The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-10-15

After the invocation by the Rev. ID. j.
Stafford and music by the Marine band,
Gen. Granville M. Dodge, president OF the
Society OF the Army OF the Tennessee and
chairman Of the sherman statue commits
sion. made the Introductory address;
Upon Its conclusion the Marine band
struck up The Star-Spangled Banner.
The Fourth field battery, u. 3. A, fired
a salute, and the flags which hid from
New the statue were drawn aside by the
grandson OF the hero. to Whose memory
II was erected
PRESIDENTS ADDRESS.
President Roosevelt was then intro
buced and spoke an follows:
Today we meet together TO do honor TO
whom. in the hour Of her agony. our ma
tion brought forth for her preservation.
The Civil war was not only In the I'M
the outcome the greatest OF modern
times. but II was also, taking into ac-
count It's duration. the severity or the
hghtins, and the size OF the armies en-
Napoleonic struggles.
Among the generals who rose 70 hign
position as leaders of the various armies
in the field are many who will be remem-
bered I'm our history as long as this his
tory itself is remembered. Sheridan, the
incarnation of fiery energy and prowess.
Thomas, farsighted. oool-headed, whose
steadfast courage burned ever highest in
she supreme moment OF tina crisis; Nc
Clellan. with his extraordinary gift for
organization Meade. victor In one OF the
decisive battles OF all time. Hancock,
type OF the true nghting man among the
Tegulars: Logan, type OF the true fighting
man among the volunteers-the names OF
these and OF many others Will endure 80
long as our people hald sacred the MEM
ory OF the fight for union and for lib
erty. High among these chiefs rise the
0s~xf ~f La at.A Of f.ran nffa
lieutenant sherman, whose statue here
IN the national capital Is today TO be I'M
yelled. IL is not necessary here to go over
The long roll OF 6herman's mighty feats.
They are written large throughout the
history of the Civil war Our msmories
would be poor indeed II We did not recall
Them now, an we look along Pennsylvania
avenue and think OF tho great triumphal
maroh which surged down it's length
when at the oloce OF the war the victori-
Gus armies OF the east and OF the west
met here in the capital OF the nation
they had saved.
There Ia a peculiar fitness IN commem-
Grating the great deeds OF the soldiers
who preserved this nation by suitable
monuments at the national capital j
trust we shall soon have a proper statue
OF Abraham Lincoln, TO whom more than
amy other man this nation owes it's sal
lration. Meanwhile, on behalf OF tho peo-
pie OF the nation. wish 10 congratulate
all OF you who have been instrumental
20 General sherman.
- The living can best sho wthh respect
9br the memory OF the great dead by
the way IN which they take 20 heart and
act upon the lessons taught by the lives
(which made these dead men great. our
homeage today to the memory of Shsr-
man comes from the depths OF our being.
We would be unworthy citizens die we
not feel profound gratitude toward him.
and those like him and under him, who.
ne n neE are
ness 70 answer that call. Their blood
and their toll. their endurance and pa
have made Ss us s.s9r and all TRs bev ,ns
1ts not merely reunited country. but q
Icountry incidentally greater because OF
dts rich heritage In the deeds which thus
left IL reunited. AS a nation we are the
greater. not only for the va1or and de-
yoelon to duty displayed by the men In
blue, who won In the great struggle for
the loyalty toward what they regarded
ms right OF the men in gray; for this
war, thrice fortunate above all other re-
cent wars In it's outcome, left 20 all OF
ms the right OF brotherhood alike with
valiant victor and valiant vanquished.
Moreover. our homage must not only
show ltseif in our S de- deeds II Is T great rst
eno glorious thing for n nation 10 be
surreo 10 present triumph by the splen-
n1u memories Of triumphs in the past But
~ shameful thing for nation. N
tnese memories stir it only 10 empty
eoarunEs, 10 pride that does not shrink
IRON present abasement 20 that aeif-sat-
lslacuon which accepts the high resolve
ana impending eqort Of the father as an
excuse Tor effortless ease or wrongly Al
rooted effort In the son. We ~ the nrss-
ent. III we are true 20 the past. fnust show
by our lives that we have learned arieht
the lessons taught by the men xrbo sts
the mighty deeds of the past we ,,,,.,
have In us ~ spirit which mada The man
spirit which produced leaders such az
Sherman: the spirit which gav. 10 the
average soldier the grim tenacity and re-
eourcefulness that made the armies OF
Grand and Sherman az Formidable naht-
ing machines as this world has ever seen
We need their ruggedness of body their
hsen and vigorous minds and above All
their dominant quality Of forceful char
arter. Their lives teach us IN our own
.1ivee TO strive after not the thing which
f. merely pleasant, but the thing which
n Is our duty 10 do. The lie OF duty,
not the life Of mere ease or mere pleas
ure--that In the Kind OF life which makes
the great man as IL makes the great ma
tfon.
we can not afford 20 lose the virtues
which made the men OF 81 20 IS great IN
war. no man h warranted in feeline
prids In ths deeds OF the army ond navy