The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-12-22
CLEVELAND ON THE PILGRIMS.
The EX-PreSident One Of the Speakers at
Their Annual Celebration.
4 GLOWING TRIBUTE TO EEW ENGLAND
Ho Also Pays His Respects TO New Jersey,
the State Of His Nativify-The
Toasts and tho TOasters.

celebration OF the anniversary Of the landing
OF the Pilgrims. The hall was tastefully
decorated Covers were laid for 27S guests
and nearly every seat was occupied.
Hon. Calvin L. Pratt. president Of the So
cie.Y, presided. At the speakers table were
seated e1-President Cleveland. Hon David 4.
Body, Mayor-Elect Hon. William Bartlett,
Hon. Roosevelt g.. Ilorr General Horace Por-
ter, Rev. Charles Ii. Hall, ID. ID.
Al the conclusion of the banquet President
Pratt made brief address. after which the
following tOasts were responded to- "A Cor
dial Greeting 20 Grover Cleveland by Hon.
/ Grover Cleveland; The Veterans" " by Gen
eral Horace Porter, of Vermont, by Hon.
Roswell G.. Horr, Education III England"
The City of Brooklyn, by Hon. David A.
\ Boody
MR. CIEyELAND's SPEECH
Nr. President and Gentlemon-As this Is the
first time have attended q dinner gwen by a
NeW England society / beg 20 express the graft
nca ION IL affords me to enter upon ny new ex-
Iglence IN tho city Of Brooklyn and among
ihQso whom have always regarded as espe-
caly my friends.
You are by no means 10 suppose that my fail
nro heretofore 10 be present on occasions Ike
fhis Is accounted for Dy ans doubt / have had
a. 10 my qualihcauOns for admission. From
tie time tho FIRST immigrant OF my name landed
li MASSACHUSETTS, down ~ the day OF my adj
vent all the tleyeands from whom / claim de
scent were born i'm New England the fact
that ! first saw the light in the state Of New
/ Jersey have never regarded as working a for
iclture of any right ] may have derived from
lny New England lineage nor as making mo al
lhtruder or merely tolerated guest IN an
assenDage OF thfs Kind. resent. of
course, with becoming spirit the imputation
th0i my birth in New Jerse constitutes me q
| foreigner and an alien, ana have never been
able tO see amy humor ln tle suggestion that
my native State is not within the niOn 10 my
mimi the regularity With which she votes tho
Democratic ticket entities her 10 high rank
among lhc states that are really useful. AZ any
rate. shall always insist that New Jersey IS
good Stai0 % be born in, and point 10 the fact
tlat after an absence of more tnan fifty years
have returned TO find temporary home within
hcr limits as fully demonstrating that my very
early love for her Is not eXtnguIsbed.
Assuming tu0t you agree with mo that my
birth in New Jersey has not stamped me with
ludellDie lneIgltilty, ami anticipating your de
m8nd Tor Affirmative SUPP Ort Ot my qualification
tJ mingle with those who celebrate lorefathers'
. day and sing the raises Of the mon who trst
settled i'm New England, ] can do 10 better
than % rest my case upon the statement that
Bean ulll, IN the town OF Norwich aud State
of Connecticut. was the birthplace of my
father ! homo tnat in making ihis statement
shall not remind you of the man Who loudly
hoasttu OF ms patriotic acllhcc Ia defense
0i his country 0u ihe ground that be had
permitted ms VIE relatives 10 JOIN the arms
AT Any rate. ~ seems 90 me lhaf the claim /
lo0ke Is entirely valid. With no embarrassment
connected with 10. except tho admission By IL
ference that Tor some purposes and ON some Oc-
GA ions q fathers birthplace may DO OF more
value tO "a man than Als 0Hu. / nave nothing
further to urge on the subject of my eligibility
except tO mention, as something which should
De credited to me upon ms own account. The
fact that have lately demonstrated my prefer
euce for New England and my love for that sec
zion VI crr c1unaF Wn,fc s. aAcea,ors hysu
and died boy establishing summer home IN the
State OF Massachusetts.
the prophetic words put gposie cer!an
dates I'm the old aimanacs. About these days
look ont for snow II almanacs were made up
as they used 70 be li wond not Do amlss 30 SET
oDpOsltc the latter dafs of December About
these days lJ0k-out for 0rlhcatlon of tho Ill
gums. This WOu|t DE notice 10 those consult
iug the almanac ha. time was fOreiold when
the pCop.e oil the country "onid De reminded
that there were lugllms Who came ~ New
England and there SET in motion the FORCES
which created our Woudtrous nation.
