The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-08-01
GREETING TO GEN. ALGER.
Music, Speeches and Misunderstanding at the
Harrison Residence.

GREETING TO GEN. ALGER
Music, Speeches and Misunderstanding at the
Harrison Residence.
The presence IN the city, yesterday, OF Gen.
Russell A. Alger. OF Detroit, Mich, whose State
gave him active and earnest support for the
presidential nomination, made doubly interest
ing the political events of the day. General
Ayers coming was. TO q degree, unexpected,
but he did not get away without meeting sever
al thousand enthusiastic Indiana Republicans,
with whose hearty grip of the hand he came in
to contact. Monday evening he telegraphed
General Harrison that he would pass through
the city and would stop off and extend his con-
grstulations. He arrived on the IL o'clock
morning train from Chicago, yesterday, just as
the reception committee was busy looking after
the Henry county delegation. He went to the
New Denison House and took a room adjoining.
the State central committee. His presence
soon became known to the Republic
ans about headquarters. and as soon as General
Harrison had parted with his Henry county
friends at University Park, he drove down to
the hotel, and extended to General Alger a per-
sonal invitation to 60 TO his residence and spend
the day. The invitation was accepted As
liz 6O@ 49,
corridors, he was chesred bv the crowds. and
otherwise given evidences of Indianas good will
General Alger impresses one at first sight az
being lone who makes friends wherever he
goes, and this trait is true of him, as his great
popularity in Michigan proves. He is by birth
On Ohioan, and has q splendid record as q
soldier. He Is reputed to be q man Of large
wealth. and has become noted through his State
for bis liberal giving to charities. He is tall,
very straight, and somewhat slender. His
fssrd and hair are tinged slightly with gray.
Yesterday he wore a high white. hat, and was
dressed in dark blue cloth, bis coat being of the
Prince Albert cut. Almost the entire day was
spent by him at General Harrison's home.
When it became known around the city that he
was there many citizens. as well as the visitors
from Henry county, expressed a desire to see
him, and II convenient, to hear him make q
speech. The reception took the mat
ter in hand. and when the wish of the citizens
and visitors was made known to General Aleer.
he said: 'Brine them up, l want to see them"
Accordingly arrangements were made TO call on
the distinguished visitor at General Harrisons
residence at 3 o'clock. The crowds of people
from Henry county had become scattered be-
fore the arrangement was made, and conse-
oueutly not one-fourth Of them could be
notified of the call. But few citizens
knew of the arrangement either, but several
hundred people assembled at the New Denison
House at $50 o'clock to make the call. A pro-
cession was formed, aud headed by tho New
Castle K. of Z. Band. it marched to the Harri-
son residence. Many others. on account OF the
excessive heat, took street cars or carriages, and
when all gathered on the spacious lawn In front
of the Generals residence there were four hun
dred or five hundred persons ready to greet the
distinguished General There were frequent in
terrogations OF What's the matter with Harri-
son and Aleerl" and the response always came.
"Why they're all right" After a stirring piece
of music by the band General Harrison appeared
OF the doorstep with his guest, the latter having
the arm OF his host. The appearing OK the two
gentlemen was tbs signal for prolonged cheer
ing, which ended with three cheers for
General Alger and the sister State of Michi-
gen. General Harrison then stepped forward
and in the following words presented General
Alger to the audiences:
My Fellow-citizens-I have had the pleasure
to-day to receive In my own home a distinguish
ed citizen of a neighboring State; distinguished,
not only for his relation to the civil administra-
ton Of affairs of his State. but also as one of
those conspicuous and gallant soldiers contrib
uted by Michigan TO the armies OF the Union
when our national life was in peril. / am sure
YOU will be glad to make broader the welcome
/ have given him, aud I'd show him that he has q
warm place in The affections of our Indiana peo-
people. Let me present to you General Alger.
of Michigan Applause
There was prolonged applause at the close of
the Generals remarks As soon as quiet was
restored General Alger spoke as follows:
G~entlsmsu-I thank you very much for this
cordial greeting. / thank you very kindly, Gen.
Harrison, for the pleasant words you have said
of me personally. / wish TO say-as you would
know il you lived 10 Michigan-that l am not a
speech-maker. al composed o few speeches some
weeks ago. and General Harrison has boon de-
liveripg them ever since. Laughter. After
reading his speeches carefully, each one OF them
a gem of concentrated thought. 1 have
made MP my mind that the Chica-
90 convention made no mistake. Applause.
Va hawa nor hAld anv nOaf- IN 0rtQma in Onr
State. We are glad that We have such a gallant
candidate. q man in whose composition no flaw
can be found. in whose life no act or word can
be adversely criticised. We are as proud in
Michigan Of your candidate-who Is our candi-
date also-as we could possibly be were any
other man in the universe named. We are all
Hsrrisop men In Michigan now, and the place he
has in our hearts Is just as warm as though he
lived within our own borders You Hoosiers
have no patent upon this. Applause
The people Of the United States have q great
crisis before them. The questions as to the life
and prosperity OF our industrial institutions are
st stake. We have. as We have always had,
since this country was worth caring for, the op-
position OF the English government We have
II to-day. standing shoulder to shoulder beside
the Democratic party; and combined, they ex-
pect To capture our manufacturing institutions
in this country and move them to England
But. gentlemen, thew are not going TO DO al
lowed TO do It. lApplsuse
There 10 another question that has been dis
cussed but very little. which needs careful
though. In my Judgment enc Of the very
grave. il not the very gravest, question that Is
before the American people to-day is the possi-
biiity Of the future of the Supreme Court OF
she United States. That court, as you know, 10
composed Of nine members: three Of them are
Democrats and SIX are Republicans, two of the
Republican members Of that court are getting
well along n years; the oldest one is ssvesty-
i've; the next one Is seventy-three, l believe.
and all except one are above sixty-four. II q
Democratic President is elected tais fall-as |
predict he will not be-fvs years nearly will
slspss before IL viii be possible 10 change the