Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-12-12
A HAPPY SURPRISE.
The Eagle Praised and Its Editor
Honored,


Honored.
Last evening during the absence Of Col NJ. NJ
Murdoch. the editor OF this paper, who had
gone to his upper. committees from the Re-
publican ciabs Of the four wards Of this city
took possession Of his ssnctum and reearpeted
1t with fine knglish carpet and added SPLEEN
did sentieman's lounge, and otherwIes refur-
nished and transformed the room. On the
return OF Col. NJ the Office, reporters room
and sanctum were found filed with a hundredor
more leading Republicans of the city. Before
he could rally from his surprise, Col. NJ Stew
art arose and said:
COLONEL MURDOCH The Republicans of this
city. approaching your faithful services TO the
grand old party In the past, and especially in
the recent campaign. have invaded your sane
tum, and In you. absence spread upon Its noor
this carpet and sofa. They have dsputed me TO
present you with 1t. along with.their kindest
regards for your welfare, and their best wishes
for your future prosperity
Mr. Murdoch in substance replied:
GRSrLExrN AND FELLOW All
day have I been racking my exhausted brain for
something that might entertain you and thous-
and or so others Tomorrow morning, and what
can you expect of me at 80 short notice worthy
the name OF reply or Acknowledgement? With
whatever else OF powers my natal hour nav
have endowed me, there is one tninR sure, IL
Gu: me short on tongue. an, alas, not toDguey,
and but for the tons Of lead pencils worn out in
telling the world how little know, never
would have been heard OF even within the Dor
ders of the next township. Whatever may be
my in my head or heart, the attempted use OF
my tongue scares me to death. But Il would be
poor tongue indeed that could fail to say
thank you.D In the great battle which ended
last month our proud banner went down. but
not the principles Of our party wDich.are eternal
and will live forever. " hat this country would
have been to-day had The Republican party
never existed can only be guessed at. The old
party Of steals and spoils and slavery nave
whipped us in the aggregate but not In detail,
and thank God for the Details one OF which Is
Wichita. which by voice and work of the men
here Tonight hope to see put under Republi-
can administration next spring. Gentlemen, l
assure you l am profoundly sensible OF this
honor and Of the spirit which prompted II. and
let me further assure you that whether for
victory or defeat the EAGLE and Its editor will
be with you In the future.
Hardly had those present turned about when
Col. Stewart called the meeting to order. nam
ing A. W. Oliver secretary, when Commodore
woodman stepped to the front and addressed
those assembled as follows:
Mr.. CHAIRMAN AND FELLOW CITizESs.-Ba
your leave embrace this opportunity TO offer
and faithfully labored in, that most trying ca
pacity, an editorial advocate of the general
Interests OF this new and wonderful country.
i nave been n close redtef Oh Tue w lcnlld EAGLE
since it first plumed its wings in ls72 on this
Great American Desert. Ii has ever been
dil!gent exponent Of the exceilencies of the
county of sedgwick, OF the rise and develop
ment OF the city Of Wichita. IL has ever stood
n fearless and faithful monitor over the inter
ests of both. No menace to their prosperity or
welfare has escaped the yigilence of It's tocsin
OF alarm. The chaste and exalted character OF
its editorial and selected matter has epgrafted
10 upon the confidence and respect of its readers
at home, and the admiration and esteem OF
those abroad. lie trnncendence as weekly or
gan is only parelleled by its new fiedgliDg, the
DAILY EAGLE--a maturity in its bIth--a thirty
six column daily, issued in an agricultural civil
Iization. redeemed from heather land In less
than fifteen summers. Luminous in all the
matters of interest of the day both at home
and abroad, the events OF our hemisphere Of
Yesterday and last night are served by IL fresh
on oui breakfast table this morning II Is the
radiating through the minds of our twenty
thousand people, realizing their hopes, confirm
ing their fears. Nor is this ali the promptings
of sincere gratitude bids US say OF &c. IL has
ever stood an entrenched sentinel, the vanguard
of the patriotism Of our county whenever as
sailed by an opposition, either In open phalanx
or base sedition, its notes of warning have rung
out clear upon the free air of Kansas, calling
the Iukewarm toduty and the recr. ant to shame.
