Los Angeles herald., 1891-05-31
Memorial Day Exercises at
Philadelphia.
President Harrison the Guest
of the Occasion.
A Speech by the Chief Executive in
Independence Hall.
He Also Delivered an Grafton at General
Meade's Tomb-Frequent AIlusions
to His Late Trip.
Associated Press Dispatches.

WASHINGTON, May 30.-The president,
accompanied by Secretaries Proctor anG
Tracy, Postmaster General Wanamakel
and Private Secretary Halford, left here
this morning for Philadelphia.
PHILADELPHIA, May 30.-Business in
this city was almost entirely suspended
today. President Harrison and party
arrived here at II :15 this morning fol
the purpose of taking part in the cere
monies of Memorial day. The presi.
dent and members OF his cabinet were
the guests of George G. Meade Post, G.
A. r. The president passed down the
depot platform between a row of com.
rades Of the post drawn up on every
side. Without the gates great crowd
set up hearty cheer, to which the
president responded by raising his hat.
Drawn up outside the station Vas the
historic troop OF cavalry, who from the
day that Washington entered this city
to take bis inaugural oath, have acted
as escort to every president who has
been the guest of Philadelphia. The
party entered carriages, and preceded
by the escort, took up the line of march
for Independence hall. The entire route
was profusely decorated with bunting
and lined with crowds of people, whose
repeated cheering compelled the presi-
dent to go over most of the route with
his hat in his hand.
When Independence hall was reached
the president was introduced to Mayor
Stuart. In brief speech Mayor Stuart
welcomed the president, who replied in
part as follows:
"Mr. Mayor, comrades of the Grand
Army OF the Republic and fellow citi-
zens: II esteem it my great pleasure to
stand in this historic edifice, in this his
toric city, to take part today as COM
rade Of the Grand Army Of
the Republic in these most instruc-
tive and interesting exercises. 1t is
eminently appropriate that we should
stand for a little time before we go to
the graves of our dead, in this edifice
whore the foundations Of the declara-
tiorf OF fndepcndence and OF civil govern
ment were made and putinto that course
ofdevelopment which has brought our
nation to its present position Of pros
perity and OF influence among the ma
tions of the earth. | have recently, in
an extended trip, been able to see what
planted here. We are here in Phila--
delphia, community instituted upon
principles of peace and good will among
men; and yet in a community that
had given a conspicuous illustra-
ton of the fact that the
fruits. of peace may sometimes
be made to be defended by the valor of
soldiers. You did not at all depart
from the great lessons which were
taught by the founders of this great
colony, when, uniting with your COM
rades from all the states, you went into
the field to hold up this banner, to
maintain peace which should be per-
petual and all-pervading in all the
states. Obedience to the law ia the first
element OF domestic peace and social
order. You went out to maintain that,
and have established, as l believe,
again in the affections of all our people
the old flag of our fathers, and have
settled perpetually the question of
loyal submission to the constitution
and the law, in all the states. 1t has
been settled to the great contentment
and happiness of all our people. ap-
precate most highly this generous well
come which you extend to me, and shall
take part in these exercises Of the day
with sense Of their fitness and of the
great events which they commemorate.
l have never been able to think of this
day as one of mourning; have never
quite been able to feel that the half-mast-
ed flags were appropriate on Decoration
day. l have rather felt that the flag
should be at the peak, because those.
whose dying we commemorate, rejoiced
seeing it where their valor placed it.
hax
triumphant commeInoration of what
they did; we mourn for them as COM
rades from whom we have departed
but we feel the glory OF their dying, and
the glory of the achievement that COW
ers all our great country, and has set
them on the imperishable roll of honor"
After the president had concluded,
the doors were thrown open, and for an
hour, the chief executive shook hands
with large number of people. At the
conclusion of the public reception, the
president took a train for Laurel Hill
cemetery, where he took part in the
ceremonies over the grave of General
George G. Meade, the hero OF Gettys-
burg.
AS the president passed between the
lines of the posts and under the battle
flags, he reverently removed his hat and
bowed his head in honor of the memo
ries they represented. Along the entire
line of March to the stand, immense
crowds of people greeted the president
with silent demonstrations of respect.
After the usual Memorial day exercises,
Commander Sanger introduced Com
rade Harrison as the honored guest of
the day. AS the president stepped to
the front OF the stand, he was greeted
with cheers by the assembled multitude.
In his speech he said in part:
I'VE rejoice now that the grateful
government has gathered together the
scattered dust of all these comrades and
placed them in beautiful and safe places
of honor and repose. cannot but feel
that if they could speak to us today
they would say Put the flag at the
top of the mast / recently returned
from an extended tour Of the states, and
nothing SO impressed and refreshed me
as the universal display of this banner
OF beauty and glory. 1t waved over
every schoolhouse, was in the hands of