Welcome everyone. Good evening. I want to thank you all for joining us tonight. On the evening of general and president Ulysses S Grants 200th birthday. This historic milestone comes at a time when grant star is rising. Ulysses s grante is being commemorated and proclamations and other special messages issued by states across the nation the District Of Columbia and living us president s. We have included in our dinner programs. Just one of the proclamations from grants birth state of ohio and all president ial messages that were available at the time of printing. What stands out in these messages . Also stands out in historys understanding of grants during the 21st century. Appreciation of his accomplishments is no longer confined to his military career in which he was the principal author of Union Victory during the civil war. It now extends to his presidency which included benchmarks in peace and equality that merit him a place in the pantheon of great president s. Grants contemporar