Little Falls transcript., 1886-11-19
PRHsIDKNT CLEVELAND. \,

Beans. His presence IN Boston, Cambridge,
Faaeail HALL and Harvard Colless-Ths Prssl
dsnt'sS Speech. 5s.Esss ssS5 :!s
/ on Monday morning the 8th inst. and was
received with distinguished honors By Gov.
ernor Robinson who said: It is with great
| pleasure that welcome you to Massa-
| chusetts. Her people are expectant with
cordiaity and abundant regard to ex.
| press to you, 90 far as it may be within
their power, their profound respect for
your very honorable and exalted station
and high appreciation OF your eminent
ability, your staunch integrity and your
| patriotic devotion to the welfare OF the
| nation. Regretting that the pressure OF
your duties will not permit you to
make an extended stay, I Will not
detain you a moment longer from en-
| joying the hospitality OF the common
wealth extended to you and TO the distin.
guished persons who accompany you. i '
After breakfast, escorted 81 militia.
~, the president and cabinet, the
governor and other distinguished people,
started for Cambridge, the whole line Of
presidential party arrived at Har.
! ward college soon. after ten O'Clock
and were received at Grove hall by
President Elliott. ~ At the dinner
in Mem orial Hall were seated the following
| among other distinguished guests:
Secretary Endicott, Secretary Whitney,
Secretary Lamar, Hon. Robert G. Win
throp, Senator Hoar, James Russell Low
ell. DR.: Oliver Wendell Holmes, George
William Curtis, and presidents OF many
colleges in this and other countries.
While the dinner was in progress Mrs.
Grover Cleveland, attended by Mrs. Endi.
cott and the wife OF President Elliott, OF
Harvard. entered one OF the galleries with
number OF other invited guests, and was
enthusiastically received by those
present. At the close of the ban
quet the alumni sang ''St.
! Martins" in chorus, after which President
The audience then rose, and, led by the
anniversary chorus, sang Fair Harvard"
with great spirit.
PRESIDENT CLEVELAND SPEAKS.
After several toasts had t,een responded
to, President Devens, in felicitous speech,
in which he eulogized the qualities OF the
nations chief magistrate: introduced Pres
ldent Cleveland, who spoke as follows:
Mr. President and Gentlemen: I find
myself to-day in q company to which am
much unused, and when l see the alumni
OF the oldest college in the land
surrounding, in their right OF sonship,
the maternal board. at which I am but
an invited guest, the reflection tina t for me
there exists no alma mater, gives rise to a
feeling OF regret, which is kindly tempered
| only by the cordiality OF your welcome
and your reassuring kindness. II the fact is
recalled that only twelve ofmy twenty one
predecessors in office had the advantage OF
collegiate or university education.
proof is presented of the democratic sense
OF our people, rather than an argument
against the supreme value of the best and
most liberal education in high public posi-.
tions. There certainly can be no sufficient
reason Tor any space or distance
between the walks OF tho more classical
education and the way that leads to a
political place. Any disinclination on the
part of the most learned and cultured OF
our citizens to mingle in public affairs, and
consequent abandonment OF political
activity to those who have but Ii tile re-
gard for students and scholars in politics;
are not favorable conditions under such
government as ours, and they have exist.
cd TO damaging extent. Very recent
events appear to indicate that the educa-
tion and conservatism of the land are to be
hereafter more plainly heard in the ex-
pressions OF popular will. Surely the
effort in behalf of our country will be soon-
er reached il the best OF our thinkers and
educated men shall deem it solemn duty
OF citizenship to actively and practically
engage in political affairs and II the force
and power OF their thought and
learning shall be willingly or un-
willingly acknowledged in party man.
agement. If am to speak OF the
president OF the Uuited States, I desire to
mention az the most pleasant and charac-
teristic feature of our system OF govern
ment the nearness OF the people to their
president and other high officials. A view
afforded our citizens OF the acts and con-
duct OF those to whom they have intrusted
their interests serves al regulator and
check upon temptation and con-
duct in Office, and is constant re-
minder that diligence and faithfulness are
the measure OF public duty, and such
relation between president and people
ought to leave but little room in the pop
ular judgment and conscience for unjust
and false accusations, and for malicious
ISLANDERS invented for the purpose OF under.
, mining the peoples trust and confidence
in the administration OF their govern.
| ment. No public officer should desire
to check the utmost freedom OF criti-
cism as to all Of his acts, but every right
thinking man must concede that the presi-
dent Of the United States should not be
put beyond the position which American
love OF fair play and decency accords to
every American citizen. This trait OF our
national character would not encourage il
the extent and tendency were fully appreci-
+ ated, the silly, mean and cowardly lies that
every day are found in the columns OF GER
tain newspa pers, which violate avery in.
stinct OF American manliness, and in ghoul-
ish glee desecrate every sacred relation OF
!. private life. There is nothingi in the highest
| office that the American people can confer
| which necessarily makes their president
altogether selfish, scheming and un-
Trustworthy. On tho contrary, the
solemn duties which confront him tend to
q sober sense Of responsibility. The trust
OF the, American people and an apprecia-
tiOn OF their mission among the nations of
the earth should make him patriotic
man, and the tales OF distress which reach
him from the humble and lowly and needy
and afflicted in every corner OF the land
cannot iail to quicken within him every
i, kind impulse and sensibility. After all It
comes to this: The people of the United
, States have one and all sacred mission
to perform, and your president, not more
surely than every other citizen who loves
his country, must assume part OF the re-
sponsibility Of the dem monstratiun to
the world ut large OF the success OF popu.
lar government. No man can hide his
talent in a napkin and then escape
the condemnation which slothfulness de-
! serves nor evade the stern sentence which
his faithlessness invites. Be assured, my
friends, that the privileges of this day, 30
full OF Improvement, and the enjoyment Of
this hour, 50 full OF pleasure and cheerful
encouragement, will never be forgotten;
and in parting with you let me express my
: earnest hope that Harvard's alumni
may always honor the venerable institu-
tion which has honored them. and that no
man who forgets and neglects his duty to
Mater here. -7e 's~5
| The president finished his speech amid
great enthusiasm and the strains OF 1.-THE
! Star. Spangled Banner" from the band.
President Devens then introduced in turn