The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-07-05
WOODSTOCK. conn.
Ex-President Hayes the Central Figure at
the Celebration.

The festivities opened yesterday afternoon
with the arrival from New York of a special
drawing-room car containing ex-President
and Mrs. Hayes, Senator Plat, Bishop Coke
and other guests They were received at the
depot at Putnam by representative citizens
of Woodstock and Putnam, and escorted out
of Putnam on the way to Woodstock, by
Citizens and band As the little procession
passed the Putnam Catholic Church, little
girl approached the Bowen family carriage,
containing Mr. and Mrs. Hayes, and in a
graceful address present ted each witha bouquet
of flowers. Mr.. and Mrs Hayes returned
thanks in pleasant words. Almost the oF-
tire population of Woodstock was out to re-
ceive the guests and escort them to
Bowen's summer home. In the even
ing reception was held at the Bowen
residence, which was attended by
thousands of people from Woodstock and
the surrounding towns. Mr.. and Mrs.
Hayes were assisted by\Mr. and Mrs. Bowen
in receiving the guests Among the notables
present were Senator and Mrs. Plat, Con-
gresham Wait, of Connecticut; Bishop Coke,
Senator and Mrs Aldrich, of Rhode Island;
Senator Blair, of New Hampshire John B.
Cough, J. NJ. Allen of Hartford; Rev. II. Z.
P. Atterberry, Kingley Twining and VIM
Hayes Ward, of New York. Miles Standish,
lineal descendant of the pilgrim fathers,
was also one of the guests who came from
New York with the Bowen family. Rose
land Park fifty-acre tract, presented to the
town of Woodstock by Mr.. Bowen, was
thrown open to the people, and between
5000 and 1000 people gathered there al 10 A.
NJ. to listen to the programme, which CON
tinued throughout the day.
The procession from the Bowen residence
to the park, two miles was headed by a
band playing patriotic airs q carriage con-
tanning ex-President Hayes and wife, fol-
lowed by the marshal of the day. The
speakers and guests occupied seats on large
platform hung with the national bunting.
Hon. john t. Wait made brief address of
welcome and nominated Senator Platt as
chairman. Senator Platt explained that he
was present as a substitute for his colleague,
Senator Hawley, ana after bright address
of five minutes duration introduced the
speaker Of the day, ex-President Hayes, who
was received with cheers and continued clap
ping of hands.
Mr.. HAYEs's ADDRESS.
Washington in his farewell address said:
at is substantially true, that virtue or NOR.
ality is necessary spring of popular gov
ernment The rule indeed extends with
more or less force to every species of free
government. Who, that is a sincere friend
TO it, can look with Indifference upon at
tempts to shake the foundation of the fabric?
Promote, then, as an object of primary i'm
portance institutions for the general diifu-
sion of knowledge. In proportion as the
structure of a government gives force to
public opinion it is essential that public
opinion should be enlightened"
Jefferson, in a letter to Lafayette, wrote:
Ignorance and bgotry like other insanities,
are incapable of self-government."
To another he wrote: If a nation expects
to be ignorant and free in a state of ciyiliza-
ton, it expects what never was and never
will be-"
John Adams said, Reformation must
begin with the people, which can be done
only in effect in their education. The whole
people must take upon themselves the edu-
cation of the whole people, and must be will
ing to bear the expense of it, If
nations should ever be wise, instead of erect
ing thousands OF useless Offices or engaging
in unmeaning wars. they would make
fundamental maxim of this-that no human
being should grow up in ignorance"
| need not extend these quotations. DIR.
Franklin, Samuel Adams, John Jay, Hamil-
ton, Patrick Henry, and other patriots of the
Revolution held and uniformly expressed
similar opinions. The acts OF the fathers
were no less significant than their utter
ances, Lands were granted to the States and
reserved in the Territories for educational
purposes from the foundation OF the govern
ment. These acts were recommended
and approved by Washington, and the
other early Presidents. The most important
tsNft laf +
the Declaration OF Independence was the or
dinance of 1897 for the government of the
Northwest Territory This ordinance con
tanned the following article Religion,
morality and knowledge being necessary to
good government and the happiness of man
kind, schools and the means OF education
shall forever be encouraged"
In pursuance of this article. extensive
grants OF land were made by appropriate leg
islatiOn for the support of general education
among the people of the States and the old
Northwest Territory.
This ordinance and the legislation under
it, with their great fundamental principles
of governmental duty and private right, have
stood the test OF experience. After almost
century OF trial, we are still able to say, with
the historian Of the ordinance, that, never,
probably, in the history OF the world
did measure OF legislation SO accurate
ly fulfill, and yet SO nightly exceed the
anticipations OF the legislator the ordi-
nance has been well described as having been
pillar of cloud by day and OF fire by night
| in the settlement and government of the
Northwestern States. When the settlers went
into the Wilderness they found the law
already there. 1t was impressed upon the
soil itself, while it yet bore up nothing but
the forest"
The five prosperous Commonwealth that
have grown up rs ii by magic upon this ter
ritory contained at the last census almost
m n