$50 one wiA deny shat the Pilgrims 10 New
England were well worthy of all that ls done or
eau bee done 90 keep Them nrelnen iiut
we cannot recall their history and what they
aid and established and what they taught with
out also rec4liUng that there have bcon pilgrims
from New England. VINO, nndlne thelr way 10
every part OI the land, nave faken with mem
those habits. opinions and sentiments which,
having au early origin lu American soil, sLOult
lc best suited 10 American life everywhere. ant
should b.. the best guarantee IA every sltua-
tion of the preservation ln heir intcelly ANA
purity Of american institutions.
We have heard much Of abandoned lands ln
New England. If farms have been abandoned
there We know that larger and more produc-
tive farms have been developed in newer States
y the Pilgrims from New tnganL II the pop
ulatiou of New England has suffered drain, We
shall find tkat The vigorous activity lost 90 her
has built mp new cities ami towns on distant
and unUrOken soil and impressed upon these
new creations the truost and best features OF
American clyillIa. .lou-
While an vii admit the debt our great coun-
frv owes fO NtN England Influences. and While
none OF MS should be- unimndiul OF the dement's
90 he reasonably expected from tho mainicnAnco
amt spread of these in1nences thought Is sug-
gestcd which has further relation 90 the mis-
sion and duty OF Tie llefIina from NcW ih-
GLAND and their descendants. wherever tucy
may 10 scattere throughout thc land II they
arc az all true TO their teachings and their tra-
diuous they Will naturally illustrate in prsc-
teal way the YtIue or cducaDon ana
moral sentiment ln the ioundalon3 OF
social hie and the ya.le OF industry ana econ
omv as conditions or thrift and cohieniment,
Iut these Pilgrims and tholr descendants and
all those who, Wlth sincere enihuslasm cele-
brafe lorcfaf hers day Will fan IN the discharge
of their highest duty if. yielding to Tie tempta-
ti0n OF any un-Amercan tendency they neg
lecf to teach pcrsi tcntly that ln the carly days
There was and that there still OugAt 20 be, such
a thing as true and distinctive Allercaiilsih' OF
IL they NEGLECT go give II Just interpretation
This certainly does not mean THAT spirit OF
narrOWncss or Prosecution should De- encour-
aged nor that there should De created or kept
/ alive fear concerning such additions 10 Our
population rom other lands a. promise asallul-
lation with our conditions anu co-opetaloA IN
our aims and purposes. It does however, mean
the lnsisrcnco that every transfer oi allegiance
frN,n another Government 10 orr own. should
signify the taking on no the same time II an
agrres i've and Affirmative devotion 90 the
spirit OF American Institutions. IL means that
! with u.s.. lose of Our Government for lis oWl
sqle and tor what 10 u.s. is an essential factor ot
ci izensAipand that IL Is only made ful aud CONF
piete by the adoption Of the ideas and habits ot
th0ught which underle our plan OF popular
rule 1t means that one fills q place a. citl-
zen unycrthilr who regards it solely "a vantage
| ground whore he may ill hls purse and better
his condition. lt means that our Government
is not suited 10 n selfish sOrdld people, and that
! in fhoir hands 10 IS not SAFE
Ihisis time when there IS pressing need for
the earnest enforcement OF these truths. aud
occasions ike this cannot 20 better improved
than by leading Us TO such selt-examlnatOn and
self correction as shall ht as 10 illustrate and
teach the lessons of true Amorlcoulsln. When we
hero recall the I nQingO of tho Z grlms let
remember that they not only sought freedom
10 worship Cod but thcy Also sought t0 estab
lish the freedom and liberty OF manhood.
When We dwell upon their stern aud
sturdy traits let Us remember that these
nurtured the spirit which achieved American
Independence. and that ia such SOL alone can lts
fF9its ripon "a oless our people. When we con
Template how completely conscience guided
their lives and conduc. let rs resolve that con-
science shall md a place IN every phase Of our
citiyeuship: and when We learn of their sollci-
ude and care for their new-found home let us
scknowledge that unsolhsh love of country can
alone show us the path OF political duty.
With such preparation as tnIs-lesying no
nlace for The ignoble thought that our Govern
| inent can without peryerslon. hold out unequal
rewords and encourage selfish designs-we
sb"u teach that this heritage OF ours has been
confded from generation 10 generation TO tho
ra.~tctic koauing and loving care OF true