Arizona weekly citizen., 1891-02-07
GOV. IRWIN'S SPEECH.

Gov. Irwin's response to the welcome rendered him Thursday night hal
 brought forth much favorable comment
 It is a masterpiece of eloquencs and tn, sincerity of Its tone comments it epec- ially to every citizen who wishes, with the chief Executive, the best for thiI favored territory. Gov. Irwin said:
 "As We came from California, across the borders of Arizona, felt as 1 know Ivanhoe must have felt when he enter ed the lists of the tournament at Ashby friendless and alone. But, having full
 confidence in the generosity of my coun trymen, I struck as fairly ID the center as I could the shining shield of Arizona as represented by its manhood and wo manhood, with the lance of friendship and more than noble and e~~erous has been the response. To stranger com ing among strangers a welcome like this while almost appalling in it's great ness-is peculiarly captivating.
 Perhaps this may be even as Arizona has gathered into her arms people from e, ,ery cline. from every race, of every color and of every creed, but V .thin her bosom she has chrietened them all anew Americans owning and owing allegi- ance only to the Stars and Stripes.
 Talking the diversity of your climate, the diversity of your products, the many homes and the men who have made them here, on your mountains and in your Glens, on your hillsides and in your valleys, delving from your mines riches greater than those of Ormus and of Ind, driving your cattle and your sheep. per haps 1t is these very diversities of cline and people that make you say here to night, as gran!ly as ever Tennyson said:
 Norman and Saxon and Dane are we,
 But all of us Dane in our welcome to thee.'
 "I duly recognize that this great wei come is not l., the man, not to the indi- vidual, but is greeting extended to the person who, by his commission, repre- sents among you the Nation of which all of you owe reverence and allegiance.
 "I have thought that Governor of a Territory should be taken from among its own citizens. But I know the great heart of Arizona will not lay up against me the fact that heretofore 1 have not been a citizen of the Territory. The men of Arizona will, know, recognize that I have always been by birthright what all of you have been-an American citizen and will let this be the answer to all un- kind criticism.
 ''I do not come among you here seek ing this office; do not come among you here, I trust, to represent faction; l do not come among you here to repre- sent political party, but do come, 1 hope, to represent that Government from which all of you, Democrats or Re- publicans, rich or poor, black or white, can ask and expect, equal and exact iusUlce. At any rate 1 an here among you to be of you, to share your joys and your sorrows, to help. as best 1 can and may. your progress and yonr growth.
 ''In this spirit extend my hand to the great land of Arizona. Iu this spirit l send out my hearts greeting to the great heart of the men of Arizona, know ing and feeling that whatever may Detide whatever may come, whatever differ ences of opInIon may arise, l may rest confidently upon the fact that from my American fellow countrymen l will re ceive American fair play, and upon thIs certainty thank this great audience for the splendid welcome you have given me and to mine."