New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-05-31
A NATIONAL SALUTE FIRED.

In the course of the address of Mayor Low
a national salute was fired by the 1st Battery
After the Mayor had formally committed the
statue TO the care of Park Commissioner Will
cox, the Commissioner responded as follows;
esteem it high honor to be gran granted ID the the
privilege Of receiving for the department od nf
city government which represent the cu9'oN' -
this splendid statue Of General Sherman; Contain
The parks OF our city. which already So,, con- nf
certain memorials of many Of the great men b %
history, are made richer bv the erection Oh inns
statue which is unveiled here to-day al, s-s
II is particularly appropriate that the PARK sx rs
tenn of this island which. on the banks OF OF me the
ustrious Grant. should now have at ITS H9Iy
entrance this stately memorial to his great com
The Civil War developed MANY great and and, noble 5as
characters. but for whom the people I ITI
greater affection than for General sherman, ats
high honors were not Won h IN %r of the Union
and for liberty and justice to all classes u ms
particularly fitting that here in the city this is
his adoption. the home OF ms later Yeas THIS
majestic statue shall charm the mutitudinous IRE
that gathers here and the hufrS a n Years to
shall be lifted higher patrI9SS1n3ll IN 're
Mr. Mayor gratefully accent the charge ssr SR Toh
that the Department of Parks will at all uineS
guard this statue with affectonate care
At the close of Mr. willcox's address the
band PLAYED 1.-The star Spangled Banner all
present rising and uncovering
SECRETARY ROOTS ADDRESS.
Secretary Root was then introduced. He was
greeted with prolonged applause. His address
was closely followed, and applauded at ire
ouent intervals. He spoke as follows:
Of all tho statues with which the affection of
friends and the admiration of contemporar1es are
adjoining dsgurHg the pa6c naprso G9s mean
ing future generations or serve TO dpened
10 honor The little great men OF the nouI Pess9
the Of the worlds e with Iher sggaft
erations and forgotten Neither granite s sh
nor monumental bronze can confer upon on i I'i
c or pesggs her achieVements and
their sacrifices into the general progress Oh 'he ~
RaTeiy as centuries pass some great md
tonal crisis, with the inspiration Of gitv nf
common men, Sits the material of a nation ana
deeds link his name forever with the decisive
events which determine the worlds progresSs rem
and make what he was part Of the common ana
The American war for the Union. Such a man
was William Tecumseh sherman. Inc 5rei It
whether America was to be one nation or group
of small and discordant States dlmy ioreSeen Gy
besins to be realized by the world. which sees
50Sg 5b5s po sa BIZ for good or evil hun
dreds OF millions Of people free vitt Vital
force and energy never surpassed. and united
under one government by common lnsutGuonS,
common sentiment of nationality, and general 10y
atty to the same ideals . .,4 +
struggle not merely courageous, loyal, ut-
1-0ted brilliant. 1t essentially decisive Erase
II from the pages Of history and human mind
can divine how the blanks would have been TILED;
No one will dare TO say another could have done
what Sherman did Shiloh and Cornth and Nicks-
burg and Chattanooga and missionary Rldge
crowned him with laurels. The desperate ana re re-
so1rcefuI campaign which ended in the capture OF
Atlanta esta bished his place in history as great
commander. The march from Atlanta t9 me SEQ,
and still from Savannah noTthWaTo 1I3[ousIff
The Carolinas Raleigh and the surrender OF
Johnston. ranks among the great and impressive
military events Of history. But more IMAM az
these in the general maintenance and Conduct OF
The war the powerful influence OF his InlhIaITT}y
genius the strong support Of his lndomltable VIII,
the forward impulse Of his tremendous energy me
singular nobility OF his unseltsh character, Whlch,
meeting like characteristics in Grant enabled theIIi
TO work together like brothers-all thesf ilaHe
the personality of Sherman an essentially Qe-
cisive part of the great consummation when oe-
termined that America was to be free ana ll!iteu
We cannot add his fame: we cannot cofIrlpule
his Immortality. The statue we raise To-Day can
put point future generations to the pages OF history
where his and deeds are imperlsha9ly re-
corded Neither praise set up nor deLTdc-
ton ruII down the mmortals in that NalhaIa or me
truly great where he has taken his eternal place.