surroundings, its history, all
tend to inspire the American citizen with
patriotic emotions and pride of country.
Gen. Grant and his career as a soldier as
well President, the pride of the
whole country. Other generals commanded
army corps and armies; Gen. Grant COM
manded all the armies. He achieved such
signal victories in the west that his COM
mand was extended to the armies of the
whole nation. His victories Were the pride
OF the whole country, and certainly the
city which is the capital of the whole ma
| tiCn-the city of which he whole nation is
proud; the city to which the eye of every
soldier whom Grant commanded, that is.
every member Of the Union army, turns
with admira tion-at the great city and
beautiful Capitol of the nation, which he
saved, is fitting place for the statue Of
the great commander A statue of Grant
in Washington would please every citizen
of this country, and ii would delight the
members of his old army
Il remember, while on a short furlouSh
in the year 1864, shortly after Grants
great battles In the east. of seeing a ban
ner stretched across Chestnut street in the
city of Philadelphia, upon which appeared
the inscription, God gave us Grant and
Grant gave us victory and that today is
the feeling OF the nation concerning Ora 1t
and the civil war. This history, followed
by his distinguished service after the war,
renders him peculiarly a national charac-
Ter, and hence TO city so appropriate as a
place to commemorate his achievements as
the city of Washington.
1t seems strange that j generation
Should have been born and grown to man
hood since Grant achieved his great vic
tories and led the armies tn 1t saved the
ration to the magnificent success hey at
tanned. and no fitting monument; erected at
the nations capital in commemoration of
his fame.
1t is due to patriotic Am .rican citizen
snip, and especially to the soliiery which
he commanded, that the monument should
be erected"
Col. Hcpburn's Views,
Col Hepburn Of Iowa, who has introduc-
ed bill in the House appropriating S2JouoU
for statue to Gen. Grant, said:
Il am glad to see The Star taking up this
matter. l hope to get a favorable report
from the committee on military affairs on
my bill. OF course, l could talk at length
upon the subject of how appropriate it
would be to provide a statue to Gen. Grant
but that is self-evidaat fact. l am one
of a committee appointed by the Army of
the Tennt ssee to secure the placing of
memorial to Gen. Grant at the national
capital, and will heartily cooperate with
every etfcrt to achieve that object
Gen. Curtis Speaks.
Gen. Curtis of New York. of the House
committee on military affairs, said:
Il think memorial statue of Gen. Grant
should be provid ed in Washington, and if
it is done l hope the statue will be of pro-
portions ample enough to fifty commence
rate the achievements of the great COM
mander.'
Gen. bingham Supports 1t.
Gen. Bingham of Pennsylvania, a MEM
Der of the appropriations committee, said:
Il am heartily in favor of any PROPOSE
tiCn looking to the cCmnemoration of Gen.
Grants services by statue at this capi-
tai. l take it that no argument is neces-
sary to show the eminent appropriateness
of such step, end the only question sug
gesting discus sion would be as to making
the work representative in every way of
the man il whose memory it was under
taken"
GRANT MEMORIAL ASSOCIATION.
Officers EIected-COmmittee to Confer
With Army of the Tennessee.
The Grant Memorial Association, at a
Getting last evening, in the Atlantic build
ing, elected Senator Watson c. Squire
president, Gen. Horace Porter first vice
president, Maj. w. p. Huxford secretary,
and Mr.. B. H. Warner corresponding sec
,etary. A committee was appointed to Sc
cure permanent headquarters and properly
furnish the same and also to confer with
the committee-G. NJ. Dodge, chairman;
Gen. o. o. Howard, Capt r. S. Tuthill,
Col. w. F. Villas, Col. d. b. Henderson,
Col. W. P. Hepburn, Capt. ]. A T. Hull,
Hugh r. Belknap, Gen. ]. A. Williamson
and Ger. j. c. Observation-Disclosures by
the Army of the Tennessee to secure prop
er national recognition Of the services of
Gen. Grant.
The movement for the erection of a mon
ument in memory of Gen. Grant had its
Army of the Tennessee at Cincinnati, in
September last. The president at that
time stated that while in this city he dis
covered that there had not been any ar
rangements or any movement for building
a statue to Gen. Grant, and he went on to
say that it is the duty of the government
10 90 TINS work, especially In Washington,
and he had been assured that they would
be willing to take 1t up, but the opinion
seemed to be that there must be sone
head, and that the proper head for the
duty was the Army of the Tennessee.
The president suggested that the society
formulate some resolution by which it could
go before Congress and ask for the statue
They have project in Washington" ne
continued, "of building a bridge across the
Potomac up near Georgetown, to connect
with Arlington. at the location of the old
Aqueduct bridge, which is to be a fine
structure, and to place upon it a statue of
Grant or something of that character, call
ing it the Grant Memorial bridge 1 think
we should move now upon Congress as a
society, and ask that they either make an
appropriation for memorial bridge or for
statue, whichever is thought best"
In accordance with the suggestion of the
president a committee of three was ap-
pointed, and submitted a resolution to the
effect that 1t is the desire and Judgment of
the society that the general government
should erect suitable statue at Washing
ton to the memory of General Grant, to
commemorate bis great service to his coun-
try as soldier and commander, and that
the president should name committee of
nine to bring the matter to the attention
Of Congress. The report of the committee
was adopted, and the committee as named
in the foregoing, subsequently appointed.