The death of Henry Grady is a great blow to the hopes of the
South. He had become one of the foremost men of the day in her
behalf. His leadership was as unique as it was controlling. He
held no office, he sought no preferment, and yet he was a
leader. History furnishes but few examples like this, none that
can excel him in the sublime usefulness of his career. His
patriotism was so lofty that one cannot measure it by the
standards of the hour. His soul was filled to running over with
a deep love for his people and the sufferings they had endured,
and those to which fanaticism might expose them. This love was
his inspiration. It moved, it commanded the largest exercise of
his versatile genius under an infinite variety of circumstances.
And in all of these, whether as editor, writer, orator or
citizen, he buried far out of sight every consideration of self
and wrought for the people’s good. And his work was on a plane
as exalted as his highest aspirations. No taint of gain ever
touched his hand; no surrender of principle ever marred the
colors of the banner he bore. What though in a passing moment he
may have differed with others upon minor matters, yet in all the
great and burning questions which so vitally concern the people
of the South and of the Union, he was abreast and ahead of
nearly all others. In his life every element of success was
materialized, an energy as untiring as the tides of the sea; a
courage like the eagle’s that gazes with eye undimmed upon the
glare of the noonday sun; a genius so comprehensive that it
grasped with equal facility the smallest detail and the broadest
of human issues, and above all, a patriotism pure, heroic,
unsectional, drawing its inspiration from the sacred fountain
head of American liberty, and spreading its benign influence
wherever the Constitution is obeyed and the rights of mankind
respected. And thus he worked in the fore front till death
overtook him. In this hour of mourning, how heavily do we feel
his loss. The great purpose of life was just planned out. The
certainty of its fulfillment could rest alone with him. To lead
his people onward and upward through all the harassing
difficulties which beset them to the full fruition of
constitutional liberty in its widest meaning, was his purpose.
Not alone by his splendid oratory did he seek to attain this
end; to this end he devoted his pen as an editor, and to this
end he also devoted those beautiful traits of his private
character, which made him loved by all who knew him. His
unfinished work is yet to be accomplished. The young Moses of
the Southland is gone, and may the people not wander from his
teachings. The people of Macon assembled to do honor to the
illustrious dead
_Resolve_, That in the death of Henry W. Grady, the State of
Georgia has lost one of her noblest sons, the Union a man who
was a patriotic lover of constitutional liberty.
_Resolve_, That in the death of Henry W. Grady, the city of
Atlanta has been deprived of a noble, energetic and unselfish
citizen, who was devoted to her interests.
_Resolve_, That we tender our sympathies as a people to the
family of the deceased, and that a copy of these resolutions be
forwarded to them.
JOHN L. HARDEMAN, }
W. W. COLLINS, } _Committee_.
WASHINGTON DESSAU, }
In moving the adoption of the resolutions, he said:
Mr. Chairman: In moving the adoption of this, the report of your
committee, I can but say that to-night emphasizes the words of
Jerusalem’s King: “A good name is better than precious ointment, and the
day of death than the day of one’s birth.” Death came to him as a
benediction that followed a sacrifice. Warned by his physician that he
was ill, cavalier of the South alone he marched to battle for her,
uninspired by the enthusiasm of a battle array, yet within cannon shot
of Bunker Hill, and where he could feel the spray from Plymouth Rock, he
fought a gallant fight for us, and leaving the field victor, amidst the
plaudits of those he had conquered, he hastened home to complete his
sacrifice; and the same angel that bade him leave this world spoke not
only to the soul of Henry W. Grady, but to all the people North and
South: “Peace, be still.”
The resolutions were unanimously adopted by a rising vote.
* * * * *
Professor G. R. GLENN was then introduced and read the following
preamble and resolution on the part of the committee of alumni: