The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-04-28

differences OF the past and transoends
the Limitations OF sectional lines. Its
CON pletiJn which we pray God to speej,
will be The nation s greatest glory.
should have memorial cofiimensurate
with his great ness and that his last re-
sting place should be tha city of his
choice. to which he was so attached in
life sand of whosss time he was not for
getful even in death. Fitting, too. is it
that the great soldier should sleep be-
side the ntb'e river on whose banks he
first learned the art OF war. and OF which
he became master and leader without a
r. val. .rT
But let us not forget the glorious dis
tinction- witch the metropolis among the
fair sisterhood of American cities has
honored his life and memory. With all
that riches and sculptor can do to re nder
the edifico worthy of the man. upon site
unsurpassed fora magnitlcenee, mas thls
monument been reared by New YORK as
q perpetual record of his illustrious deeds,
In the certainty that as time passes,
around 1t will assemble with gratitude
and reverence and generation, men OF
all chimes, races and nationRlities.
New York holds In its keeping the pre-
cious dust of the silent soldier; but, his
achievements-w what he and his brave
comrades wrought for mankind-are IN
theskeepiDg of seventy millions of Anne
rican citizens, who will guard the sacred
heritage forever and forever more.
The vast crowd listened with close at
tent1on to the Presidents words, and at
Intervals broke into cheers when some5in
cident in the dead soldiers career was
alluded TO by the distinguished speaker.
Al the conclusion of the President S
address,, Col. Fred Grant advanced and
shook him warmly by the hand. Az the
o. ivzk y, k1-o y ~ ky,a
plauded.
Before Gen. Porter began to speak. the
biting wind forced many OF the ladies in
the presidential party to seek the shelter
ct the tomb. Among those we're Mrs.
Mckinley, who was slightly indisposed.
Con. Porter was followed by Mayor
Strong.
..The Star spangled banner was then
played BY the band, after which Gen.
Horace Porter was introduced by the
Mayor. The orator of the day was ac-
corded warm reception. More discrete
than the President, Gen. Porter kept his
hat on while he WAS speaking. He road
his address from typewriter manuscript.
He spoke as follows:
GEN. PORTER's ADDRESS.
1t is all like dream. One can scarcely
realize the lapse of time and the memorable
events which have occurred since our hero
President was first proclaimed one of the
great of earth. The dial hands upon the
celestial clock record the flight of more than
generation since the legions of American
manhood poured down from the hilltops,
surged up from the valleys, knelt upon their
native soil to swear eternal allegianc. to
the Union, and went forth to seal the oath
with their blood in marching under the vic
torious banners of Ulysses S. Grant Today
countless numbers of his contemporaries,
their children and their children's children
gather about his tomb to give permanent
sepulture to his ashes and to recall the
record of his imperishable deeds.
1t is peculiarly fitting that this memorial
should be dedicated in the presence OF the
distinguished soldier who marched i'll the
victorious columns of his illustrious chief,
and who now SO worthily occupies the chair
of state in which he sat- There is a scource
of extreme qualification and profound sig
nificance in the fact that there are in at
tendance here not only the soldiers who
fought under tile renowned defender of the
Union cause, but the leaders of armies who
fought against him, all uniting in testifying
to the esteem and respect which he COM
manded from friend and foe alike.
This grateful duty which we discharge this
day is not unmixed with sadness, for the oc-
casion brings vivfdly 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 be-
rGavement, and yet it is not an occasion for
tears; not a time to chant requiems or dis
play sable draperies OF public mourning. He
who lies within the portals of yonder tomb
is mot dead memory; he is living reality
He has been consigned to the chamber of
death, but not to the realms of forgetful-
ness. Our grief is Gained by the recollec-
ton of the blessings his life conferred and
the fame he has left to the custody of his
fellow citizens. We consecrate this day to
tribute to the memory of departed
worth. The story of his life is the history
of the most eyentful epoch in his country's
annals Upon an occasion such as this it
would seem more fitting to stand silent by
the tomb and let history alone speak but it
has been deemed.proper that living witness
es to his virtues should pay the grateful
tribute of the testimony. The allotment of
time permits only brief allusion to the
achievements of his marvellous career.
Ulysses S. Grant sprang from the 1oins
of the American people and derived his
patent of nobility directly from God He
possessed an abiding confidence in the hon
esty and intelligence of his fellow-country
men, and always retained his deep hold
upon their affections. Even when cloth ed
with the robes of the master, he forgot not
that lie was still the servant of the people.
In every great crisis he was content to leave
the efforts to his eountrymen and the re-
suits to God.
AS commander of men in the field he
manifested the highest characteristics of a
soldier, as evinced in every battle in which
he was engaged from Palo Alto to Appomat-
tox. He was bold in conception, fixed in
purpose and vigorous in execution. He new
Ell allowed himself to be thrown on the del
fensive, but always aimed to take the initial
tive in battle. He made armies, not cities,
the objective points of his campaigns. Obj
stacles which would have eterred anoth er
seemed only to inspire him with greater
confidence, and his soldiers soon learned
to reflect much OF his determination. His
motto was, when in doubt move to the
Fror J;c c11y +oI