At Philadelphia some parties proposed raising the $13,700 by subscriptions of $1000 each, but it was afterwards decided to adopt the plan pursued in New York. The following are the names of some of the parties who entered heartily into the spirit of the movement, upon the object being presented by Gov. Oglesby: Col. John W. Forney, Morton McMichael, G. W. Childs, Henry Cary, Comly, the collector of customs, and James L. Claghorn.

Pennsylvania being the largest iron producing State in the Union, and Pittsburgh the city where the greatest quantity of heavy ordnance was manufactured during the war to suppress the rebellion, it seemed appropriate for the commercial metropolis of that State to furnish the Artillery Group. The proposition made by Gov. Oglesby that this should be done, was very heartily acceded to by the gentlemen above named. Now that Boston and Philadelphia can see that it only depends on the fulfilment of their pledges to complete the monument in all its parts, they will doubtless vie with each other in seeing which shall be first to fill its quota. As soon as the money is in the treasury the Association will order the work to proceed on the two groups together. If it is done. soon the Association may hold the two groups, now so near completed, until they can have all four placed on the Monument at the same time, when it will be completed and symmetrical in all its parts.

Previous to the departure of the committee for the east in February, 1872, the feeling was almost unanimously expressed by members of the Association and others, that in view of the historical associations connected with the death of President Lincoln, and the attempt to assassinate his Secretary of State, it would be eminently proper that the latter should take the leading part in the approaching demonstration at the tomb of the former. With the view of making such arrangements as would lead to the consummation of

the wishes of the Association, Gov. Oglesby visited Auburn, New York, on the seventh of March, and on behalf of the Association, extended to the Hon. William H. Seward an invitation to visit Springfield and deliver the oration at the unveiling of the statue of Lincoln. After taking one whole day to consider the matter, and consult with his physician and family, Mr. Seward felt compelled to decline the invitation on account of the precarious condition of his health.

CHAPTER XXIX.

After the death of William H. Seward, October 10, 1872, no definite steps were taken towards dedicating the monument, until July 24, 1874. At a meeting of the National Lincoln Monument Association, held on that day, it was decided, by the passage of a resolution to that effect, that the ceremony of unveiling the Statue of Abraham Lincoln, and dedication of the Monument, should take place October 15, 1874. The principal reasons for selecting so early a day for the ceremonial, and without waiting for the groups of Statuary, was that the work was substantially completed, and the members of the Association being nearly all men of advanced age. Of the fifteen original members, one only has passed away-Mr. Tyndale -and he died by violence. It was felt by many of the members that this remarkable Providential preservation could not reasonably be expected to continue. In addition to this, they each cherished a very commendable desire to witness a formal public recognition of their almost ten years' labor of love. Another reason why they selected that particular time, was that the Society of the Army of the Tennessee had decided to hold its Eighth Annual Reunion at Springfield, Illinois, October 14 and 15, 1874.

The citizens of Springfield commenced raising subscriptions August 18, 1874, to defray the expense. Nearly $3,000 were raised, and committees organized on Finance, Decorations, Printing, Banquet, Salute, Music, and one each on the part of the Society of the

Army of the Tennessee and of the National Lincoln Monument Association, on Invitations.

Six grand triumphal arches were erected across the principal streets. They consisted each of a central arch, thirty-three and a half feet high, and thirty feet between the pedestals, each of which had a flag staff rising in the centre to the height of forty feet. The central arches had arches on each side, seventeen feet four inches high in the centre, and nine feet between the pedestals. One of these compound arches was placed at each side of the State House Square, on Adams, Washington, Fifth and Sixth Streets. Two others were erected on Sixth Street, one opposite the Leland Hotel and one at the Opera House. The arch west of the Square, on Fifth Street, was devoted to mottoes, each expressing some sentiment with reference to Lincoln. That on the south, to distinguished soldiers, deceased. The others were covered with patriotic devices, utterances and names of distinguished living soldiers. All were decorated with evergreens and flowers. The meetings of the Society of the Army of the Tennessee were held at the Opera House through the day and evening of the fourteenth, and an oration and many brilliant speeches delivered. On the morning of the fifteenth the Society held a closing meeting at the Opera House, and then joined the procession and marched in a body to the National Lincoln Monument and participated in the services of unveiling the Statue of Lincoln. The closing part of the services of the Army Society Reunion was a grand banquet at the Leland Hotel, commencing at nine o'clock on the evening of the fifteenth.

The Monument Association having decided upon the time for unveiling the Statue of Lincoln, the next thing in order was the selection of an orator for the occasion. That was a delicate question. It had from the first been the subject of great solicitude with the Association, that a member of Mr. Lincoln's cabinet

or some one connected with his administration should deliver the oration. The death of Seward, Greeley, Chase, Sumner and others, more especially identified with Mr. Lincoln in the political events before and during his administration, reduced the number of his distinguished compeers, and in proportion increased the difficulty of making a selection that would give general satisfaction. At the meeting of July 24, a resolution was passed, inviting the President of the United States to deliver the oration. Upon its being communicated to him by Gov. Oglesby, President Grant replied, under date of July 31, 1874, and says:

"I have kept the letter two days without answering, to fully consider whether I can undertake a task so different from anything ever attempted by me before. My great admiration for Mr. Lincoln's character, talents, and public services, would tempt me, if I felt able to do justice to the subject, but I do not; therefore decline the honor, thanking the Association of which you are the President for conferring it and hope you will make a selection of some one who can and will do full justice to the memory and public services of our noble martyred President."

The Association held a meeting on the tenth of August, at which the following was offered by Governor Palmer:

Resolved, That the President of this Association be requested to communicate with the following gentlemen in the order herein named, with the view to obtaining the services of one of them to deliver an oration at the unveiling of the Statue of Mr. Lincoln, to-wit: Gov. John A. Dix, Hon. Gideon Welles and Hon. O. P. Morton.

Mr. Hatch offered the following amendment:

“And in the event that neither accept, that the President of this Association, Gov. R. J. Oglesby, be requested to deliver the address upon that occasion."