The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-03-07
A VISIT TO FLORIDA.
President Cleveland and Wife
Journey to the South.
A Sub Tropical Exposition Opened
With Brilliant Ceremonies.

dial reception on the occasion of his recent
visit to the South A dispatch from Jack
sonville Fla, says that the President ana
Mrs. Cleveland arrived in Savannah at 3
o'clock A. N. The Mayor and committee
of citizens met and welcomed them at the
depot amid a scene OF the most
unqualified enthusiasm. AS the tram
rolled in a salute was fired by the
Chatham Artillery, whistles were blown and
loud huzzahs went up from the thousands OF
people who had gathered to do honor to the
nations chief. The party was escorted
to the long room of the depot,
which had been prepared for the occasion
and decorated with potted plants, flowers and
evergreens. An informal reception, lasting
about ten minutes, was held, and about
thousand people were presented to the Presl-
dent and Mrs. Cleveland and other members
of the party. The Georgia Hussars acted as
an escort.
The Jasper Monument festival being in
progress. all the buildings were gayly de-
corated with bunting. The only stop made
in the course of the drive was at the Talefera
ACADEMY of Fine Arts. Mrs. Cleveland had
expressed desire to see the collections OF
statuary and paintings there.
The depot was reached without other In
cilent of any kind worth mentioning. An
hour had been spent in the drive and the
President expressed himself as being much
pleased with it. Within fifteen minutes after
reaching the depot the party was on its way
10 jacksonville
The Presidential train arrived at Jackson
vile, Fla, in the afternoon and was greeted
with salute Of twenty-one guns and the
acclamationS Of an immense concourSe OF
people. 1t rainei steadily the day before the
visit of the Chief Magistrate and the town
was plunged in woe, but the approach OF the
President seemed to send "Cleveand
weather" in advance, and with bright sum
shine and the mercury lovingly gamboling in
the vicinity Of the seventies, the worthy Jack
sonvillians received the President and party
in great shape. The city was one mass of
tropical foliage, festoons of oranges inter
spersed with Florida hanging moss and fan
palms. Even the lamp posts and telegraph
poles were wreathed in palms and bunting:
the streets through which the
procession passed, bearing the usual
Complimentary and welcoming inscriptions.
The arches were made of palmettos, palms,
magnolias, orange branches in full bloom, on
background of the gray moss, and inter
spersed with quantities of the golden fruit;
Every building on Bay street was concealed
by mass of tropical foliage, and with the
frequent arches the city looked like Florida
forest gone crazy.
Arrangements had been made by the COM
mittee in charge to furnish accommodations
for eight thousand guests. and the
capacity of the hotels and lodging
houses was strained to the utmost.
Special trains have been running from
all over Florida, pouring excursionists into
the town at remarkably low rates. The
streets are alive with people, many Of whom
had never seen a city as large Jacksonville
before.
The party was escorted to the st. James
Hotel by the State military, the RECEPTION
Committee in carriages and band playing
patriotic airs. Mayor Barbridge rode, in
Cleveland, which was decorated with
flowers and evergrecnS At half-past
one o'clock, after the Presidential
party had taken lunch, the marshal of the
day, Major Harkishimer, with twenty Aries,
formed the procession. On the arrival Of the
procession at the Exposition Building another
salute of twenty-one guns was fired by de-
tachment of Wilson's Battery:
The President, Mrs. Cleveland and their
party and the visiting congressman were
met at the north entrance by the Reception
Committee of the Sub-Tropical Exposi-
ton, with Director General Paine and the Of
ficers of the association, and were escorted
to the platform in front of the north gal
leres. The other guests were escorted to the
south gallery The military then entered
and stacked arms, except the guards on
duty. Seats were provided on the platform for
representatives of the city, State and United
States governments, distinguished citizens
and committee. When the President Mrs.
Cleveland and the accompanying guests were
seated, Colonel j. J. Daniel delivered an ad-
dress of welcome, which was greeted with
resounding cheers. When quiet had been re-
stored the President replied as follows:
II am exceedingly gratified that am able
tc see the wonders Of your State and to meet
its kind hearted people, and the sincerity Of
your welcome has made nle already feel quite
at my ease.
II am sure that every person must be i'm
pressed with the extent Of our country and
the diversity of its climate and products
when he finds that by travelling twenty-four
hours within its limits winter and snow can
be left behind and exchanged for balmy air
and bloom and verdure of summer.
"The American citizen in search Of health
or pleasure and comfort in any variety of eli
mate or in almost any changed condition, has
no need to leave American soil or to loose
the benefit and freedom of American insti-
tutions and laws. l suppose the adj
vantage Of foreign travel should be freely ap-
preciated but it seems to ma that there is
enough in our own land to interest and in
strlct, oftentimes with the greatest ad-
vantage many of our citizens who insist upon
seeking the novelties and sights Of foreign
countries. There is, however a satisfaction
in the fact that none of these return without
an increased appreciation of their home
This proves that our citizenship and our pat
riotism can be relied upon as against all the
Establishments Of the Old World.
~ have sometimes thought if a good share
of time thus spent in learning how much we
loved our country was devoted to acquiring
more intrinsic knowledge of its beauties and
its advantages both our citizenship and our
patriotism might be improved.
II expect my present occupation at the
seat of our government. where our country
and its people and ali their needs are con-
stantly sHbjects of thought and care, makes
it hard for me to omit reference to these
things and yet would not have you think
that on this social visit the holiday which I
than in the freest enjoyment which your
kindness and the facilities Of your State and
city afford. want to see the exhibition Of
yoar products, the scenery of your rivers
and the growth and perfection Of your
to you official cares shall give way to free
dom which you kindly invite, in the hope
and expectation that with the enlarged
conception of the greatness and
beauty OF my vast country
which | shall here acquire. shall return to
my post of duty better able to serve my fel-
low citizens
The Presidents reply was greeted with the
most vociferous and long continued applause