The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1857-06-19
slrtus Mattfrs.
Gov. Chase's Address of Welcome,

To tie Mrited Guests al tie Cele.
lratiOa Of the Completion cf Tie
Railocay Line from Baltimore TO
81. Louis, on their arriuaL at Ma.
yiettd.
GENTLEMEN:-The Committee OF
arrangements for this auspicious oc.
casion, have assigned to me the very
agreeable duty Of welcoming you to
Ohio.
1t is, indeed, an auspicious occa-
sion that unites the citizens OF SO
many states in celebrating the happy
consummation OF II great work, so
long ago commenced, so steadily ur.
gcd, and, at length, Notwithstanding
manifold discOuragements, and diff. :.
culties almost innumerable, SO tri.
umphantly accomplished.
1t is with especial qualification
that | welcome to our soil and our
hospitalities, the representatives of
that anciuut and time .honored Com
monwealth, whose infancy was guild
cd by the wisdom OF religious tolera-
ton, and whose maturer age was il.
lustrated by the conception and in
auguratlon OF the first railroad at
TEMPTED from the sea. board, across
the mountains, into the vast iUteri.
or, and the representatives of the
Ancient Dominion, honorcd mother
of Washington and Jefferson, under
whose auspices the settlement Of the
North. h.Wcst was inaugurated.
1t gives me great pleasure to in.
clude in this cordial welcome, those
members OF the Federal AdmInistra-
ton, and those Senator'S and Repre-.
scntatives Of our sister states in the
Federal Congress, whose presence
here attests the national value OF the
occasion, and the diplomatic Repre-
sentative Of that French nation and
TreIch Government, whose domin.
ion>orce extended over all this beau
tiful land.
greet with no less satisfaction and
with sa!ntatirnS no less hearty, the
Directors and Officers of tho Dalu.
more 4 Ohio Railroad, the members
OF the city government of Baltimore,
the gentlemen of the press, ,-mcm-
bers Of that other government which
governs us all-and those other dis
tinguished citizens, whose concur.
renee in this celebration makes this
one Of those white days, which we
anticipate with pleasure, and rcmem.
Der with delight.
Welcome, gentlemen, welcome,
one and all. May you derive from
from your brief sojonrn within tho
limits OF Ohio, a pleasure as real and
as great as that which your coming
affords to us. To you sir, Cunning
to General Cass,) | may so, some.
thing mere than Welcome to Ohio!
] may almost say, Welcome home!
Welcome, lmay certainly say, to the
theatre OF your earliest manhood
Welcome to the community from
which you received your first politi.
cal trust! Welcome TO the spot
which witnessed, near half a century
ago, the commandment Of that long
career of distinguished public ser
vice, and high public trust through
! which you have movcd---a career
long, yet, we trust, to be protracted
through vigorous aud honored age
in the midst ofregards and affections
which may be augmented, perhaps
by political sylnpathies, but canno,
be extinguished by political differ,
ences. Here, sir, now, as then,
rolls the same beautiful Ohio; there
with willing tribute, comes the same
swift Muskingum; yondcr rise the
same verdant slopes; above bend:
the same benignant sky. Would
that could add that now. as then
here and all around you, stand the
} friends ofyour youth to welcome yor
back to tho spot consecrated BY
youthful friendships. A few, in
!: deed, yet remain to greet you. The
} rest-but let mo not awaken vain re
, grets. Even tho departed survive
in their spirit, and greet you through
| their works.
. My qualification in welcoming yor
to Ohio, gentlemen, ia doubled by
} the circumstance that, mt the sam,
moment, may welcome you to tn,
spot where the foundation of tn,
. State was laid-where, Indeed, tin
! Anglo-Saxon settlement of the il
3 limitable Northwest was bugun.
Hither, on the 7th day OF April
] 17s7, not yet quite seventy year
ago, after a winters journey acros
z the Allegahanies, thro' deep snow
8 and over almost impossible ways
latter voysgein boats constructed b.