Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1897-05-03
DEDICATION OF THE GRANT
MONUMENT.

| tomb in New York last Wednesday.
J The celebration was both on land and
sea, and was participated in by all
classes of people of our own country,
and by representatives Of foreign
countries anxious to show the highest
possible honor to Americas great
hero. The exercises at the tomb con-
sisted of prayer by Bishop Newman,
who preached Grants funeral SER
mon, an address by President Nc
Kinley, an grafton by Gen. Horace
Porter, and the acceptance of the
Monument by Mayor Strong of New
York; besides thess there were music
and hymns appropriate to the occa-
sion. The tomb of General Grant has
been five years in building and was
erected largely by the personal eff
forts of Gen. Porter, who was one of
Grants staff officers during the war,
and private secretary to him during
his first administration. It cost
about $500, 900, which was contributed
by about 10000 people. The tomb is
located in Riverside Park, and is con-
spicuous from many places in the
city. It's lower portion is square of
the ,Grecian Doric order, 80 feet on
each side; above this is a cupola 72
feet in diameter, with a pyramidal
top $50 feet above. The interior is
cruciform, and the material used is
the finest granite. Beneath the CEN
ter of the dome is the sarcophagus
which is made of red porphyry; an
additional one will be provided for
the remains of Mrs. Grant. AS SOL
dier Grant stands out prominently
as the greatest general of his time,
and ranks with Napoleon, Caesar and
the great generals of the world. He
took command of our armies after
others had failed and by his determi-
nation to win, to put down the armies
fighting against his country, led the
troops to grand and noble victory.
1t ha d been the custom of the gen
erals preceding Grant in the COM
mand of the army of the Potomac to
fall back after battle and reorganize
command this work stopped. He
could not be forced to fight on the de-
fensive; when he found he must fight,
even though he was at a disadvan-
tage, he took the initiative. He al
ways advanced after a battle was
over, never falling back. In this way
he finally drove Lee behind his forti-
fications and when he was once there
nothing could break the hold which
Grant had upon him. After he had
conquered, the terms he gave Lee
showed that he had clear conception
of what was necessary to be done in
order for the two sections to be re-
united again. His actions at that time
and later proved to the South that he
was their friend, and the trust which
they had in him caused them to ac-
cept all terms offered by the North
with much less distrust than they
might otherwise have done.
AS statesman Grant ranked
among the highest. He was in the
presidential chair during the first two
terms after the war and it consequent
ly fell to his lot to look after the COM
plications which had arisen between
this country and foreign countries, and
it is of great credit to him that he al
ways advocated settling all difficulties
by arbitration rather than by means
of the sword. He loved peace, and
he lived to see the peace he had
fought SO valiantly for, and when he
died the mourning was not confined
to the North or to any sectiou, but
his loss was felt all over the country.
Before his death he expressed the
wish that he might be inferred at
New York and his wishes have been
carried out. Soon after his death the
citizens of that city started to raise a
sum of money which should build a
monument suitable to the memory of
the illustrious soldier; part of the
money was raised and then for a time
the sum did not increase, when Gen.
Porter took the matter in hand and
pushed it along till finally this day
was reached, when the nations of the
world gathered to do homage to his
| memory. The days program was
successfully carried out. Gen. Porter,
the orator of the day, was accorded
warm reception and although he
spoke for some time he held his audi