Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-10-29


gun to start was fired and the column began
its forward movement. The United States
steamship Dispatch lay off West Twenty
third street and as the column of boats ap-
preached, President Cleveland arrived with
his suite and prepared to get on board. As
the guns fired the Presidents salute halt
was ordered until the Dispatch got under
way, when, with loud blast of whistles,
the column of boats followed in behind,
bound south to Bellows Island.
CEREMONIES AT THE UNWILLING.
The music that was played while the
officials were assembled on Bellows Island
this afternoon was followed by the signal
gun that announced the beginning OF the
ceremonies. Prayer was offered by Rev.
DR.. Richard S. Storrs, and Count Ferdinand
de Lesseps then delivered the address on
behalf of the Franco-American Union.
He spoke in French, and with an energy
equal TO any speaker of the day, far ex-
ceeding in this respect Senator Evarts.
Senator Evarts and Mr.. Depew wore skull
caps while speaking, but the octogenarian
canal-digger faced the storm boldly with
! out any covering to his silvered head, al
though he stood further forward in the
drilling rain than did any of the other
speakers. He began with jocular aside
apparently in regard TO the steam whistles
which kept up very ill-mannered series
of toots throughout the proceedings. De
Lesseps said:
Citizens OF america: hasten to accept your
gracious invitation extended by the Govern
ment of the great American Republic. 1t is a
generous idea on the part of him who presided
over the e. ection of the statue of Liberty. 1t
honors equally those who have conceived and
those who understood it in its acceptance.
Liberty Enlightening the World - Grand
hpncOD raised amidst he Of
beating upon the shore of free Amerie a. In
disembarkiDg under its light, one would know
that he treads on soil where individual initia-
tive has developed its fullest strength, where
progress is religion, where great fortunes be-
| come popular by their charitable enterprises in
encouraging education and science and scatter
ing abroad fruitful seeds for the future. You are
right. Amenean citizens, to be proud of your
=" go ahead" In speaking to you of the sympa
thieS OF France. know | express the thought
| of all my compatriots. There is no painful nor
sad memories between the two countries, and
but one solitary rivalry-that of progress. We
accept your Intentions as you accept ours,
| without Jealousy You love men who dare and
persevere. say like your go ahead. We
| understand each other when l speak this Ian
| guage. l feel myself at home when | am with
| you, illuStrious descendants of the French no.
| bility who crossed the Atlantic hundred years
ago, bringing to you the aurora of your indie
| pendence.
| Senator Evarts next made the presenta-
| ton address, as follows
Mr. PRESIDENT: The scene upon which this vast
assemblage is collected displays a transaction
| in human affairs which finds no precedent or
| record in the past; nor Ill the long future we
may feel assured will it ever confront its coun-
| terpart or parallel. How can we titly frame in
words the sentiments, motives and emotions
which have filed and moved the hearts
and minds of two great nations in
| the birth of this noble conception,
this grand embodiment, the complete ex-
| ecution of this stupendous monument,
now unveiled TO the admiring gaze OF men, and
| emblazoned-in its coronation of finished work
| with the plaudits of the world What orna-
| ments of speech what eloquence of human
voice what costly gifts of gold, of frankincense
and of myrrh OF our hearts tribute can
we bring 10 the celebration of this CON-
summate triumph of genius, of skill, of
labor, and which speaks to-day, and will
speak forever the thoughts, feelings and friend
| ships OF these two p ipuious, powerful and free
republics, knit together in their pride and joy at
their own established freedom, and in their
hope and purpose that the glad light of liberty
shall enlighten the world? The genius, courage,
devotion of spirit. and indomitable will of the
great sculptor, Bartholdl-whoSe well earned
fame justified the trust committed to him-have
together wrought out in stubborn brass and iron
this artists dream, this airy conception of his
mind, this shapely sculpture of his cunning
hand till here it stands upon its firm base as If
the natural playmate of the elements, fearing
no harm from all the winds that blow. AS with
the French people so with our own. the whole
have come from the free contributions of the
people themselves; and thus the common
people of both nations may justly point
10 a greater, nobler monument in
and OF the history, and progress
and welfare of the human race, than Emperors
Kings, or Governments have ever raised. This
statue on the 4th of July, 1881, in Paris, was de-
Evered to and accepted by our Government, by
the authority of the President of the United
States delegated to and executed by Minister
Morton. To-day, in the name OF the citizens of
the United States, who have completed the
pedestal and raised thereon the statue, and of
the voluntary committee who have executed
the will of their fellow-citzens ] declare, in
your presence, and in the presence of these dis
tingulshed guests from France, and of this au-
gust assemblage of honorable and honored men
of our own land, and of this countless multi
tude, that this pedestal and united work OF the
two republics is completed and surrendered to
the care and keeping of the GovernIen and
people of these United States.
