Morning journal and courier., 1881-02-23
News by Telegraph FROM ALL QUARTERS. .WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY. Imposing Celebration in His Native
 State.
 President Hayes in Attendance. A Patriotic Address by the
 President.
President Hayes in Attendance.
Democrats Promoting Free Trade.
A Club Formed Among Democratic
 COngressmen.
wAsHINGToN's BIRTHDAY.

WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY. | Honorfng the Father of His Country-A ! Gala Day at Alexandria Beautiful
 Tributes to the IIIustrious Chief. l WASHINGTON, Feb. Washington s birth- l day was celebrated to-day at Alexan dria with
 more than usual interest. The old Virginia 1 town was alive with bunting. President Hayes was present as an invited guest and a
 number of distinguished people attended. What might have been a serious accident oc- cured during the address of Hon. Frank
 were seated the President, Senator Withers, District Commissioners Morgan and Dent, Colonel H. c. Corbin, General Fitzhugh Lee, Mayor Smith, Rev. Dr. Bull lock. chaplain of the United States Senate, | and other prominent people, gave way and | fell to the ground with 8 loud crash. The President escaped injury, but Senator With CTS was so seriously hurt that he had to be ! conveyed to his home. Commissioner Nor gan was also slightly hurt, but no one else. MT. Hurd's address which was quite lengthy, I dwelt mainly upon the obligations which the Urited States owed to Virginia for having given to them Washington and Jefferson, and the two great ideas, hatred to royalty and re- igious toleration. MT. Hurd dwelt particu- larly upor the first idea, ca utioning the peo- pie against strong government and calling attention to the fact that Washington after he had left the presidential chair did not seek notoriety.
 The President was then called up and spoke as follows
 Mir. President, ladies and gentlemen-That procession that I see is about to move will not be detained long by me. I desire simply to make my acknowledgements to the city of Alexandria for the courtesy which has en- abled me to take part in this very interesting celebration of the birthday of Washington in the centennial year of the last victory of the revolution, and at the place which has the felicity to be the home city of Washington. After the eloquent and appropriate address to which we have listened with much in terest it would be altogether out of place for me to enter at large upon any of the topics suggested by the occasion. This address of Washington, if I were to speak to day, would be my topic, but why speak of it? Wash ington's farewell address is itself a great ora tion, an impressive speech on every celebra- ton of Washington's birthday If I were to look back over the history of our country would find in it's annals, am sure, other paper which as practical advice for the fu- ture surpasses it in value and interest. If I were called upon to select the great State pa- pers that stand out in the annals of our
 country, should choose three. One should be that to which Mir. Hurd has eloquently
 and satisfactorily called our attention, the
 declaration of independence, the document
 which sent the true idea of freedom through
 the world. Next would take the emancipation
 proclamation of Lincoln, which made this
 country free forever. (Applause.) But
 above all, as the paper that contains practical
 advice for the government and control of this country, I would elect Washingtons fare
 well address. I cannot enter upon it's topics,
 but allow me to name them. My friends
 around me, though not perhaps agreeing
 altogether with me upon many political ques-
 tions, and would possibly emphasize some
 sentences that do not empha-
 size so fully, will agree substantially
 with me upon every sentiment there. I am
 confident that Washington in this address
 gives his views of the value and importance
 of the Union. He, in this address learned
 first that he loved the nation; second that
 he abhorred sectionalism, and thereby he
 shows in the address that he believes in the
 foundation of the national government. In
 this document here I have counted the
 words, nation national, D ''one nation"
 lone people" and I see that they occur
 many times. The great idea, my friends, is
 that the people constitute one people and
 one nation in just as high sense as any
 people or any nation on earth can be a na
 tion. Washington, in this address, also gives
 us advice about public faith and public
 credit, which should nowhere be for gotten. Washington warns us against
 foreign influence and entanglements
 upon American soil Again he tells
 us, and this will be the conclusion per
 haps of what I shall say to you, that educa-
 ton, morality and religion are the only safe
 foundations for republics like ours. My
 friends Mir. Hurd spoke of strong govern ment as compared with the free repu bllcan
 government, as established by Washington
 and Jefferson. He is altogether right. No
 government is so strong as that which is i'm
 bedded in the affections of the people.
 (Applause.) The people are the government
 in the United States. (Applause.) The
 United States will have always such gov
 ernment, a government of just that character
 that it's people possess The character of
 the people determines the character of the
 government. If the people are corrupt the
 government will be corrupt; if they are
 honest they will see that the government is
 honest. There may be occasional exceptions,
 but in the end the character of the people
 will be expressed in their government.
 Hence it is that Washington gives us this advice. for the character of the people de-
 bends upon education, morality and religion,
 With these three cultivated as they should be the people will be right and the
 government will be right. Then, my friends, let this precious document be read on every birthday of Washington. It is his legacy to his countrymen. Let us heed its teachings and cherish it's sentiments and we can float down the stream of time confident that our power will go on increasing and in- creasing to the last syllable of recorded time.
 At the conclusion of the Presidents ad- dress, which was loudly cheered, the proces- sion, consisting of military and civic organi- cations, formed in line and paraded through the principal streets.