Address of President McKinley, at the dedication of the Grant Monument, New York, April 27, 1897

Delivered at the dedication of a monumental memorial in New York, this stirring address honors Ulysses S. Grant as soldier, president, and citizen. It reflects on his leadership during the Civil War, his role in preserving the Union, and the quiet virtues that made him beloved beyond the battlefield.

The speech places Grant among the nation’s defining figures, alongside Washington and Lincoln, while emphasizing his humility, integrity, devotion to peace, and faith in national unity. It also evokes the powerful sight of veterans from both the Union and Confederate armies gathering together, a living symbol of reconciliation after years of division.

Rich in civic feeling and ceremonial grandeur, this brief historical work offers a window into how Americans at the end of the nineteenth century remembered the Civil War and its leaders. Listeners will encounter formal, eloquent prose shaped by patriotism, remembrance, and hope for a stronger, more united future.