Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-29
Their Statues in the Capitol
Decorated.
EXERCISE
LADIES OF U. 8. GRANT CIRCLE
IN CHARGE.
Gen. B. +. Hawkes. Master Of Cere-
monies-Eloquent Address Of
Colonel Rogers.

In q famous hall Of the United States
Capitol building. devoted to the perpetual
ton of the memories Of great men. the mar
Bile statues OF President Abraham Lincoln
and Gen. U. s. Grant, were flag decked
and flower strewn this morning by the
hands of loyal American women and dis
tinguished veterans of the civil war paid
tributes of eloquence to the two great
men who piloted the storm tossed ship
of government through the rocks and
shoals and shadows OF the struggle be-
TWEEN the states. For years 1T has been
the annual custom of Ulysses Grant Cir
Gle, Ladies of the G. A. r., to hold such
exercises in statuary hall May %, before
the statue Of the silent general But this
year for the first time. through the eff
forts of those Union veterans who are now
members of the force of Capitol police
the statue of Lincoln, almost opposite that
OF MS chief military subordinate during
the civil war, was Also decorated and hon.
oreo win appropriate exercises. And the
ponce veterans also saw that the famous
bronze bust of Washington presented to
this country by the French government
and unveiled IN statuary hall last winter
was likewise draped with flags and strewn
with blossoms.
Simple and Impressive.
The exercises In front of the Grant
statue began at 1890 o'clock, and although
simple, were impressive in the extreme Col.
b. F. Hawkes.. boyhood friend of Gen.
drant' acter as master Of ceremonies, and
guard OF honor from the minute men
OF the District consisting of Ma fors r4er
pert w. Metrs and Charles s. Wheeler and
Lieut. w: n. Montrose, was in attendance
After the members Of the Grant circle
mao hao nleo into the hall and the flag had
oegan with the sounding of reveile by Bug
Ter Heller Mrs Della Fuller Wright nres
ident OF the circle. called the assemblage
TO order and said:
Sisters comrades and friends va ho,,a
met mere today In this historic hall in the
capital of the United States to pay our re-
spects to the memory of the greatest gen.
erais we had during the war of the re-
peiiion Thirteen years ago this circle of
Ladies of the Grand Army of the Repub-
lie was organized and named in honor Of
Gen. u. s. Grant. We are proud of our
circle and OF its name 1t has been our
custom to meet here at the foot of this
beautiful statue the 18th day of MAY
each year to place a wreath of flowers In
remembrance and to have devotional exer-
e els l now place this wreath as SYM
Dol or love, In the name of U. g. Grant
Circle, Ladies of the G. A. R."
Program Of Ceremonies.
Rev. DR.. Couden. the blind chaplain of
the House of Representatives then offered
Ola SAONuSLl pidycIs ana the master OF CpTe-
monies. Col. B. F. Hawkes.. spoke a few
words In explanation Of the fact that the
ceremonies in stauary hall are held on the
18th of May instead of on Decoration day
Those, he said, who knew the amount of
Work the ladies' of the circle performed on
the latter day would understand that the
customary Grant memorial services must
be held twenty-four hours earlier
Following the flag service and hymn.
GuarQ the Flag, by the circle. Col
Hawkes. introduced Col. William e. Rogers,
the orator of the day.
Colonel Rogers Grafton.
Col. Rogers said, in part:
we are here today on high and holy
mission and We stand on holy and conse-
Grated spot, consecrated by the saddest
scenes and memories and glorifed by some
of the most impressive events illustrating
the history and progress of mighty re-
public. 1t is with reverent mien and throb-
ping heart l stand before you at this time
in the nations holy of holes, to fulfill the
part with which you have honored me on
this impressive occasion.
Sisters, 1t is a beautiful custom. this of
yours, to annually gather, without pomp or
parade, bugle or drum beat. and quietly
scatter the bright flowers of springtime
around the statue of the fllustrious hero
whose name you so proudly bear and whose
wife was so long an honored member of
your circle. The world knows Gen. u 8.
Grant and his history. He belongs to the
ages. Historian and scholar, sculptor, ar
fist and poet have view with each other in
portraying his features, recording his deeds
or singing his praises. How Idle, then, how
presumptious. for me to hope to add sin
gle line or advance single new thought on
a subject which has taxed the best efforts
OF genius and engaged the critical study of
the learned and the wise throughout the
world. Yet 1t would be a sluggish mind
and clumsy lips indeed which did not re-
spond in some degree to the impressive In
HuenceS OF the surroundings and proceed
ings on an occasion like this. Under this
majestic dome itself. one of the fairest Wis
ions of beauty created by the hand Of man,
have reposed in solemn state the ashes of
our martyred Presidents. Sad it is to
fleet that more than once has this vast
chamber been decked with all its sable trap
pings of woe.
A few years ago I happened to be In a
mixed company of confederate and Union
veterans. A lively but good -natured dis
cussion sprang up as to the relative merits
of the leading officers on either side. AS to
the ablest general on the Union side there
was wide divergence of opinion. But the
present chief justice of the court of appeals
of Virginia, James Keith, ably summarized
the situation in the wartime when he said
that General Grant never knew when he
was whipped. and that he never let up. night
Or day. until we knew the jig was up.
Does not this episode convey fairly clear
idea of the causes of General Grants sue
ergy unbounded confidence in self and a
GOODNESS and courage which nothing could
shake, not even the shadow of defeat
Then and Now.
As we stand here today the wide world
Is echoing the sounds of deadly strife and
heroic achievements. So forty years ago
the world was listening to the roar Of the
guns of Grant and Sherman. The world
thought little then and cared less for the fu-
ture Of our half-despised nation. Today the
world waits upon the nod and beck OF this.
the acknowledged and enlightened leader Of
the worlds powers. whose benign influence,
making for liberty. happiness and peace is
felt to the remOtest parts OF the globe.
This hero Of ours, whose name we so great
ly reverence with that of the immortal Lin
coin and their faithful associates and gen.
erals and gallant armies. made all these
things possible. Standing. then, in this IL
lustrious presence, we here dedicate the few
fast-fieeting years Of life yet remaining to
us to an increased and intense measure of
patriotism, deeper devotion to the gio-
rtous country which they and their de-
voted followers have as never before made
honored, respected, feared throughout the
wide world