RESOLUTIONS.
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: