The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-01-23
CLEVELAND'S GIFT TO LEO,

It Is Formally Presented by Archbishop
Ryan-Response of His Holiness.
BALTIMORE. Jan. 22-The Sun has cable
dispatch from Rome stating that the gift OF
President Cleveland to Pope Leo XIII was pre-.
sented to him on Saturday afternoon in the
throne room of the Vatican by the American
delegation Archbishop Ryan, of Philadelphia,
in presenting the bound copy of the Constitution
Of the United States, said:
'Holy Father-We feel most honored and
happy in being selected to present to your
Holiness this gift, expressive of the veneratiou
and felicitation of his Excellency the President
of the United States of America upon the occa-
sion OF the suspicious jubilee of your Holiness's
entrance into tue sacred priesthood 1t
is tribute paid your Holiness by the
ruler of sixty millions of freemen, a
ruler selected by them. who feels deepl- the su-
preme responsibility of his exalted station. his
dependence upon Gods prudence, and who has had
the wisdom and forttude to discharge faithful
ly and conscientiously all the important duties
devolving upon him. He is ruler respected by
the people, and one who has publicly declared
mis- solemn conviction that Christianity fur
nishes the true, permanent basis OF real
civilization and perfect social order. rep
resentlng at once moral conquest
over the greatest nations of the earth.
This conquest your Holiness, which received
respectful recogn milton from the kings of the
world, receives through the most worthy Presi-
dent the tribute of free and independent peo-
ple-of the freest, largest and most progressive
just and generous. and will be so in the future,
as in the past history of the nation In the
American republic the Catholic church is free
to act and to carry out its sacred and beneficial
mission for the human race by the funda-
mental right of constitutional guarau-
tee, as demonstrated in this volume.
the appropriate gift of the President
In the United States the Catholic church is
entirely free from state dominion. This liberty
is all she requires. In her history the United
States has clearly proved that ignorance of the
al Of bnr
prejudce-that great obstacle to progress-are
gradually disappearing. and that Catholics and
non-Catholics are coming to understand each
other. We beg OF you. then, Holy Father, bless
the young Republic that has achieved much
in single century; bless the land discovered by
your sanity compatrict Columbus; bless the
wise and manly President of the United States. :,
The members of the delegation, kneeling
before the Pope, received the apostolic benedic-
tion for themselves and for their people. DR..
sented the album to the Pope and translated the
Presidents dedication The Pope listened with
utmost satisfaction. examined the gift carefully,
and expressed his admiration for the exquisite
taste and neatness of its execution. It was an
especial pleasure, he said. to receive q copy of
the Constitution of the Unitsd States
DR.. O'Connell then read to the Pope the fol-
lowing letter, written in French:
''Holy Father-I experience peculiar sat
isfaction in transmitting to your, Holiness the
personal concentrations which his Exeellencv
Grover Cleveland, President of the United
States by his letter of Nov IL, specially re-
quested me to present to you the occasion of
your golden jubilee. had the honor to see the
President shortly after my return 20 Rome,
when communicated to him the kind senti-
ments your Holiness were pleased TO express
to me in his regard Highly appreciasng tho
friendly message of your Holiness, he desired
me TO convey to you his respectful ho mage and
his sincere wishes for your welfare. The Presi-
dent subsequently, wrote me a second letter, de-
string me to transmit TO your Holiness, with the
least possible delay, this specially prepared copy
of the Constitution of the United States. as
testimonial of veneration for your august per-
son, and as an expression OF his Fluctuations up
on the approaching solemnity. Deigu. Holy
Father, once more to bless with all the affection
of your patcrnal heart our beloved country. In
whose prosperity you manifest SO lively an in-