Asheville daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1890-1900, 1891-06-11
MEETING THE PRESIDENT.
AN UNIQUELY BEATT4FUI. IN.
vXTATHON hook.

Full Account Of the Visit of the
North carO1inians to the white
House "wednesday.
WASHINGTON, June 11.-About seventy
persons representing all the southern
states comprised the committee that
waited on the president yesterday and
invited him to attend the exposition to
he held at Raleigh, N. c., in October and
November. The party was headed by
Senator Ransom, of North Carolina, and
Mr.. Patrick Walsh, of Augusta, Ca. aud
included Mayor Badger, of Raleigh, Col.
A. b. Anderson, of Richmond, Mai. X. S.
Tucker, Col. Burgerne and representa-
tives of nearly all the leading southern
cities. Gov. Holt. ofNorth Carolina, in
tended to be with the party, but was
not able to come.
The : president received them in the
cabinet room. Senator Ransom made
an eloquent address inviting the prcsi-
dent to Raleigh, and assured him of q
warm and hospitable welcome. The
president in reply thanked them for the
cordially and imprcssivencss of their
invitation and said it was very crafty
ing to him to feel that they had conc so
tar for such purpose. Their invitation
called for serious consideration on his
part, but he could not now tell what he
would be able to do at the time of the
exposition. He said lie knew he would
he received with kindness as he had re-
Gently had very conclusive evidence on
that point. He regretted that 1t was
not his privilege to pass through Moth
Carolina on his recent trip. He con-
tinucd:
mo; cannot promise at his time. In
deed, am very chary about promises;
public men have been severely criticised
tor making promises they could not per
torn, and have made il strict rule not
to make promises. There is too much
doubt about the future state of the pub
lie business for me to anticipate what
may be able to do. You will bear in mind
that October and November are apt to be
busy times with the president in conncc-
tion with The assembling ofcongress, and
IN the discharge of my constitutional
duty ! must try to cnlightcn congress
as to the affairs of the country. So you
see, it will not be very easy for me to get
away in the fall. am in full sympathy
with every movement for the display of
our magnificent development and mate
rial prosperity in the arts and sciences. |
will bear your invitation in mind and
will try to arrange my affairs so as to
accept it,"
The Presidents remarks we're loudly
applauded.
A presentation volume, silver bound
and clasped, IA by 2S inches, with covers
of native North Carolina pine, paneled
with natural curlcd pine was then given
the President. Within isframcd the invi- |
tation to come to Raleigh printed on |
large tobacco leaf of far-famed North |
Carolina golden leaf. On the leaf, IL by |
26 in size, on the left, is printed.
The citizens Of the southern section of
the union extend an earnest invitation to |
Benjamin Harrison, President of the
United States and his cabinet"
On another tobacco leaf, OF the same
size is the following:
ITO visit them at the Capital City of
The old North State during the Southern
Exposition in October and November,
1901"
Above and on each side of both leaves
arc punches of rice, grown in Carolina.
Below are bolls of cotton. representing
agricultural products. Below are sheets
,f mica representing the industrial pro-
iucts of the south. The backgrounds
we're of black velvet, lined with gold card
and handsomely framed with plate glass.
Similar invitations in portfolio form
we're presented to each member of the
'abinct.
Mr. Walsh then addressed the prcsi-
lent on behalf of Augusta, Ca, and the
president said his response to the other
invitation applied equally to this,