The Washington herald., 1908-04-28

SO long as the government endures:
so long as it represents a government of
/ the people, for the people, and by the
people: so long as people from all quar-
ters of the earth find liberty and brighter
hopes here so long win be name OF
! Ulysses S Grant remain ineffscably
chiseled in the worlds hall Of fame.
In introducing Justice Harlan, Gen.
Miles said the venerable jurist ranked
! With Lincoln. Scott, Thomas. and Far
ragut. a splendid representative of that
department OF the government, which is
an anchor and buIwark of our great re-
public. Justice Harlan received an ova-
ton.
Address By Justice Harlan.
Justice Harlan said.
Mr. Chairman. | have been greatly interested in
what has been said this evening about Gsn. Grant.
There can be no doubt as 10 the place he viii
occupy ia history. Before the late civil the
men who. Ia the judgment Of mankind. the
greatest military chisftains Of the world wers Alex.
andeg the Great. Hannibal. Caesar. Frederick the
Great. and Bonaparte. But 10 that class the world
/ viii add the name Of Ulysses S. Grant AS the
/ years So by bis viii become more and more
/ familiar 10 mankind.
He viii be remembered ss the leader Of vast mill
ary forces, organized not for tbs purposes Of con-
/ quest ambition, but only to preserve the great
republic from destruction. His career most re-
msrkahle. When the civil var opened he vas but
/ little known beyond the limits OF the county in
which he lived And yet when the war ended, the
conviction was strong and universal that Of the
brought into public notice by that he was above
all others the 20 lead the armed hests Of the
/ Union. But when the nomentous eonteSt was
closed by the surrender Of Lee and his fsilowCon-
fedsrates the great commander BY ali that he said
and did. seemed unconscious Of the lasting service
/ he had rendered his country.
Proves His Modesty.
/ He claimed nothing on account Of his services,
but modestly and quietly moved forward in the line
Of public duty. content apparently. with whatever
/ estimate his fellow-citzens might place on bis
efforts 70 serve them and the eountry. At the first
election at the close Of the civil war he was e'e-
/ yated 90 the Presidency without his seeking that
place He did not schems for thai high position.
but accepted H. with all its tremendous responsible
/ ties from a high sense Of duty. and with the de-
/ termination 10 90 the best he could for the eoun-
/ ty he loved deTniodly. The dominant thought
With him was 70 establish peace throughout the
| Land and restore the authority Of the Unicn-
But l am getting away from the thought vhich
I desire % exprtss We are apt 20 think Of Grant
as military chieftAin. Great as he was as
military chisf,an, he k entitled 70 be thought o. as
/ q statesman. His mind was 50 direct ir ifs
operations bis seuse q justice and right strong,
I and his crulmon sense 50 controlling that often.
/ characterized as statsSnAnship. Let me recall two
1 incidents IN his life while IN the army:
/ You VIII remember the unusual condition Of
| things in KENTUCKY at the beginning Of the war.
/ Ths people 4 that Commonwealth we're. hy a
/ large ma ioFity. for the maintenance Of the Union
1 at ell hazards and az whatever cost: and yet
/ there was q large minority. including most of the
/ oAicers of the State. who sympsthized with the
| Confederate cause. It required infinite tact and
| hTfnncss the part Il the Union leaders IN Ken
/ tucty 70 avoid conflicts among the people that
might rredpltate & collision before the Union men
! got ready for such action would the State
to the Union cause. There weTe, az that time
! have IN mEd. no troops on either side in the
| STATE Although thsrWar was haErant, the United
States for some months kept rs troops out q Ken
/ tucky. so 20 avoid the appearance q forcing
It's people to take sides kentuckians do not Ike
20 be driven. The Confederate government also kept
its troops out Of the State. 80 20 avoid the sp
pearance Of forcing It's people 20 take sides for the
/ Confederate cause
In the Fall of 1861.
Thus matters stood until the fall Of 1851. when
/ Gen. Leonidas Polk oi the Confederate forces.
without warning TO Kentucky occupied. With his
| troops a city IN the extreme southwestern part Of
the State Grant who was then only subordinate
oficer and IN conmand q troops in Missouri. I'm
msdiatsly occupied Psdurah, Ky. He thus put
/ his troops directly In the path of Gen. Polk. 50
that he might check Polk should the latter attempt
I
| tucky. Upon his occupation of Paduosh with
troops. Grant issued proclamation explaining the
/ circumstances which compelled him % from
/ Missouri into Kentucky with his troops II vas
document which showed great wisdom, tact. and
caution. He knew that he dealing with situa-
ton full of peril 20 the Union cause. and what he
said in his proclamation was Just what the cir
clmstapces and the best interests a the government
required II be had enjoyed the beneht Of the
counsel of wise Statesmen and trained politicians
IA has mt firth haffz
recall with great dstinctness the impression made
upon my mind at the time, hy his course a.
Paduozh- I had never heard Il Grant before that
time, excerpt that shortly before that date he bad
commanded some Union troops IL Missouri IN a
battle IN which his troops had suffered quite
Tereiy. The proclamation signed ~. s Grant
and recall that upon reading Il ] said 10 my
lieutenant colonel that those initials were very
significant and that for anght we knew there was
the coming mau Of the war then on hand. And 50
IL turned out But the incident at PsduCah vas a
small affair compared with the great event st Ap
pomattox.
The var had progressed for several years. and
many were IN doubt to when Il would end and
10 what would occur after il had closed Finally
Lee recognized that the end OF the Confederate
cause near al hand. and be determined 20 sur
render and thus save further ard useless efusOn
Of blood. He and Grant nat TO consider the terms
Of suTender-an occasion monentous in its
sequences as any that ever occurred The political
questions involved in those terms Of the grav-
est character, and upon their proper solution de
pended not only the fruits Of the war bat the Sc
cuity and peace Of the American peope-au the
people. not only those who had stood by the Union.
but those who followed the Confederate flag. but
expected 70 remain part Of the American people
for whose benefit the government was established
| Grant and Lee met IN McLeaD's house. each rec0g
nlzing the awful responsibilities resting upon both
but neither having any specific instructions for bis
guidance.
Was Given No Counsel.
No statesman was near at hand to counsel Grant
the plain. silent soldier who hsd never held
civil ofHcs and vas unskilled IN the science q
government or Of law. Out Of his own brain he
evolved the terms upon which the surrender Of the
Confederate army would be received. He turned
aside TO little table and wrote the terms with
bis own hand. He thought only Of what was
best for his country. Lee accepted the terms pro
posed, and thus the var closed ] undertake to
say that the history Of the human race gives 10
count Of any greater public document than the
one prepared By Grant az Appomsttox-no docu-
ment exhibiting more sagscity or a higher order
Of craftsmanship After providing for the roll 70 be
nads Of those who surrendered, requiring them to
give up their arms and give & parole to fight no
more against the United States, that document
thus proceeds. This done each officer and man
viii be allowed 20 return TO their homes not TO
be disturbed By United States authority 50 long
As they observe their paroles and the laws in
force where they mAy reside. Every word in that
sentence was Of in6Stimable value 70 the country.
Without that sentence our country would to-day,
most probably be full Of people who hated its
very existence. Whereas. we are new again, one
people, thoroughly united as 10 all matters that
involve the safety and honor OF a common contTy
That result is. in my Judgment, due more TO the
terms Of surrender given ey Grant at Appomattox