The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-04-28
ARMY And NAVY
HELD THE BOARDS
Politics Gave Way 10 Patriotism at Re-
publican Club Dinner.
GEN. JOE WHEELER SPOKE
EuIOSized Grant for His Kindness to
The Ragged COniederates.
REAR ADMIRAL WINFIELD S. SCHLEY
Replied to the Toast Our Navy" and
Upheld the Honor of That Branch
of the Nations Defenders
-Magee Presided
GEN. JOE WHEELER SPOKE
REAR ADMIRAL WINFIELD S. SCHLEY

Pittsburg, April N.-Politics gave way to
patriotism at the annual banquet of the
American Republican Club in honor of the
birthday of General Grant tonight, and
instead of the names of such prominent
republican leaders among the speakers as
Mckinley, Harrison, Reed and Sherman,
the army and navy had the call, and the
guests of honor were General Joseph
Wheeler and Admiral Winfield S. Schley.
The dinner was held at the Hotel Schen-
ly, and in many respects was the most sue
cessful ever given by the club. Covers
were laid for 365, and had there been room
probably twice this number of tickets would
have been sold. Preceding the dinner the
distinguished guests held a reception which
lasted more than an hour, and 1t was long
after the time fixed for the banquet when
the guests filed into the banquet hall to
the inspiring strains of 1.-The Stars and
Stripes" Hon. C. L. Magee was chairman
at the dinner table, and Clarence Burleigh,
city attorney, was POSTMASTER. Major
General Wheeler responded to the toast.
Grant" as follows
Gen. Joe wheeler Speaks
Calm and beautiful the morning of July
%, 1885, dawned on Mount McGregor. All
nature seemed subdued. The rays of the
risen sun rested upon the green hills and
mountains of Vermont upon the placid wa
tiers of Saratoga Lake and upon the cottage
where the life of the greatest man of the
nation was slowly ebbing away. Ulysses s.
Grant was In. the immediate presence of the
foe whom none may conquer, the only foe
to whose might the 81 cat warrior had ever
succumed For nine long months had he
za6 frIo tod into he st 1not \,
keeping MIN at bay with one hand, while
with his pen in the other, he bravey finish
ed the work that would make provision for
the beloved wife and children he should
leave behind him.
"A few moments after o'clock the silver
cord was loosed, the golden bowl broken,
and the spirit of the patriot-warrior had re-
turned to the God who gave it, and ere the
sun had climbed midway to the zenith, the
electric wires had told the people in the
uttermost ends of the earth that General
Grant was dead. In every city, town and
hamlet in our land, heads were reverently
bowed and sorrow and sympathy were ex-
pressed in every countenance
when the announcement of his death
reached Charleston, S. c., the News and
Courier of July "a, said: ~
Revered by the Entire Country
"'Happy he was in one sense in the time
of his death; had his life ended but few
years since, the mourning for the great
leader would have been more or less Sec
tional in its manifestations. Dying as he
now dies, the grief is as widespread as the
union, and the sorrow is as national as his
fame. Only little while ago General
Grant belonged to the victorious north. In
his last days he was the foremost citizen
of the United States, of north and south
alike. Nowhere was the discriminating re-
gard for him more tender than in the
states which used to be described as lately
in rebellion The country is reunited In
spirit as in word, and the successful gencr-
alissimo of the union forces is incurred
by south and north together. 1t needed one
thing to give him the semblance of con-
tent. 1t needed solemn declaration of con-
fidence in him, as a soldier, and of adj
miration of such. This Acknowledgement
which had been denied him again and agar
while the waves of misfortune were yet al