Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-04-29
TRIBUTE TO GRANT
PRESIDENT TAFT ADDRESSED
THE UNION LEAGUE BAN
QUIET AT PHILADELPHIA
ON GENERALS BIRTHDAY
The Spirit Manifest at Appomattox
by the Terms Of Surrender Has
Now Spread Through Both
Sections.

Pnllauelpnla, apr. Io.-T EeSiuons
Taft last night was the principal
speaker at the Grant birthday dinner
Of the Union league in this city and
paid a striking tribute to the soldier
president. Mr.. Taft was sharply
criticised a year ago because Of GER
tain of his references to Gen. Grant
and he took advantage Of last nights
opportunity to express anew his ad-
miration for Gen. Grant as man, as
. soldier, and as chief executive Of the
United States.
After making complimentary refer
ences to the Union leagues patriotic
support Of the Union army at the out
break of the war and during Its con-
tinuance, Mr.. Taft said:
at is peculiarly fitting that this
club, each year, should celebrate the
birthday of that man who then was
coming into prominence and upon him
hung, 1t would seem, the whole des'
TIMES Of this nation.
ut is not for me, in the presence OF
gentleman who knew him, who serv'
ed 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 character
to this company"
But there are certain things with
respect to Gen. Grant that to-day come
back with reference to our passing
life. They said that Grant had not
the military genius that other gener-
ais displayed in the war. To my mind
his mind and brain represented the
very genius of the war to suppress the
rebellion because 1t was his mind that
grasped the thought that until we had
fought it out with our brave opponents
and met them in the field and fought
them as soldiers, until we convinced
them by our strength that the battle
was hopeless, we could not expect to
have a united country. And therefore
from the time he began in Belmont
until he accepted the surrender OF Lee
at Appomattox, he fought not Cities
not points of strategy, but he fought
the enemy and he fought and fought
and fought until he wore out the oP
position because only by wearing them
out could he hope to bring about the
condition in which there should be
complete peace.
what wished particularly to dwell
upon tonight was the spirit OF that
peace at Appomattox, represented on
the one hand by the magnamity and
farsightedness Of Grant and by the
self restraint and courage and far
sighted patriotism flor that 1t was)
on the part of Lee in bringing the
struggle to finish"
THAT spirit at Appomattox is to-
day, trust triumphant. Between the
two leaders 1t existed when the terms
of the surrender were signed, but II
was impossible Under the conditions
thst,shat spirit should control and
make lLSelI luLucuLdLSly mpAAASe W
tween the two sections. The condi'
lions were such that that could not be.
The remnants of slavery, the dis
tressed condition of the south and the
feeling that had been wrought be-
tween the two sections could not be
downed by the mere aggression Of two
such leaders as Grant and Lee, as II
was necessary suppose that we
should 60 through that 80 of4O years
in order that the rent which was made
to the foundations Of our coun-
try and for our civilization should be
reunited in common country, with
common spirit. But what mean to
point out is that that spirit we now
rejoice in, as we and between the two
sections no remaining bitterness, Is
spirit that as between the two great
commanders existed the day that they
shook hands and signed the terms Of
surrender. 1t is a matter that have
very much at heart. / believe 1t IL
possible to make the two sections
even closer together.