Evening star., 1909-04-28
NORTOMEMORY
Veterans Observe Anniversary
of Grants Birth.
REVERENCE FOR LEADER
Grand Army of the Republic Mem
bers Hold Exercises.
SENATOR D0LLIvER SPEAKS
Lieut.. Gen. Nelson A. Miles Serves
as Presiding ohicer-Presenta-
tion Of the Colors.
REVERENCE FOR LEADER
SENATOR DoLL1vER SPEAKS


public, the Department of the Potomac
last evening appropriately celebrated the
eighty-seventh anniversary of the birth
of Gen. Ulysses s. Grant. The exer-
cises were held in Metropolitan Methodist
Episcopal Church. John Marshall place
and G street where, during his residence
in this city, Gen. Grant attended divine
services.
The celebration was under the auspices
OF the G. A. r. and the Woman's Relief
Corps. 1t was opened with the presenta-
ton of the colors. members of both or
ganizations participating. The national
standard borne by a veteran of the civil
strife and the familiar bugle calls and
national airs played by the United States
Engineer Band aroused the enthusiasm
of the audience to a high pitch.
Lieut.. Gen. Miles Presides.
Senator Dollver Of Iowa was the orator
of the evening and Lieut. Gen. Nelson
A. Miles, U.S.A, retired, acted as presid-
ing officer. After remarks by Col. E. H.
Holbrook. department commander of the
local G. A. r., and General Miles, Sena-
tor Dolliver was presented.
TT affords me very great pleasure, my
good friends to be with you tonight,
Senator Dolliver said, ito assist In cele-
brating the anniversary of the birth OF
one of the greatest characters the country
has ever known, in fact, one of the great
est characters the world in all Its history
has yet produced. 1t affords me stlii
greater pleasure to be introduced to you
by the greatest soldier living In the world
today and one whose reputation no
man can disturb. I say it with all the
sincerity in my nature"
The reference to Gen. Miles was the
signal for an outburst OF applause when
continued for several moments, the vet
Grams waving handkerchiefs and cheering
Gen. Miles to the echo.
Heroic Epoch Centers About Grant.
"It is the habit of the worlds historians
to merge the events Of an epoch into
single name," Senator Dolliver continued
THE heroic epoch Of American history
centers about the name OF Gen. Grant
He seemed to have been chosen by God
to be the leader of the great army which
brought to a close the dangerous and
gloomy and dismal period Of our history.
He and the sublime character which
stood behind him saved the nation In It's
day of almost mortal agony. and you,
the participants Of that period, are left
to see the results. You men, you old
boys, should be and are proud, and rightly
SO. Of the fame attained and the results
accomplished. 1t is left us. united peo-
pie with no north, with no south. no
east, nor west, but powerful world
power, the foremost in civilization, In pro-
gress and the love of humanity. There
is no longer the blue and the gray, there
are no longer the sectional dissensions OF
the old days. We stand united and free
and greater than ever the public. men of
the days Of a more than century ago
believed to be our destiny"
Senator Dolliver reviewed the political
controversies and the intense feelings be-
tween the years Of 1850 and 1860. during
which time. he said, Grant seemed to hold
grace, from the sides formed and taken
by the public. men of the nation. At the
first sign of war, the speaker said, he left
eyerything--his grocery store and family
and went to the front. where he remained
until he received the surrender Of Gen.
Lee at Appomattox in April. 1855.
Hard to Understand.
1T is hard to understand the various
controversies OF those days and their
many and numerous phases" 1T was
added. lone must become familiar with
them only by constant studying and read
ing. 1t was the ending of an epoch in
our history, and Buchanan was the last
of a former generation. He was cast into
the sea of the bitterest Of political periods.
and though he tried valiantly and nobly
to sustain his place. he failed because he
was of another period and another time.
There is common misunderstanding
about Buchanan and his administration of
office which should be corrected. Bu-
chanan was a man created to carry out
the part he played as best he could; he
was the man Of circumstances and condi-
tions created by those who went before
him. He was the last of the epoch which
found it's end in the civil war. and Grant
was the first in that which followed it,
Senator Dolliver quoted a passage from
a.
ica's battles were still to be fought. that
she would have her own agony, and pos
sibly her victory, but upon terms which
she could not calculate and was not
aware of.
America Won Her Victory.
america did have her victory" the
statesman declared. "She bore her agony,
she won her victory. and upon ground
which was God-chosen. And If Carlyle
had lived he would have seen the mighty
soldier who led America to this victory,
enter the doors of Westminster, silent
and with a world-encircling fame-the
man who won Americas victory, her vic
tory over herself.
no one could completely understand. and
truly a child of destiny. He knew vicis-
situdes and fortune, fame and chagrin.
Gen Sherman once said Of him: He has
seen more CAdiLdllOn dIU InOT0 HuILllld-
tion than any other man now living, and
neither affected him. To me he was
complete mystery.
81 cannot speak of Gen. Grants military
career before the men here of military re-
nown. You all know 1t too we'll. He came
into the army without friend, he earned
every promotion he attained and he came
out of 1t one of the most notable figures
il ever produced. There are some who
question his ability as a soldier. In an
swer to this let me refer you to Shiloh.
He turned one-day defeat into two
day victory
Search for Military Genius.
The speaker reviewed President Lin
coins search for military genius to lead
the northern armies to success and told
of the wrath Of Mr.. Lincoln over Gen.
Meade's failure to follow up and crush
the Confederate army at Gettysburg. The
President wrote two letters at that time,
Senator Dolliver said. one to Meade for
his military shortsightedness and the
other to Gen. Grant ordering him to take