The herald., 1894-03-07
SCHOOL TEACHER HARRISON.
The ex-President Begins His
Lectures.
A Learned Disquisition on Constitu-
tiOnal Law.
The Discourse Prefaced by = Tribute to
Senator stanford-A Saying of
Gladstone ContradIcted by
the Speaker.
By the Associate d press.

San FRANCISCO, March 6.-Ex-Pres1-
dent Harrison today delivered the first
OF his course of Law lectures at Stanford
university. The lecture was devoted to
history of the DEVELOPMENT of the
constitution of the United States, and
the causes leading Up to its adoption.
The ex-president was listened to with
great attention by the students. The
lecture was long, making il print about
seven newspaper columns. Today it
was listened to exclusively by students,
but il will be repeated tomorrow when
people from outside the university will
be admitted.
| General Harrison referred briefly to
his friend, the late Senator Stanford,
and said he would reserve q further
tribute to the virtues of bis friend until
March 9th, the anniversary of STAN
ford's birth. Commencing his lecture,
he said:
81 am glad to have even so slight and
casual part as that of q nonresident
lecturer in the work of this young but
already great university. If my presence
is only occasional and my contact
with those eager minds and generous
hearts less near and constant than
could wish, I must the more be careful
that whatever direction may give to
your thoughts, and whatever impress
sion | may kindle in your minds. shall
be true and elevating, though they be
small. The lectures which l contem-
plate will be rather popular than tech
nical, especially while we have under
consideration the constitution of the
United States and the history of its
development and adoption.
"If the national constitution were in
fact what MIR. Gladstone described it to
be-the most wonderful work struck off
at given time by the brain and pur-
pose of mantle work of the commen-
tator would be abbreviated if not SIM
pli6ed. He would not need to go back.
It was, however, not work struck off
at a given time, but in strong sense
the development of the ripe, har-
monious fruit Of experience, and
not discovery or revelation.
The adjustment and definition OF the
national and of the state governments
was more nearly than anything else
original and constructive work. AS a
whole it is perhaps moro nearly, but not
altogether, what Mr.. Gladstone de-
scribed the British constitution to be,
progressive history.
This being true, we cannot rightly
estimate the merits of its powers nor
rightly understand it's articles without
some knowledge of the historical pro-
gression which eliminated in this ad-
mirable and enduring civil organism.
l cannot in these preliminary lectures,
however, do more than give you hasty
and not very closely connected outline
of those events and civil contentious
which, beginning in old England, re-
suited, frat in the establishment of
popular government In colonies and
states, and finally spread over these
necessary and inestimable local syotems.
The national popular government is
supreme in all things affecting the COM
mon interests of all the people.
''Mv aim is not so much to make law
yers as to promote broad and intelligent
American citizenship. Our civil insti-
tutions are safe only while in the keep
ing of generation that loves them,
and love Of institutions, however it
may be with another sort, must be ed
ucated. We guard and keep our
treasures. That which is not valued
we suffer others to take without
resistance. 1t will be my purpose
to show you the beauty, strength and
adaptation of the constitution of the
United States, and thereby to make
your love of our institutions deeper and
more intelligent. | will not ask you to
love everything that is American, but
will ask you to shun the example of
those who love everything for no better
reason than that it is not American.
'' American history and biogra-
ply have had great re.
vival in these centennial years,
and every young American should
eagerly avail himself of his improved
opportunities to become acquainted. not
only with the great events in our history
and with our great men, but with the
connecting chains OF small events and
with the charscteristics and virtues of
the inconsDicuous but sturdy people.
''It is not my purpose to describe what
an alliterstive friend of mine calls the
prenatal prophecy and preparation of
our country. The study OF English his
tory and the English constitution will
greatly aid your understanding of our
colonial history and of the development
of our national and state constitutions,
but l cannot go very far into that field"
Revolution in Costa Rica.