Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 October 1891 — TRIBUTE TO GEN. GRANT [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

TRIBUTE TO GEN. GRANT

THE STATUE OF THE DEAD COMMANDER UNVEILED. The Ceremonies Preceded by an Imposing Street Parade—Citizens and Soldiery Unite in Doing Honor to the Hero of the Rebellion—Great Naval Display. Grant Day in Chicago. Sunshine and rain warred fiercely and unremittingly with each other in Chicago to determine which would havo tho mastery when it came to unveil the Grant statue. And Phcebus won a dazzling victory, and all the people rejoiced. It would havo been a bitter disappointment had it been ordered otherwise. The silken cord was gently pulled by tho fair hands of tho daughter of Gen. William E. Strong, and responsive to her timid action the white drapery was loosed from the figure beneath it, fluttered a n o nent in the breeze and foil, disclosing in all the majestic calm of a heroic man s ulptured in bronze bv a master band. For a moment admiration held the mult tilde spellbound, incapable of uttering an excl&mat on. Then, glowing with pride and patriotis n, from a hundred thousand throats went up such a mighty shout as is rarely beard, it wus th apotinosis of their admiration —the; were at.amo with enthusiasm. One minute before the unveiling s signal gun was fired to warn the gal biing. excit 'd and expectant throngtha everything was in readiness lor tin ceremonv. Slowly (he seconds ticked by and mere was a vast hush St arcely a sound was heard save from the fat distant center of tho city, from where tho roar of commerce was plainly audible The statue was bared to the eye and tlie ttunu luous murmur of ap jroval had hardy subsided when from the Uuited States steam er Michigan there blazed forth a salute of twenty-one guns Bishop Newman patiently waited for the reverberation of tho lust gun before lie delivered the invo at on, and Emil s. Dryer had to be correspondingly patient before lie lottid introduce the Bishop. Reverently the last syllable was heard, and, released from the first strain of

eagerness, the spectators leisurely awaited what was \et to come—tho speeches of presentation and acieptanee and Judge Gresham’s oration. i wonty tho sand men marched from the heart of tho city to Linco n Park. Twenty thousand more were willing to do'so but that it would have made the parade too cumbersome. Soldiers and civilians, old warriors and yo mg ones, knights witlio it end and societies without number, all anxious to do honor to the memory of the greatest military chieftain of his age, marched in solemn procession. Many an old comrade of Grant was there: many a one who, though knowing him b t s.ightly, had magnified that trivial a' lnuiintance until It seemed to blossom forth to intimate relationship and friendship Memory knit those sturdy fodows w lit their god. It was nothing to them that at any moment the heavens thr atoned to open and deluge them and transform their sober | arade into mincing sters for dry ground. They had splashed through many a country road and not felt half so proud. And when they drew up in front of the monument they were the admired of all admirers From th ■ time the signal gun was fired until tlie teremony was ended there was much to chain the attenth n. There were many distinguished men on the platform.

Once the statu* was unveiled the exercises were hurr.ed t> comoietion, for the fear that rain wiultl mar the occasion haunted the Klecutlve Committee. iYaror Washburne accepted the monument on behalf of jthe city after Edward r. Taylor, lor tie Park Commissioners and ll«. Monunjlßnt Association, had presented it Lawyer William C. Uoudy fallowed In the Wake of the Mayor,

accepting the monument Tor the Park Trustees. And then came the turn of Judge Walter Q. Gresham, who In his oration honored Grant, honored the people and honored himself. The Judge was a

close friend of the dead h ro in his lifetime,had his cont deni e and respect, and was charged with much more of either than many of those who vaing'oriously make capital out of their acquaintanceship with the General. Gresham was a

soldier, therefore he knows the value to put upon Grant’s services to the nation; ho is a Judge, therefore he

is Just; ho seldom ta ks in public, and therefore his utterances had an extra touch of woith. Moro

than all, he is an admirer of the military genius and human qualities of Grant and he was tired to eloquence in speaking of him. When he ended his speech a scene was witnessed like unto that which was observed in the summer when Chau:.cey Depew thundered out the closing sentence of h s oration oh the occasion of the unveiiing of the Grant monument at Galena Approval

of the spoken words took form in a hundred wild varieties, and for the moment the greatness of the orator seemed to overshadow the memory of the man that quickened his tongue to words of eloquence.

Much moved as were the people, there was yet one who was influenced moro than all. A figure in mou>ning; an old lady witli s.lvered hair and a glance of melancholy that dimmed her m en of stately pride. She was Grant s widow,

uncertain whether to mourn anew or show her gratitude. Surrounded by tier friends, she calmly surveyed the scene and resolutely stifled her thoughts as best sue could. And the moment of bitterness which may have flashed across her soul must also have been felt by her son, who sat by her side. It was a bad day for the naval parade During the niclit a heavy sea washed the shores of the lake, and a stiff northeaster did not help to mend matters, and for a time it looked as if the naval display must be abandoned. About 10 o'cl ek, however, the wind had changed, and the outlook was much more favorab e. The Michigan steamed slowly out of the basin and head d for Lincoln Park. She was so lowed by the Fessenden and Andy Johnson, with several excursion st ainers and the two iireboats < ovt ring the rear. On board the cutters were ma iy invited gu sts, mainly wives of army o lit ers in the parade When the Michigan came abreast of the monument, 1,.j00 f et from the s a wall, the order to drop anchor was given. Tho cutt rs form d the line, with a fireboat to north and south. The steamers fell into line outside the . warships, and their anchors were drop; ed on the sandy bottom. The tugs, wh ch had been hurrying to and from the harbor with tows, found places between the larger boats. The lifeboat of tho live-saving crew, rowed by sturdy hands next came, aud lay at rest near tho Michigan The scene from shore was one of striking beauty. The monument was in a noble setting. The lake, a ways Lincoln I ark's greatest beauty, was nover ha f so beautiful before. As the veil was pulled from the monument the guns on the warships joined with the battery on shore in the presidential salute of twenty one guns. For the moment there was silence. Then the bag at tlie Michigan’s foremast was run down. It was the signal for a hundred whistles. The fireboats sent heavenward a score of streams. The flag re ap| eared at the Michigan’s foremast and the noisy salute (eased. The Michigan then weighed anchor and bore to tho northward. The revenue cutters lollowed her and the steamers followed in their wake. Off the Marine Hospital tho fleet turned backward and 1 formed a procession down tho lake shore past tl.e monument Spain’s youthful King has learned to back a pony. He will not be every inch a kiDg, however, until he has learned to baccarat. A grain of fine sand will co* er one of the minute scales of the human skin, yet each one of these scales covers from 300 to 500 pores. A girl waists her energy when she hugs another girl. A man sentenced to be hanged is above suspicion.

THE GRANT MONUMENT—VIEW LOOKING WEST.

WALTER Q. GRESHAM, ORATOR OF THE DAY.

FIRING THE NAVAL SALUTE.