Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-12-30

4
Program-Dr. Justin winSor. President c.
~ Adams, Edward G. Mason, DIR. VIM. L.
Poole. Dr.. II. b. Adams.
hesolutions-Prof- VIM. p. Trent, Prof.
| TIE EARLIEST TKxAs
The first paper of the morning was prepared
by Mrs. Lee c. Hardy OF New York upon the
subject of Tho Earliest Texas" She was I'M
able TO be present and the paper was read bv
her son. In beginning her paper Mrs Hardy
said that the position of Texas as an independ-
ent republic makes il difficult to obtain an alb
soluteiy correct history Of her earliest settle.
ment
The establishment Of missions in Texas Is not
to be confounded with the building OF the
mission churches The later events took place
much later, when the Indians began to show the
good effects of evsngelization.
| lasting impress on Texas has been left by
the influence Of Spain, for the state still uses
the same measures Of land and the identical
| terms Tor surveying as the priests used when
they first taught the Indians. The name Alamo
mas up TO this time been unchronicled as to Its
! origin 1t Is commonly supposed to signify
| the poplar, a tree that has never grown in San
Antonio. Some have translated 1t as cotton
! wood, which Is absolutely incorrect. Ii was
hrst called San Antonio Al Nalero. being 20
named by its founder. Spanish knight This
gentleman founded q colony winch bore his
| own name. Alamo de Parras. Then his mission
was turned into fort and called after the
| colony nesting at its feet, the Alamo. This is
the true derivation of the word.
The Spanish priests had great influence over
the Indians. They taught them all the arts of
civilization and made them build roadways aud
| squeducts. which still remain. The first mis-
sion was established near the present site of
Laredo, the materials being supplied by vol
| untary contributions from the Indians and
colonists The only mission in perfect repair
lthat OF Nuesta Sonora Purssima de la Con-
cepclon) was built OF mortar mixed with milk.
The materials were consecrated and the milk
chosen for its purity. This seems to have had
peculiar effect, for the mortar is as hard as
stone and resembles it SO much that 1t is diff
cult to distinguish the two
Mrs. Harbys paper was the result OF q long
anu Iaborlous search among the archives con-
tanned In the missions snd old churches of
lexas, and which have hitherto been sealed
and carefully guarded by the priests. Ii was
| owing to the kindness of the bishop OF San An
tonic that she was enabled to make use of these
valuable historical data
THE rrssr POLITICAL SPEAKER.
Henry Clay. the First Political Speaker of
the House." was the subject of q scholarly
essay read by Miss Mary Parker Fo!lett of the
Harvard Annex. From the first" said Miss
toiiett, Clay as presiding officer showed that
he considered himself not the umpire but the
leader, OF the House. The decidedly political
character OF his rule is very striking. The re-
suit was TO greatly increase the speakers par
hamentary power.
''Clay's leadership was also asserted by his
continued activity an individual member.
In voting lie demanded and obtained the full
force OF members vote No other Speaker,
moreover, had ever exercised his right TO
speak In committee of the whole so freely as
Henry Clay. The precedent established the
tradition that party in putting a leader In the
chair does not deprive itself of his services on
the floor. No other Speaker has ever SO COM
oined the functions OF a moderator, a member
and leader as Henry Clay.
Gays political influence and leadership ex-
tended lar beyond Congress. President Madi-
son was timid and resigned with apparent
Willingness the conduct OF the foreign policy to
the Speaker OF the House. To Henry Clay
more than to any one else we owe the war of 1872.
curing Monroes administration there a
close struggle between the Speaker and the
President for supremacy, but Clay's practical
success shows that in any such contest the
Speaker has the greater chance to win. Clay
was the most powerful man IN the nation from
1911 to 1875.
CLAY added to the previously existing body
OF Speakers power much more than has been
added by any subsequent Speaker. The willing
acquiescence OF the people in his conception OF
the speakership is u fact Of great significance.
II was due In part to personal qualifications
which made him peculiarly fitted Tor the Office
an unusual tact and wonderful personal fas-
cination combined with an Imperious nature.
Two ideas have struggled for supremacy in
the development OF the speakership, the ira
dltion OF the Speaker impartial
chairman and the tradition Of the
Speaker as u political officer. The latter is now
established. Clay's successful and unques-
toned use of extraordinary powers cannot
be attributed solely to his great personality.
Apparently there is q stronger force than ira
dition and more permanent than personal in
fiuence which tends to make the Speaker a
party and parliamentary leader. Our
whole history shows the need of leader
ship in our government Nothing in
our history brings out so forcibly both the
need of one-man power and the opportunity
which the speakership offers for a one-man
power as does the administration Of Henry
Clay"
NEW HAVEN ABSORBED By CONNECTICUT.
DR.. Bernard c. Steiner of Williams College
was the next essayist taking for his subject
GOV. William Leete and the Absorption of
New Haven Colony by Connecticut" In the
united colony Leete was chosen to various
honors, finally becoming governor in
1916. In that position he guided the
colony through King Philips and various
difficulties with New York. He died, honored
and beloved by all. in 1888 He was man of
remarkable sagacity, moderation and good
Judgment, slow TO take offense and remarkably
unbigoted and impartial
This paper gave rise TO some interesting re-
marks by Prof. Simeon E. Baldwin of Yale Uni
versity and was followed by a paper on Lord
Lovelace by Gen. James Grant Wilson. presi-
dent OF the New York Genealogical and Bio |
graphical Society.
1T is not surprising" said Gen. Wilson, |
that Queen Anne should have in l70S con-
ferred the responsible post of governor of New |
York and New Jersey upon Lord Lovelace. for |
few mon OF his rank did more than his father, |
the third Lord Lovelace. to place the crown
of England on the heads of William and Mary. |
and consequently to ensure her own succession
The new governor was an Oxford graduate and |
a soldier vino had seen service under Marlbor-
ough in the low countries. With LADY Love-
lace and three sons he arrived in New York in |
December, 170S. Less than five months had |
elapsed since his arrival in New York when
his death occurred in the flower Of his age |
and upon the threshold of new and honorable |
career. The too brief administration of Gov.
Lovelace, which many writer's tiisrniss with |
single sentence, was nevertheless distinguished /
by two notable events. New York, the adyo-
cate of homo rule. began under Lovelacc. |
in 1903, the legislative battle which re.
suited in independence. The other event |
was the Inauguration of German immigration |
to the new world. Begun under the patronage
Of Lord Lovelace il has steady increased until /
today the city which was the seat Of his gov
eminent contains as many Germans as apy
German city with the single exception Of Ber-
lin"
ENFORCEMENT OF THE SLAVE TRADE
"The Enforcement Of the Slave Trade was
the subject Of the last paper Of the morning