The Cleveland leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1865-1865, 1865-06-05
The President and the sunday school

children
On Monday hst the Washington City
saudsN School Union held its tWenty.ffh
anniversary. Five thousand children and
ssvsn hundred teachers marched in pro
cession by the door of the Presidents resi-
denee. While marching by they sang q
patriotic hymn, " Victory at Last" The
btsuigsaesr ssysa
The President was frequently cheered,
and was the recipient of 8 large number Ct
bouduetS which were thrown into his hat
until il was 90 full that = basket was brought
forth to contsin the hofSI gifts. After the
children had msrched past the residence OF
the President, they matched down FIT
tenth street and thence to the White
House, where, after they had assembled, the
President took position in front of the put
side railing and delivered an sddress
aHe said: Intrinsic merit should be the
base upon which all should stand: de
would pub none down, but would elevate
sIl-level upward, Lot level Downward
His notion had always been that the great
mass of the American people could be
elevated. If all will be elevated, we may
become the grestest and most exalted na-
ton on the earth
Nv little daughters and Sons (ssid the
speaker give me your attention while l
saw. honestly and truly, that if l could in
form YOU of something, and put that into
immedia.e effect wnichsWoUd tend to the
elevation of you all, L would be prouder OF
it than to he President forty times, Zap
| ~nlapse7 Here is the Executive Mansion,
and Wonder is the Capitol Of greatnation,
and Won look to those who make anc exc
cute the laws as psrsons sublime and grand
Rui lust think FIR . moment. You sre the
rcrop behind US. All those buildings and
all of,rhis Governs ent will one day pass
under your control and become your prop
ertv. and yeu will have to put in force and
control the principles Of government OF
religion and humanity. And let all boys
consider-every mothers son of them
rlsuOhter7-that each one is born q candI
date for The Presidency. Laughter and
s~pplsuse.1 Why not, then, commence al
once to educate youfselffor the Presidency
And he would say to the little girls, thai
while they could not be Presidents, they
ara born csndidstes for the wives Of Presi-
dents. 1Lsughter. q
The sneaker then e~lequently referred Il
the ancient Roman mothers, who ever tool
pride in infusing proper i1eas into thu
minds of those who sfterwsrd became dis
tinguisbsd in lie. So, with them, escl
mother of to-day should feel that her chill
dren are her greatest jewels
When we look at these boys and girls
at the banners which they csrry-st tn
flags, with stripes and stars upon them
which they bear aloft when we look upol
J the brave men and gallant officers srounl
us, and remember what they have contend
ed for, we feel that we can best preserv
this Government if we rear up our pee
NE properly, and make this, as we car
the most intelligent portion of God
I habitable globe The stars and stripes az
not an uDmeaning symbol when We loo
back through the din of battle and Sc
what it has cost to pepetuste this Govern
ment; and should we no ten, use ever
effort to bring up properly these children
whose cause has been sustained by strOn
srms OF The field of battle7 Then, m
e little sons and daughters said the Pres
g dent, talking as q father to bis children
Q let me say to you, educate yourselves;
: industrious and ~Perseyering; store yol
Q minds with sll that is good put all thin
worthy of preservation in your brain, 81
if YOUR intellects viii expand and gro
o And, in conclusion, 1 say sgsin, may yor
Htsls song of victory be heard in heave
God bless you.