The Hudson: Three Centuries of History, Romance and Invention — John Shaqi
The Hudson: Three Centuries of History, Romance and InventionBruce, Wallace
History
The Hudson: Three Centuries of History, Romance and Invention
Bruce, Wallace
Hudson River (N.Y. and N.J.) -- Guidebooks
An attempt to remove Grant's body to Washington was made in Congress
but overwhelmingly defeated. The speech by Congressman Amos Cummings
in the House of Representatives, was a happy condensation of the
facts. He fittingly said: "New York was General Grant's chosen home.
He tried many other places but finally settled there. A house was
given to him here in Washington, but he abandoned it in the most
marked manner to buy one for himself in New York. He was a familiar
form upon her streets. He presided at her public meetings and at all
times took an active interest in her local affairs. He was perfectly
at home there and was charmed with its associations. It was the spot
on earth chosen by himself as the most agreeable to him; he meant to
live and die there. It was his home when he died. He closed his career
without ever once expressing a wish to leave it, but always to remain
in it.
"Men are usually buried at their homes. Washington was buried there;
Lincoln was buried there; Garibaldi was buried there; Gambetta was
buried there, and Ericsson was buried, not at the Capital of Sweden,
but at his own home. Those who say that New York is backward in giving
for any commendable thing either do not know her or they belie her.
Wherever in the civilized world there has been disaster by fire or
flood, or from earthquake or pestilence, she has been among the
foremost in the field of givers and has remained there when others
have departed. It is a shame to speak of her as parsimonious or as
failing in any benevolent duty. Those who charge her with being
dilatory should remember that haste is not always speed. It took more
than a quarter of a century to erect Bunker Hill Monument; the ladies
of Boston completed it. It took nearly half a century to erect a
monument to George Washington in the City founded by him, named for
him, and by his act made the Capital of the Nation; the Government
completed it. New York has already shown that she will do far better
than this."
* * *
His glory as the centuries wide,
His honor bright as sunlit seas,
His lullaby the Hudson tide,
His requiem the whispering breeze.
_Wallace Bruce._
* * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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