Memorial and Biographical History of Dallas County, Texas. Page: 258 of 1,110
vii, 9-1011 p. incl. ill., ports. : ports. ; 28 cm.View a full description of this book.
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HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.
with a seating capacity of 7,000, was packed,
as also was the large space in front of and
under it. The gathering was estimated at
10,000, but that does not cover all who liad
come to hear Mr. Grady, for large bodies of
people, after discovering that the could not
get within hearing distance walked away resolved
to read his speech in the News. Shortly
before 11 o'clock Liberati's band struck up
an operatic air, which, though beautiful, did
not contain the kind of fire that the crowd
wanted to warm their souls at; but they were
equal to the occasion, and "Dixie," uttered in
a squeaky voice at the reporters' stand, went
from mouth to mouth until it reached a
mighty yell. The band then struck up that
tune so sacred to past memories, and it was
cheered at every one of its angles. As the
last strains of Dixie died away Mr. Grady
and the other distinguished orators mounted
the stand, which, owing to hurry, and, perhaps,
a little confusion, had been erected
without ornamentation. Mr. Grady was introduced
by Mr. Charles Fred Tucker, whose
speech was quite lengthy and frequently interrupted
by calls for Grady-calls that were
indicative of the impatience of the throng and
not intended to be disrespectful of Mr. Tucker.
Mr. Grady began his address without even
the customary preface, "Ladies and gentlemen."
He seemingly felt that he was addressing
the South collectively, and that no
such preface was necessary. The delivery of
his address consumed about an hour and a
half, and he throughout held complete control
of his audience, whom he swayed with markedemotional effect, and whose applause was at
times and ofttimes deafening. He said:
"Who saves his country saves all things,
and all things saved will bless him. Who
lets his country die, lets all things die, and
all things dying curse him."
These words are graven on the statue of
Benjamin H. Hill in the city of Atlanta, and
in their spirit I shall speak to you to-day.
Mr. President and Fellow Citizens: I
salute the first city of the grandest State of
the greatest government on this earth. In
paying earnest compliment to this thriving
city and this generous multitude, I need not
cumber speech with argument or statistics.
It is enough to say that my friends and myself
make obeisance this morning to the chief
metropolis of the State of Texas. If it but
holds this pre-eminence-and who can doubt
in this auspicious presence that it will---the
uprising tide of Texas' prosperity will carry
it to glories unspeakable. For I say in
soberness, the future of this marvelous and
amazing empire, that gives broader and deeper
significance to statehood by accepting its
modest naming, the mind of man can neither
measure nor comprehend.
I shall be pardoned for resisting the inspiration
of this presence and adhering to-day to
blunt and rigorous speech, for there are times
when fine words are paltry, and this seems to
me to be such a time. So I shall turn away
from the thunders of the political battle upon
which every American hangs intent, and repress
the ardor that at this time rises in every
American heart; for there are issues that
strike deeper than any political theory has
reached, and conditions of which partisanry
has taken and can take but' little account.
Let me therefore with studied plainness, and
with such precision as possible, in a spirit of
fraternity that is broader than party limita-
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Lewis Publishing Company. Memorial and Biographical History of Dallas County, Texas., book, 1892; Chicago, Illinois. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth20932/m1/258/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Dallas Public Library.