The New York herald., 1879-02-12
PETER COOPER'S BIRTHDAY.
Honorary Degrees To Be Conferred Oh
the Distinguished Citizen.
REWARDS OF A BUSY LIFE.
Reception at His Daughters
House This Evening.

| Rouse This Evening".
Peter Cooper is eghtyeght years old. There is no
doubt that all to whom the benehcent tenor Of his
lie ia known will in their hearts join in the sincere
congratulations which will he poured in upon him
to-day. Invitations have been quietly sent
sent out by Mrs. Abram S. Hewitt for q
reception in celebration of the happy day. Tho
| preparations for the event were unknown to Mr.
| Cooper until day two ago, and when told Of
them he much surprised and at first quite
strenuously to their contamination. Consideration
for the feelings of his friends whose wish he could
| not refuse without wounding. then overcame his
modesty and he consented to be the recipient Of the
proffered honor. At half-past eight this evening
! the guests of Mrs. Hewitt will begin to arrive al
| the well known and capacious mansion. No. 9
Lexington avenue. great many distinguished cti-
zens will be present. among others three four
Catholic bishops, the presidents Of all the colleges
| in New York and the majority Of the clergy. The
| fact has become known that the faculty OF the
University Of New York have resolved to confer an
honorary degree on Mr.. Cooper They will come in
body, with the Chancellor at their head and will
formally deliver the documentary evidence Of his
doctorship to Mr.. Cooper time during the
evening""
II do not know" said Mr.. Cooper, yesterday, to
reporter "what fitness possess for the adornment
of an academic degree. II accept it it must be
rendered as merely recognition of my labor for
the encouragement Of scientific study. have no
| The reporter congratulated him on his an.
proaching birthday. His gentle and venerable face
showed evidences Of fcebleness, but his eve
seemed perfectly clear index to the condition of
his mind Only rising and crossing the room did
he to feel the failure of his physical powers
'Yes" he said. he settled down on his comfort
| able air cushion in one corner of the homelike
study. II was born on the 10Th of February. 179l"
THE DEAD ISSUE.
"Are you as active in business as you were for.
II don't attend to my private business at all
There are constant calls upon me public matters
have been trying to do what could to fix the atten-
tion of the American people upon the absolute ne
cessity of q change in the financial policy of the
government have spent nights and days in anxious
thought the means of saving the nations life
and devastation of which we have as yet had ex-
ample in our history Great masses Of property are
| becoming concentrated in the hands of a few The
financial question is determined against the poor and
| in favor OF the rich. AS told Mr.. Evarts whom
was In Washington some time ago. the great Ameri
question OF finance must be settled, and it must
be settled in the interest of the common people and
cial measures which have been passed since the war
are calculated to benefit the whole country.
When III think Of the policy pursued by onr
pean despotism to follow the course. only
| wonder at the shortsightedness OF our statesmen.
| No monarch In Europe would have dared to issue
decree having the effect in causing the shrink
Of values that has been caused by the return
FAT this point of your life. Mr. Cooper" said the
reporter, willing to change the subject 'you doubt
less have many entertaining reminiscencesr'
Eyes; when first came into this city there werV
only 900 inhabitants here. But don't talk about
| now. In my view the financial question is OF
much importance that 1t outweighs every other con
| sideration. / think that nothing but strict con.
formity to the constitution the nation from
ruin. Only by tho establishment Of justice and by
patriotic legislation can domestic welfare aud tran
quiiiity be promoted"
| "Yours has been an extremely busy life ana
doubtless II has been full Of practical lessons that
might well illustrate the principles Of political
| economy"
| Mr.. Cooper. after saying that before his twenty
first he had learned three trades related the
cumstances of speculation in Baltimore at the timo
| when he built the Canton Iron Works. 1t the
1900 of land which he had purchased there that
accident occurred which costing him his
| lifc brickkn which he owned caught fire and he
entered 1t just as the gas which had accumulated
| within it exploded. He was thrown about fifteen
| feet. Had taken one BREATH" said he, while
surrounded by the fame, should not be here to-
day" One Of his enterprises at Baltimore the
placing of the first successful locomotive the Bal
timore and Ohio Railroad He laughed he described
1t little insignificant looking thing. with boiler
NO bigger than -four barrel That was about the
Il was ave years." said Mr.. Cooper, "a member of
the Common Council. being first elected hfty-one
years ago; for FIVE years was president of the
North American Telegraph Company; for nineteen
years president of the first cable company land it is
wonderful how succeeded in making the
enterprise success) for twenty years trustee of
the public schools and member Of the Board Of
Education. and was actively engaged in promoting
the building Of the Croton aqucduct. I was
three years in building the Cooper Union,
but it took me fifty years to save enough money to
do it. The stone laid twenty three years
ago, think"
"You have met many great characters in your
"No; my business has been more with common
men. Iremernber that when President Van Buren,
with me in my house at the of Twenty eighth
street. Tho establishments OF the Sub-Treasury had
re- hs 20 "nv ne
life IL would become the most popular that has
ever been passed in relation to New York. He was
right. There has never been anything like it, 1t IL
one of the manstays of the government"
A NATIONAL SIM
| Have you been to Europe?"
mo. l used TO think would like to CO. but
have got that. 1t has become national sin.
think. that our people get little means
| than they Otto some foreign country to spend
them. They ought to stay home and try to benefit
their fellow citizens with their patronage instead Of
When 1 look back upon my life." continued Mr.
| Cooper, placidly. "it seems like . dream. would
course which have taken. attribute most Of my
to the fact that have kept out Of debt aud
have stored clear OF banks The only time that !
war. when Mr.. Chase camo hero and per-
suaded me. to go into national bank.
willing to do anything to help
tho nation out OF its trouble; but did not remain
long connected with the bank II had trusted to
the security Of the old state banks might have been
ruined half dozen times. As il is. Icsn't rcmem-
| Der q single week when tho people in my employ
could not get from the full amount Of the wagos
| due them"
'you seem hale and hearty. Mr.. Cooper. and hope
to congratulate you again on this same anniversary
ten years hence"
"Ah 70 was the reply, II do not expect to live
| long. never was very strong When was twenty
one my hand trcmblcd 80 that could hardly put
cup Of tea to my lips. did not think would be-
come old man" .
aEcw lives have been 80 useful as yours has,"
II started out with determination to give to the
world an equivalent of what should receive from It,
You have moro than done it,