THE PRESIDENTS ACCEPTANCE.
At the conclusion of Senator EYarts
speech the signal was given, and the veil
was Withdrawn from the face of the statue,
amid The booming of cannon and the
shrieking of whistles from hundreds of
steamers and other craft gathered around
the island. This indeScribable ovation
continued for fully half an hour. Senator
Eyarts then, when the firing and other
noises had subsidized, introduced Grover
Cleveland, President of the United States,
who, in accepting the statue, said:
The people of the United States accept with
gratitude from their brethren of the French
Republic this grand and completed work of art
we here inaugurate. This token of affection
and consideration of the people of France dem
onstrates the kinship of the two republics, and
conveys TO us the assurance that, in our efforts
10 commend to mankind the excellence of
Government resting upon the popular Will, we
still have beyond the American continent a
steadfast ally. We are not here to-day TO bow
before the representation of any fierce
and wariike god, filed with wrath and Ven
geance, but we joyously contemplate our own
deity, keeping watch and ward before the open
gates of America, and one greater than all that
have been celebrated in ancient Troy. Instead
of grasping in her hands the thunderbolts of
terror and of death, she holds aloft that light
which Eliminates the way to mans enfran-
chisement We will not forget that Liberty has
here made her home; nor shall her chosen altar
be neglected. Willing votaries will constantly
keep alive its fires, and these shall CLEAN upon
the shores of our sister republic in the east.
rays, that stream of light shall pierce the dark
ness of ignorance and of mans oppression, I'M
til Liberty EHlightens the World.
LAFEyRE's ADDRESS.
After President Cleveland came NJ. A
Lafevre, Minister Plenipotentiary of France,
who spoke as the representative of the re-
public of France. He said;
In the presence of so imposing an assembly
and as prelude to the ceremony which consol-
idates the secular friendship of two great ma
tions it is an honor and hearty pleasure to me
to present to you, in the name of the French
Government and of the entire French nation,
the sincere and warm assurance of sympathetic
participation in the Inauguration of to-day. 1t
is one splendid with solemn and impressive i'm
port for it is one of those which form an epoch
in history. This colossal Statue OF Liberty,
nodded by great artist, would anywhere at
tract attention: but here, on American soil it
evinces a special significance, symbolizing the
existence and development of your nation dur
ing more than one hundred years. To us Amer
leans and Frenchmen liberty is not only
common doetrine-it is also family tie.
From an alliance between the two nations
sprang forth the most ,xzliUg manifes alton of
its expansion and radiance through the universe.
1t will be an eternal honor to France to have
seconded the effort of your heroism, and to have
understood, in its flint dawn the sublime pros
poets which were promised to mankind by your
generous ar5or. This symbol which we inaug-
urate to-day is not q mere allegorical pledge of
fraternalu union between the two greatest rspub-
lies of the world. II is greeted Simultaneously
by more than one hundred millions OF freemen,
who tender friendly hands to each other across
the ocean. Among the thousands of Europeans
who are d3ily conveyed to these hospitable
shores. no one Will pass before this glorious
emblem without Immediately perceiviug its
moral greatness. nor without greeting it with
respect and thankfulress.