The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-04-28
EXERCISES AT GALENA.
Postmaster General Smith Speaks M
the Old Home of Gencrnl Grant.

GALENA, Ill, April 1.-THE annual cele-
bration Of the birthday Of Gen. L. S. Grant.
under the auspices of the Grant Day AS
ISOLATION, was held here to-day. Special
trains were run from points in Iowa, Wis
consin and Illinois and brought thousands
of people to view the exercises. Public and
private buildings over the city were gayly
decorated with flags and bunting, while
across the downtown streets along the line
of march were stretched the national coll
ors and streamers OF red. white and blue.
The feature Of the morning exercises was
the presentation TO the Galena park COM
missioners Of one Of the big rifed cannon
taken from the Spanish cruiser vizcaya-
Previous to the formal presentation. the big
rifle, escorted by members OF L. ID. KIttoe
Post. G. A r., and the survivors OF Com
pany NJ, Sixth Illinois Volunteers, was
drawn through the business district. and
was viewed by thousands. who heartily
cheered the Spanish trophy as IT went by.
In the afternoon an immense mass meet
ing was held at Turner Hall, Postmaster
General Charles Emory Smith being the
orator Of the day. This evening a public re-
ception was given the distinguished visitors
at Turner Hail. In his speech, this after
noon, postmaster General Smith said, in
part:
There is nothing more heroic in the cap
lure OF DOnelSOn, nothing SranOer IN the
J march on Richmond than the grim courage
and the noble impulse with which Grant. in
the very shadow of death, wrote the sim
pie fascinating story OF his life that was TO
be the support of those he loved. 1t was in
the last pages. just as the darkening pail
was falling on him, that he penned the fol-
lowing words: England and the United
States are natural allies and should be the
best of friends. They speak one language
and are related by blood and other ties.
We together. or even either, separately. are
better qualified than any other people TO
establish between all nationali-
ties of the world. England governs her own
colonies and particularly those embracing
the people of different races from her own,
better than any other nation
That splendid vision of The distinguished
chieftain Is in course OF realization. 1t Is
nearly fourteen years since his eyes were
closed in death, but the dream which flashed
upon his falling sight on the hushed heights
OF Mount McGregor Is to-day a vivid and
luminous picture, filling the whole front OF
the national view. We see now as we never
saw before the higher unity and the broader
mission OF the English speaking race. That
race Is the pioneer OF civilization and the
founder Of commonwealths. The triumphs or
its energy are written on every page In the
glorious history of civil. religious and COM
mercial progress 1t has subdued CONT
1t stands for the genius OF liberty. for lib
erty clad in a sacred canopy of law which
and executes the organized will of ali. Rep
resentative government, trial by jury, free
dom OF speech and OF the press. the right TO
NOISlAp dIOOIulnS ~ Nv 0ACldltS vi COU-
science, the establishment OF the common
s~chool-theSe are. the cardinal elements OF
its polity, and these are the beneficent fruits
of its ever advancing march.
"Our country has not gone forth with aim
bitious or conquering hand. In the little
more than one hundred years OF its national
existence IL has found it's youthful vigor
absorbed in developing the mighty corti-
nent where Goo in the westward course OF
civilization has placed the seat OF its un-
rivaled empire. but II now arches and fills
the broad space between the Atlantic and
Pacific. For a hundred years, which are
but a fragmen in the lifetime OF the Ma
ton. we have lived within ourselves, and,
shutting our eyes to the growth and needs
of the coming centuries, shall we hold that
the metes and bounds OF the past are TO
be the irrevocable limits of the future?
General Grant saw and said that our
country was entering on a new era Yes,
or a new era of unity and progress and
power. For. under the impulse and in
fluence Of the national uprising and pa
triotic reawakening Of the past year. we
witness more than ever on this anniversary
OF his birth such a reunion OF the North and
South I'm heart and In han as his great
and magnanimous spirit yearned for. With
this uplifting Of the national sentiment at
home we see on the broader field What his
Tranquil view prefigured In the advance or
the English speaking race and Of our own
portion OF il 10 a larger part In the COM
merce and civilization OF the world"