The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1897-04-27

| to give permanent sepulture to his ashes
| and to IeCall the record of his lmpenshable
] deeds
| IL Is peculiarly fitting that this memorial
| should be dedicated in the presence Of the
| distinguished soldier who marched IN the
| victorious column of his inustrious chief,
and who now SO woTthily occupies the
chair II state in which he sat There is a
source of extreme qualification and pro-
| found significance in the fact that there
are In attendance here not only the soldiers
who fought under the renowned defender
Of the Union cause, but the leaders of
armies who fought against him, all uni ting
in teStifying TO the esteem and respect
which he commanded from friend and foe
alike
This grateful duty which we discharge
This dav 5 not unmiXed with sadness, for
the occasion brings wildly to mind the
fatal day On which his generous heart
ceased to beat, and recalls the GRIEF which
fell upon the American people, with a sense
OF pain which was akin to the sorrow Of
a personal bereavement, and yet it is not
an occasion for tears; not a time To chant
requieinS or display the sable draperies of
public mourning II e who lies within the
portals of yunder tomb is not a dead
memory: he 5 a living reality. He mas
been consigned to the chamber Of death,
bet not To the realms Of foreetfulnesS. Our
grief is Gained by the recollection Of the
blessings his life conferred and the fame
he has left TO the custody Of his fellow
citizens We consecTate this day to Il
tribute to the memory of departed worth.
The story OF his life is the history Of the
most evcntfGl epoch in his country'S annals.
Upon an occasion such as this ii would
seem more fitting to stand silent by the
tomb and let history alone speak, but it
has been deemed proper that living wit
nesseS to his virtues should pay the CRATE
ful tribute Of their testimony. The allot
ment Of time permits only brief allusion
20 the achievements OF lis marvellous
career.
Ulysses s. Grant sprang from the loins
Of the American people and derived his
patent Of nobility direct from God. He
possessed an abiding confidence in the
honesty and intelligence of his fellow
Counuymen, and always retained his deep
hold upon their affections Even when
clothed with the robes OF the master, he
forgot not that he was still the servant OF
the people. In every great crisis he was
content 10 leave the efforts TO his country
men and the results to God.
As a commander Of men in the field he
manifested the highest characteristics of
the soldier, as cvinced in every battle in
which be was engaged from Palo Alto to
Appomattox. He was bold in conception, |
fixed in purpose, and vigorous in eXeCu- |
ton. He never allowed himself to be |
thrown On the defensive, but always aimed |
to take the initiative in battle. He made |
armies, and not cities, the objective points |
of his campaigns. Obstacles which would |
have deferred another seemed only to in |
splre him with greater confidence, ana his |
soldiers soon learned &c reflect much of his |
determination. His uOtto was, when in |
doubt move to the front. y His sworGGlways |
pointed the way to an advance; Its hilt /
was never presented to an enemy. He |
once wrote in letter to his father, 'Inever |
expect to have an army whipped, unless 1t |
Is badly whipped, and can help it" He |
enjoyed a physical constitution which en-
aDled him to endure every form of fatigue
and pTfvation incident to military service 1
in thefield. His acknowledgements, purity |
OF character, and absolute loyalty inspired |
loyalty in others, confidence in his methods,
ana Iained him The devotion of the huIul- |
lest of his subordinates.
He exhibited a rapidity OF thought and
action on the field which enabled him to
move with apromptness rarely ever equaled,
and which never failed to astouish, and
often to BATTLE the best efforts of a less |
vigorous opponent. A study Of his martial
deeds inspires us with the grandeur of !
events and the majesty of achievement.
He did not fight for glory, but for ma
tional existence and the equality and rights |
of men. His sole ambition was his coun-
try's prosperity. His victories failed to
elate him. In the dispatches which re-
ported his triumps there was no word of
arrogance, no eNaggeration, no aim at
dramatic effect. With all his self-reliance |
he was never betrayed into imniodesty of |
expression. He never moderated himself |
in battle, he never overra ted himself in
a report. He could not only command
armies, he could command himself In
exorable as he was in battle, war never
hardened his heart or weakened the
strength of his natural affections. He re-
tanned q singularly sensitive nature, q |
rare tenderness offeeling; shrank from the
sight OF blood, and was painfully alive to
every form Of human suffering.
While his career as a soldier eclpsed |
by its brilliancy his achievements as q
TIA tesman, yet when we sum ND the |
events Of the eight years during which he
vas President OF the republic, their mag
a