The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-02-23
GROVER CLEVELAND
The Ex-P Presidents Tribute to the
Father Of His Country.
WORDS OF WISDOM TO STUDENTS

The Value of Sentiment as the Fore
runner OF Patriotism-A Beautiful
Tribute to Motherhood-Stude
| Advised to Avoid "Cunning De-
vices and shrewd Manipulation"
ANN ARBoR, Mich, Feb. 23.-Thc
reception accorded to ex-President Cleve-
land on his arrival in this city yesterday
was remarkably enthusiastic. For
blocks around there was a surging mass
of humanity, and his passage to the Uni
versity of Michigan, ,,,where he was to ad-
dress the students, was continuous ova-
tion. He was escorted to the university
by two companies of infantry and 900
students. Mr.. Cleveland was presented
by Mayor Doty with silver casket
containing engrossed resolutions extend
ing the freedom of the city and making
him an honorary citizen of the munich
pality, to which the ex-president re-
eponded in speech of thanks. With
Mr.. Cleveland were Hon. Don M. Dick
inson, w. S. Bislel, his former law part
ner, and Editor IT, w. Glider, of New
York.
An Enthusiastic Reception.
Shortly before o'clock Mr.. Cleveland
appeared on the stage in the hall of the
law department, accompanied by Presi-
dent Angel, Hon. Don NJ. Dickinson,
Governor E. B. Winans, the faculty of
the law department and number of in
vited guests. AS the party appeared on
the stage the students gave another ex-
hibition of their lung power and yell
after yell rang out, continuing until
"a lU nft 4 ~
arose and introduced the speaker of the
day to the audience. When he took his
seat and Mr.. Cleveland arose the build
ing fairly shook from the continued ap-
plause. MIR. CleyS2nd was interrupted
time and-agaih by the enthusiastic stu
dents. On the stage were seated 150 of
the most eminent men of Michigan.
MIR. Cleyeland's Speech.
The ex-president spoke in part as fol-
lows:
"Among the few holidays which the
rush and hurry of American lite concede
to us, surely no one OF secular char
acter is SO suggestive and impressive as
the day we celebrate on this occasion.
We not only commemorate the birth of
the greatest American who ever lived,
but we recall as inseparably connected
with his career all the events and in
cidents which led up to the establish
ment of free institutions in this land of
ours and eliminated in the erection of
our wondrous nation.
"Washington had more to do with the
formation of the constitution Laaa our
entbEss~s1m for other llisfses of the great
work he did for his country usually
makes prominent. He fought the bat
ties which cleared the way for it. He
best knew the need of consolidating
under one government the colonies he
had made free, and he best knew that
without this consolidation, wasting
war, the long and severe privations and
Bufferings his countrymen had under
gone and his own devoted labor in the
cause of freedom were practically in
vain. The beginning of anything like a
public sentiment looking TO the forma-
tion of our nation is traceable to his
efforts.
Sentiment the Life of the Nation.
Sentiment is the very life blood of
our nation. Our government was con-
ceived amid the thunders that echoed
'All men are created equal and it was
brought forth while free men shouted
we, the people of the United States.
The sentiment of our fathers, made up
OF their patriotic intentions. their sin
cere beliefs, their honely impulses and
tiVii LiVDIS tllttItl lllO lie
government they established, and un-
less it is constantly supported and
guarded by sentiment as pure as theirs
our scheme of popular rule will fail.
LET us not for a moment suppose
that we can outgrow our dependence
upon this sentiment, nor that in any
stage of national advance and develop
ment it will be less important. As the
love of family and kindred remains to
bless and strengthen man in all the vi
cissitudes of his mature and busy life,
30 must our American sentiment remain
with Us as people-a sure hope and re.
hance in every phase Of our country S
growth.
sit is because George Washington
completely represented all the elements
of American sentiment that every Incl
dent of his life from his childhood to his
death is worth recallIng-whather il
impresses the young with the beauty
and value of moral traits, OF whether it
exhibits to the wisest and Oldest an ex-
ample of sublime accomplishment aud
the highest possible public service,
Even the anecdotes told Of his bayhood
have their yalue. | have no sympathy
with those who in these latter days at
tempt to shake our faith in the authen.
ITCHY of these stories, because they are
not satisfied with the evidence in their
support, or because they do not seem to
accord with the conduct of boys in this
generation.
Tribute to Motherhood.
al should be ashamed of my country,
II in further speaking of what Washing.
ton has done fer the sentiment Of his
countrymen, it was necessary to make
any excuse for reference to his con.
slant love and fond reverence, as boy
AIll Ii, ,,al e