The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-04-28
SPIRIT OF PEACE.
That Which Was Manifested by
Grant and Lee
At AppOmattOX, President Taft
Hopes to See Revived.
UNION LEAGUE CLUB
OF Philadelphia Celebrates the
Birthday Anniversary
OF the Warrior Who Ended the
Southern Rebellion.
UNION LEAGUE CLUB

Philadelphia, April 2S.-President
Taft was the principal speaker at the
Grant birthday dinner of the Union
league in this city and paid striking
tribute to the soldier president. Mr..
Taft was sharply criticised year ago
because of certain of his references to
Gen. Grant and he took advantage of
the opportunity to express anew his
admiration for General Grant as
man, and as a soldier and as chief
executive of the United States.
The president reached Philadelphia
at 6:55 D. m. and was met at Broad
street by an immense throng. He was
escorted to the Union league club
house in Broad street by the First
City troop of cavalry.
The way from this station to the
Union league club was lined with
thousands Of citizens who cheered the
president. 1t was the most notable
greeting Mr.. Taft has experienced
since his Inauguration.
At the club house the president held
a reception for more than an hour.
General Horace Porter of New York,
James F. Hope of the Union league,
Mayor Reyburn of Philadelphia and
Gov. Stuart were among the speakers
who preceded President Taft. The
latter spoke extemporaneously.
Mr.. Taft spoke at times in a half
Quizzical manner and there was fire.
his reference to political conditions in
the south. Mr.. Taft said:
President Taft's Speech.
at is not for me, in the presence of
a gentleman who knew General Grant,
who served with him, who ran the risk
OF life and death with him, to descant
upon his life, his peculiar virtues or at
length attempt to picture his charac-
ter to this company. But there are
certain things with respect to General
Grant that today come back with ref
erence to our passing life. They said
that Grant had not the military genius
that other generals displayed in the
war. To my mind his mind and brain
represented the very genius of the war
to suppress the rebellion because II
was his mind that grasped the
thought that until we had fought II
out with our brave opponents and met
them in the field and fought them as
soldiers. until we convinced them as
our strength that the battle was hope.
less. we could not expect to have
united country. And therefore from
the time he began in Belmont until ht
accepted the surrender of Lee at Ap.
pomattoX he fought not cities, no
points of strategy, but fought tn,
enemy and he fought and fought anC
fought until he wore out the opposi
ton because only by wearing them gu
could he hope to bring about the con
dition in which there should be peace
what 1 wish particularly to dwell
upon tonight was the spirit of tina
peace at Appomattox, represented oil
the one hand by the magnanimity ant
far sightedness of Grant and by tn
self restraint and courage and ia
sighted patriotism on the part of Lee
in bringing the struggle to a finish.
Spirit of Appomattox.
THAT spirit displayed at Apo
mattox is today 1 trust triumphant
Between the two leaders it existe4
when the terms of the surrende
were signed. but it was impossible un
Ill the conditions changed that tina
spirit should control and make itsel
manifest between the two section:
But what 1 mean to point out is tina
spirit we now rejoice in as we fin
between the two sections. No remain
ing bitterness mars a spirit that a
between the two commanders existe