grand stand had been erected. Stretching across the street from the De Soto House to the stand was an arch, embowered in green. On one side it bore the mottoes, "From Galena to Appomattox Court House." "From Galena to the White House." "From Galena Around the World;" and also the words, "Welcome to Your Home, General." On the other side was the motto, "Loved at Home and Honored Abroad," and the names of "Grant," "Sherman," "Sheridan," "Rawlins." The whole was surmounted by a carved eagle, formerly the property of the Grey Eagle fire company. It was about 4:15 when the head of the procession halted in front of the grand stand, and the vast crowd there assembled set up a welcoming cheer. At last every thing was in readiness for the oratorical features of the reception. After an address of welcome from the Mayor, State Senator McClellan addressed General Grant, as follows:

"GENERAL: The Mayor and your fellow-citizens of Galena have assigned to me the pleasing duty of tendering you, in their name and on their behalf, a hearty welcome home again. Without distinction of party, sect, or nationality, all your neighbors and townsmen give you cordial salutation, and hail your return to your old home with joy and profound satisfaction. They are deeply sensible of the honor you do them in continuing to make this city your residence, and they will be only too happy to contribute so far as they may be able to render your stay here profitable and agreeable. You, sir, have been the recipient of many ovations, remarkable alike for their spontaneous heartiness and their almost imperial magnificence. Your journey from the Golden Gate to this place has been one continual triumphal progress, marked everywhere by demonstrations of honor, respect, admiration, and homage, never heretofore accorded to a private citizen in this country. We in Galena cannot

vie with those splendid displays. We are too poor and too few for that. In our little city we cannot give you the plaudits of hundreds of thousands of people; we cannot erect triumphal arches emblazoned with gold and silver; we are not able to provide royal banquets with princely service, but we are able and glad to give you the homage of honest, loving and loyal hearts.

"We can and do give you and your family a supremely, sincere and heartfelt welcome. Other cities may make grander and more imposing demonstrations, but be assured, sir, that no people in all this broad land are so glad to see you as are your fellow-citizens of Galena. None greet you with a warmer affection, none can be more proud of you, your achievements and your fame, and we come to-day in our own humble fashion, with none of that pomp and pageantry to which you are accustomed on like occasions, to give expression, as best we may, to the delight and satisfaction we feel in seeing you once more among us; to testify the love and respect we have for you as a man and a fellow-citizen, and the honor and esteem we entertain for you as a soldier and a statesman.

"In the dark days of 1861 you left us to fight the battles of your country. Your career since then has become a large part of that country's most interesting and eventful history. The nation's integrity vindicated and the Union restored, the highest military honors a grateful people could bestow were lavished upon you. Twice have the suffrages of a free people placed you in the highest civil position in their gift, a position more honorable than that of a King or Emperor, inasmuch as it is not determined by the accident of birth, but given as the reward of genius and ability, patriotism and public service. As a private citizen you have just made the circuit of the globe. Nothing could equal. the courtesies and distinctions you received from the powers

of the Old World, save the modesty, good sense and democratic simplicity which characterized your reception of them. Imperial splendors, the glitter and glare of royalty, never for a moment dazzled your republican vision. The guest of kings and prime ministers of extended empires, you bore yourself with the quiet dignity of an American citizen. The just compliments of the titled and great to your illustrious services and personal worth you modestly disclaimed, and credited them all to your country. In the presence of sovereigns you never forgot that you were yourself a sovereign-one of a nation of forty million sovereigns-and it is most gratifying, sir, to your own countrymen to learn from a speech made by yourself, that you return to your native land a more ardent admirer of republican institutions than ever before, and that your love for your country has been increased and your faith in the progress, future greatness, and grand destiny of this nation. has been strengthened by your observations and experiences abroad. In all your foreign travels you could doubtless say of your country with the poet :

Where'er I roam, whatever realms I see,

My heart, untraveled, fondly turns to thee. "Again, in the name of this great congregation of patriotic, admiring, enthusiastic people, I bid you thrice welcome to this little town-a town of small importance, indeed, of itself, but made famous and heroic by the deeds of yourself, and those of many other distinguished men who have gone forth from us to do service to the State. Some of these, with their martial robes about them, sleep on battlefields, some are still with the army guarding the frontier, and some, illustrious in their several spheres as jurists, foreign ambassadors, and successful men of affairs, we have the pleasure of seeing before us on this occasion. They have come back to this, their former home, to unite their acclaim with ours in your honor to-day.

"In conclusion, sir, permit me to express the wish that your future may be as serene and happy as your past has been eventful and glorious; and as you pass into the 'sere and yellow leaf' of life's autumn, may all that which should accompany old age, as honor, love, obedience, troops of friends be yours."

In response to this cordial greeting, General Grant spoke as follows:

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, AND CITIZENS of GaleNA: It is with some embarrassment that I reply. Your welcome is exceedingly gratifying to me, but it is difficult for me to reply to what I have just heard, and to what I have seen. Since I first left here, eighteen years ago, it has always been the greatest pleasure for me to return to Galena, and now, after an absence of two and a half years from your city, during which time I have visited almost every country in the world, it is a pleasure to be greeted in this manner by you. During my travels I received princely honors, but they were all due to this country, and to you as citizens and as sovereigns of so great a country. When I saw during my absence, especially in the far East, how hard the inhabitants had to toil even for a maintenance, I realized more than ever the greatness of our country, where want is scarcely ever known, and where the question of sustenance is not daily considered. I will only add, that I thank you again for your reception."

Brief but feeling remarks were made by Gov. Cullom, of Illinois; Gov. Gear, of Iowa; Gov. Smith, of Wisconsin; General Logan, Senator Allison, of Iowa; Hon. E. B. Washburne and Major Hawkes.

The open air ceremonies concluded with the presentation of Mrs. Grant to the people. Then three times three cheers were given to General Grant, and the out-door welcome home terminated.

General Grant repaired to the DeSoto House, where he received his friends. The parlors of the hotel were overflowing for fully an hour, and the hand-shaking was almost endless. The General submitted with good grace to it all, and occasionally, when he met an old acquaintance, the greeting was very cordial. Behind him stood the color bearers of the Forty-fifth Illinois Volunteers, with their battered ensigns.

In the evening the city was brilliantly illuminated, and there was a fine display of fire-works. During this display the triumphal arch, which was well stored with rockets, Roman candles, etc., became ignited, and an explosion followed that shook the windows of the buildings in the vicinity. Postmaster Huntington was injured in the fire. General and Mrs. Grant entertained a few friends at their residence; there were none but guests present from abroad, as the General will entertain his Galena friends later. And so ended the great reception, which was so general and generous on the part of Galena.

After a few days rest, General Grant left Galena at 5 o'clock Wednesday morning, November 12th, for Chicago. At nearly all of the stations on the route large and enthusiastic crowds collected, the train generally stopping a few moments to allow the General to satisfy their curiosity, and the General was often compelled to go through the ordeal of the pump, shaking hands with all who requested it. At one o'clock the train reached Park Row, and was received by General B. R. Raum, General Theodore Jones, Major A. Fitch, Colonel W. S. Oliver, General E. H. Murray, and Major H. C. McArthur, who escorted the distinguished guest to a carriage drawn by six horses. Then followed Mayor Harrison and Governor Cullom, who took a seat in the ex-President's carriage, and the cavalcade started. A body guard, consisting of officers Schu