No defilection Of ofhcial dny at home has es-
capped the vgilence OF its purifying criticisms,
nor has Ii feared to commend the right less than
to condemn the wrong. Ii Is both the honor and
the glory OF this commonwealth to be reore-
sented in the halls of our national councils by
true and competent men. They have ever
ceived the sustaining influence of its Iabors in
their good work, and although the national goal
Of its labor is lost the brilliant triumph of our
commonwealth, and especially the county OF
Sedgwick, to which Its duties more especially
belong, are more than full of inspiration, to
confidence in the efficiency of its labors in the
past, and OF courage in the sublime promise of
the future. No, il is not u failure. The throbs
that actuated 1t yesterday Will be intensified In
the labors Of Tomorrow, to n final eonsumma-
tion OF its most saBguine hopes.
Ii Is through no neglect OF its diligence that
the occupancy OF the presidential chair is trans
ferred to the Democratic party. such Is the
will of that my sterious Providence which
struck the shackels from the slave, which lead
us safely through that red sea of blood In tri-
umph to restored and regener.Iisd nation,
which dedicated TO its life our marty I'D Lincoln.
such have been the mysterious degrees of that
hidden Providence in whose open hand the des-
tiny OF nations slumber, anu let us say Thy
will be DONE And In the same patriotic de-
votion that gave the best life and blood OF the
Republican party TO seal that lying slander--
1.-The war ID n failure''--on the history of the
Democratic party forever, and extend them the
sincere hope that now, assuming the control of
the government for the fourth time since its
existence, they will profit by the sad experience
OF their utter failure in their three previous
administrations, which each led the nation into
commercial bankruptcy and ruin, and finally II
rebellion, which every true man contemplates
with horror and shame
Then let Us cherish the hope that these lessons
of the past may be beacon light To the admin
istration of Grover Cleveland, elevating him TO
a true sense OF the important duties he is about
to assume, and the adoption of policy COM
mensurate with the vast resources OF the nation,
whose destinies he is soon to direct. That
either complexion nor politics will lure him
from wise and conscientious discharge OF du-
ties due to the best interests OF the nation at
large, that will maintain a prosperity that its
restored and perfected relations TO its entire
citizens, enables HIM fully to command and
they as fully to expect such feel TO be the
true sentiment OF every pure and patriotic lover
of his country, and in which the EAGLE and its
editor, of whom IL was the purpose at our be-
ginning more particularly to speak, as fully
Joins.
And now Mr.. Murdoch, to you sir, the moving
spirit, the actuating genius of this most worthy
of all the best interests of our common
As well as that of the people Of this |
happy valley, desire to tender this small me-
mento OF appreciation Of yonr noble labors JUS
still more NOBLE cause, and whilst of little value
In itself, may II with all its memories be to You
\ staff indeed, to sustain you in the farther |
prosecution of the labors you have SO eminently |
begun
At this point Mr. woodman stepped forward |
and presented Colonel Murdoch with a heavy |
gold headed cane, inscribed rs follows:
"wm. Z. woodmsn to NJ. NJ. Murdoch, in |
recognition of the valuable services Of the /
EAGLE to the Republican party of sedSwick
county. Kansas
The following resolution was then adopted:
tl,i Or o;t;
luest Mr. NJ NJ Murdoch TO accent this Offering
IN the spirit OF It's presentation, as tribute OF
~. ~ a. ;n,arsot ~ nntv ~ nsn,ia
md his party.
Further responses were then made by Colonel
Dyer, U. S. receiver of public MONEYS, who
donated a years rent Of the additional rooms In
his building now occupied by the EAGLE IN adj
litiop TO its own building, to which Mr.. R.P.
duriock, the business manager responded with
Methodist amen
Mr. w s. Morris made very pointed sp,ech.
which wa. loudly anplauded for its MANY happy
urns He was followed BIZ Mr.. l.. ID. skinner,
II the Kansas State bank, and United States
Sherman, all of whom spoke so
warmly and earnestly that Col. Murdoch de-
risbes hs h.d s,scs u, adj ,,ors Inn, vii, s.x
hat the EAGLE force was never so prerd. II
yer so happy.
Inc following named gentlemen as, commit
80 'eP''''"''' ''' "Fp"'''"' u '''' ''"'
Fir., Ward Col NJ. stewart VIM Kassel.
foh, Wallace c.o w va,.ar th,, r.