The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-10-21
Gke GnteLIaqsnGsea.
oARpIELD AND TIE GERMANS.

GARFIELD AND THE GERnANs.
HIS address 10 rive Hundred German
who Called on Him NJ Mentor.
CLEVELAND. o., October 2O.-About 5Oo
Germans Of this city to-day visited Gen
Garfield at Mentor, to whom the General
on being formally presented, said: +
/ am very glad To see you here, and t.
receive yonr words Of welcome, and thest
words Of earnest patriotism that you
Chairman has spoken. have caugh
some Of the inspiration OF his thought
though not all, but enough Of 1t to make
me know the heartiness OF your greeting
and 10 be able to thank you for It from 1
full and cordial heart. You have an ad
vantage over Us in one thing at least. Yor
come here with all the precious memories
OF the old Fatherland, but you have
come here 10 share with us the glories and
the hopes OF this new world, which 10 onl
immediate iatherland. Your Chairman
has been pleaaed TO reier to remark lonce
made when speaking Of the death OF an
eminent German member Of Congress, that
1t was mistake in one sense TO call him
foreigner, because, as l said, all the
English speaking people, and especially
the English people from whom We come,
drew their old traditions from and found
their first tatherland in the forests Of
Germany. And 1t was 80. When, 1000
years ago, that body OF travellers and bold
pioneers crossed the German Ocean to aid
In struggle on the Island Of Britain,
when, ruddy and strong, and yellow
haired, the blue eyed Saxons came, they
planted the principles OF Teutonic liberty
In England, and an old writer OF centuries
ago said that the Constitution OF Great
Britain came from the woods Of Germany.
Our branch Of the family is the earlier
branch, the older brethren. You have
come later TO join us, the younger sons oil
modern Germany, to meet your old breth.
rem in the new world, because you love
the larger liberties, and the larger oppor'
tunities, and the greater aspirations that
this new continent has opened up to ua
all. n.
Not many generations ago all fathers
we're foreigners. From the Teutonic races,
from the Latin, from all the races OF
Europe, the best elements come, and
mingling here, like an alloy Of metals, it
makes a stronger result than any one OF
the parts alone. We are better for the
mixture. l.a =m.t ~
Your chairman has quoted line from
your great poet, Herder, in which he said
that 10 20 into a.foreign land there could
be no worse thing than to be German.
Much as l respect your poet think he
slandered the foreign world. ltmay have
been true OF other countries in Europe,
but 1t was not true on the continent Of
America. II everin the madness Of pref
udice in America, 1t was true
some twenty-five years ago. 1t has ceased
long ago TO have any truth in our modern
America. g,. ~
You represent in your Fatherland old
and remarkable traditions, and I know
your own hearts have been stirred by an
event that occurred only few days ago
on your own Rhine, when that magnificent
cathedral OF Cologne, which has been $50
years in building, the scafolds hardly
down for day, was just brought 10 It's
final completion and dedicated TO peace.
Ithad lived through all reigns and through
all wars, to be dedicated Of last by Kaiser
William to peace and tho generous memo,
rles OF btlmtny. luHt ID WOuutTlul
thing for you TO have q share in. But, !
trust, fellow. citizens, that you have come
here to help US to build a grander temple,
not OF Gothic build; not made from the
quarries Of the Rhine, but made out OF the
hearts, and lives, and aspirations, and
hopes OF all the people who have come
into the country to make i. their home,
and TO bpil9 her institutions that shall
not, trust, be finished in 900 years from
to-day, but shall go on, its grand stu clufe
always rising, lis foundation always deep
ening, and lis dome always high, and al
ways free for all people who come here to
be- Americans and invest with US. To all
such people the genius.of America speaks
in the language Of another German poet,
the great Narvalis;
Gisb treulioh init Dis Hends,
Und wend. den Blick yor deinem Endo
NiHhtwSihe, Veg Won mir;
I'm Temple wo wiz kpisu.
Elm 0rt wOhin wiz Ziehen.
Elm GIuek fur Dls wlr glithen,
Elm Himmel mir und dir.
Such is the welcome that America gives
to all people. I thank you for this call
TODAY, fellow citizens. thank you for
this kindness OF expression, and / conclude
by saying "Wilkommen ALLIE"