Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-04-17
Morse Memorial Meeting - Address OF
Rev. George Alien.


Both branches of the city government met
last evening in their respective chambers in reg
uar session by adjournment from Monday eve
ming. The usual routine business of roll call
having been disposed of, an order was passed to
assemble in joint convention at As, for the
purpose of listening to memorial address pre-
pared by the Rev. George Allen. Promptly at
that hour the mayor called the convention to
order, and John d. Washburn, Esq, read the
following address:
Mr.. President The century to which this
day belongs, is, above all that have gone before
it, an age of wonders. Art, science government
the intercourse OF nations, and even humanity
itself have met and mingled on broader plat
form, with more glowing and more generous
manifestations than the face Of day had ever
smiled upon.
This memorial day, Mr.. President is itself a
glorious anOmaly-an uneXampled expression
of grateful sentiment to one of its largest and
most generous beneactorS. This day bears
willing witness to the onward and upward pro-
greSs of civilization. 1t gives assurance of in
ternati6nal good will; it relieves the discOur-
agement of mournful ages; it anImateS the
hope that the natural brotherhood of man, in
stead of being a disputed theory, will become
manifest, an accepted, and practical truth
1t is right, Mr. President, all history proves it
right, and conscious nature feels it to be right,
that we meet as we do this day, to contribute
our measure OF sentiment to the conhuX of
thought aud heart which mingles from the four
quarters OF the globe at the decease of the
worlds benefactor. The sentiment of gratitude
is common 10 humanity, and the time never was
when that sentiment was wholly left without eX-
preston The fruit OF the olive tree time out
of mind has been the staff OF life, the necessity
and the luxury of the limited climates that
favored its production. BY nature, except in
| some rare freak, it is neither palatable nor
wholesome. By some seeming accident, as if
nature were untrue to herself, an individual tree
| produced a better fruit whose seed did not re-
| produce its like, and, if do not misconStrue
mythology, some woman, by design OF acc-
dent, or perhaps both, found out the art of graft
ing scion of the good olive tree into the wild,
| to feed the nation and light lamp in every
dwelling. A grateful sentiment in a rude age,
| dehed the sagaciOus woman and Minerva, the
goddess of wisdom was called the nventress of
the olive, as well as The presiding genius and
| protector of Athens.
But thick as may be the darkness which still
| covers many nations, or whatever superstition
yet fingers even where the true light now shin
eth, the 9rosser forms OF idOlatry are already
gone from large part of the world, and dis
tinCt signs come thick and fast to give assurance
that the rest of the world will soon cast such
idols to the moles and the bats.
Nevertheless, men must look at men, compare
small in the shadow Of the great till the all-see-
ing Judge shall reverse human decisions, making
those that were first last, and last first.
The controlling purpose of this meeting, Mr.
President, is to honor the memory of SAMUEL
FINLEY BREEZE MORSE for what he was, as
made known by what he did. 1t certainly be-
comes this city, as the heart of the common
wealth, TO mingle our respect with the worlds
contribution of honor TO so llustrious beneiac-
tor TO mankind. In city not I'M
known for its enterprise, industry, skill
and thrift in mechanic arts as well
us for its general intelligence in county
which, perhaps, has no rival on this continent
in the contributions of its sons to inventions
that have changed the movements and condition
OF the world; in state where so many useful
inventions and discoveries have first seen the
light-a commonwealth that enrolls as her sons
the names of Franklin, Whitney, Perkins Nor
ton, Blanchard, BIgeow, Whttemore, Howe
and Morse, besides Others who, by their uven-
tive genius, have contributed to lift the world
| to an elevation never known before, Ia such a
| community as ours, Mr.. President, il would be
| out OF place and out of character not to render
| signal honor to the memory of him who has
commanded, by his benedcent genius the best
| homage OF the world.
But though thus speak, recognize the truth
that no mans birth, nor the place ofit has any
merit of its own. They are, Jointly and sever
| allv mere incidents, having oithemseves neither
| honor nor shame whether in the palace or in
the howell True honor is never an accident.
| The real honor OF man is that which he him
self makes. Ills shame is not less his own do
| ina. The world may forget, or never know the
birthplace OF Frol. Morse, but they will always
see the man in bis pork They will see his
genius in the invention he found 0ut-in what
\ Il has already done, and what it will keep do
ing to the end of time. They will consider the
globe as his whereabouts and mankind as his