The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-10-14
BATAVIA'S OLD BUILDING.
The Historic Land Office Dedicated TO
Robert Morris.


Cieveland's Cabinet Present at the
Exercises - Secretary Carlisle psliv-
ers the Address OF the Day-The Evils
of Deprecated Currency as Illus
trated by the State of Affairs When
Morris Was Called on to straiKhten
Out the National Finances.
Batavia, N. Y, Oct 13.-The morning of
the day set apart for the dedication of
the Old Holland land Office building broke
dark and threatening. bat the gloomy
outlook did not prevent the assembling of
the largest gathering this little village
has ever witnessed. The normal popu-
lation of 5000 has, by the influx of visitors
from various sections of Genesee, Wyo-
ming, Livingston, Niagara, Erie and Or
leans counties, been swelled to twice that
number.
Promptly on time the train bearing the
members of the cabinet and others from
Washington rolled into the depot, when
the distinguished visitors were welcomed
by reception committee and escorted to
the Richmond hotel, The party was made
up of Secretary and Mrs. Carlisle, Secre-
tary and Mrs. Lamont, Secretary
Herbert and his daughter. Mrs.
Mioon, Secretary Smith and
Fourth Assistant Postmaster Cen
eral Maxwell. Secretary Gresham and
Assistant Postmaster Gen Jones. Post
master General and Mrs Bissell arrived
from Buffalo on a morning train, and
joined the party at the hotel, where a re-
ception was held.
Following the reception the distin
guished visitors were driven to stand
in front of the land office, from which
they reviewed parade OF civic and mill
tary organizations. Then the unyeil-
ing of the tablet took place, followed by
a prayer by Bishop Ryan. The tablet is
of marble two by four feet in size, AMI
contains the inscription: Erected IS;
dedicated 1894 to the memory Of Robert
Morris"
The exact year is left blank, because It
Is found impossible to determine in what
year the building was completed At
the conclusion OF the ceremony of un-
yelling the tablet the visitors were enter
tanned at luncheon.
After luncheon the ladies were driven
to the state park, where, with the cabi-
net officers, they occupied seats on the
stand. The weather had cleared and
| the sun was shining brightly. The eXer-
| cises at this point began promptly at 2
! o'clock, with selections by the Sixty
| fifth Regiment band Of Buffalo no
/ 4nSet I. was lftA sung Bg d
chorus of 100 voices, and Bishop Coke
| followed with prayer.
| The song of Zion, Awake" was next
| sung, and was followed by the reading of
the dedication poem by John II. Yates,
the author. The chorus sang 20 Column
bia, Columbia, Beloved"
1 Secretary Carlisle then delivered his
torical address reviewing the life and SER
vices of Robert Morris. He said in part:
| Although an Englishman by birth he
promptly identified himself with the
| friends of the colonies in the controversy
| between them and his mother country,
| and in 1895, ten years before the battle of
Lexington, he signed the non-importation
agreement. He was known to be opposed
| to the declaration of independence, and
| had voted against IL, believing, with many
| other good and patriotic men of that pc
| riod, that opportunity for reconciliation
| upon terms which would preserve the lib
critics of the people had not entirely
| passed. But as member of the conti-
| mental congress from the beginning he
| was placed upon some of the most inn
| portant committees, and was almost con-
| stantly called upon to assist in the con-
| duct of financial affairs, not only by his
| advice and counsel, but the use of his
! name and personal credit. At that time
| there was no treasury department nor
! any national executive organization of
any kind. Almost every financial ex-
| pedient that the ingenuity of man could
| devise, except regular and effective tax-
! alton, had been resorted to for nearly
| six years to raise money or Drocure credit
! for the prosecution of the war The coun-
| try was smothering to death under a
mass OF worthless paper currency far
more disastrous to the commercial and
Industrial interests of the people than all
the spoliation and devastation committed
! by the invading enemy.
! EEtravagance, speculation, fraud and
| selfshness prevailed everywhere 10 an ex-
tent never known in this country before
or since. 1t was the harvest time OF the
dishonest public official, the unscrupu-
/ lous deptor ana the unfaithful trustee of
! private estates The widow and the or
phan, the poor and dependent classes
/ in all the walks Of life were. as thev have
always been and always will be. the nrIn-
cipal sufferers from every fuctuntion in
| the exchangeable value af the CURRENCY
Ihe rlch ana the powerful can generally
take care Of their own pecuniary interests
no matter what kind of currency NAV he
1 in use, but the poor, who are compelled
to labor for the necessaries of NE. and
to receive whatever is offered them in
compensation, and the ignorant. who are
always exposed to the seductive devices
/ of the speculator and sWindler. constitute
the classes upon which the evil effects of
a vltiated currency invariably fall with
] the heaviest weight.
at this time, continental notes had
been issued to the amount of $3.50. 900 900 or
about $53 per capita, and the depreciation
was 80 TO 1, that is, one dollar in specie
was equal in value 10 $50. BY July. 1850 II
was 64k TO l. and early In the next year
the whole miserable system broke.
Congress, with only one dissenting
vote, resolved that all the debts then due
from the United States, which had been
liquidated according 10 their specie vahio
and all debts which had been, or would
thereafter be made payable In specie.
should be actually paid In specie. or its
equivalent at the correct rate Of ex-
change between specie and other cur
rency This was the condition OF affairs
/ when congress- on Feb. 20, 1881, unani-
mOusly chose Robert Morris 70 be guperin.
| tendent Of finance
1.-THE selection az once revived the homes
Of the Respondent stimulated the eouraVe
Of the waverlng and confirmed the faifh
OF the friends Of liberty IN every part OF
/ the world.
'In June, 1851, before he had taken
charge OF his office. he Secured the ropeal
OF the embargo, believing. 10 use his own
language. that commerce should be per-