The National tribune., 1903-02-05

world. In December, 1879, he reached
Philadelphia again, by way of the Pacific
coast, at the close of that remarkable
journey. At this latter time a grand pub
lie demonstration by the citizens Of Phia-
delphia was accorded him, which conclu-
ed with formal reception in the Academy
of Music. Veterans of the war, with
their friends, packed the vast building to
its utmost capacity. Their old colors and
ba ttle-fags were displayed on the plat
form. Governor Henry NJ. Hoyt, in the
name of the citizens of Pennsylvania, gave
Gen. Grant welcome again to the birth
place of that American independence
which he had resecured to the Nation; and,
deputed by George G. Meade Post, of the
Grand Army of the Republic, of which
Post Gen. Grant was member, gave
him welcome from his old comrades.
Extending this greeting in their name, I
naturally suggested:
''It might seem that one who has re-
ceived the glad greetings of all the SOW
ereigns of earth, and who has fairly en-
circled the globe with the echo of his
praises. would tire of even the heartiest
expressions of honor or esteem that could
come to him from any source or by any
person whatsoever. But no true man ever
tires of words of love and confidence from
those who are dear to him. And as you,
sir, have already been reminded, and as a
single glance about you would have as
sured you, this vast assemblage is made
up of those who are no strangers to you.
companions in arms-'blood relatives all;
and it is not too much to say that they
are very dear to you. You depended on
them, and they proved true to you, in the
hour of need to you and to them-an hour
of need to our Nation and to humanity.
Because, then, you were capable and they
were trustworthy, You had success, and
they had victory and its rejoicings.
Here are men from well-nigh every
from your Bunker Hill at Belmont to
your Yorktown at Appomattox Court
House. - Meeting you again face
to face, they cannot but recall those days
when you were all the world to them;
when you held their lives and honor in
your keeping; when on your sagacity, your
courage, and your fidelity, depended all
that they loved or lived for-and for
which they were ready to die.
"As once more they look on you, and
on those dear old flags beside you, they
remember how, at your order and under
your lead, they followed those flags in the
storm of battle, or stood by them in the
dreary siege, upholding and defending
them amid the shower Of bullets or under
the crash Of bursting shell; on the death.
crowned parapet, or in the open field, with
ringing charge and countercharge; or on
the weary march, by night and by day, in
Summers heat and in Winters cold-un-
til the weather-beaten, tattered, and bull.
let-pierced remnants of those flags bear
mute but eloquent witness to the true.
hearted devotion of those soldiers and their
great commander to the interests of that
country which under God he saved, which
he has governed so wisely and represented
everywhere so grandly, and of which he
| stands today confessedly the foremost
bestowed citizen"
When, in the name of his own Post Of
| the Grand Army of the Republic and OF
| every lover of the grand Republic itself,
extended to Gen. Grant the hand of heart
| felt welcome, and he rose, and with evil
| dent emotion returned the hand-clasp
while every person in the vast assembly
sprang to his feet and Joined in the cheers
that rang through the building, l knew
that he was having a foregleam of the
place he was to hold for all time as the
preeminent preserver and lover of his
country, while his old soldiers, who were
present, as representative Of all the sur
viving veterans Of the war, felt that the
trials and sufferings of that prolonged con
| fict were not worthy to be compared witt
the glory and honor given by the whole
world to this great Nation and this great
commander In the attained triumph, il
which they had borne so important a part
| At last there came the end of that Life
Of heroism and sacrifice-the end of ths
long days and nights of suffering, while
the great soldier battled so bravely witt
the last enemy he must encounter, the only
enemy who ever could bring him even fol
time into subsection. Struggling success
fully hour by hour with wasting strength
to secure competent provision for his OWL
dear ones, and to prepare a new legacy
| for his countrymen, in the full story of hi
great campaigns in'their behalf, until al
was accomplished,
"He was ready not to do
At last, at last"
Peace had come to him, and he was a,