The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-09-20


 calls the amiabinty and integrity "f
 the individual. A public memorial that
 is not commemorative of deeds, in the
 pride of which the community shares,
 fails utterly of its purpose, and con
 tributes to Its own mediocrity,
 If this memorial so suitably erected
 upon a site familiarly but informally
 known as Lewis Lookout, serves the
 purpose of encouraging in this com
 munity a disposition ito do honor to
 the memory of those who have labor
 ed faithfully and efficiently in its be- |
 half, and forever establishes firmly the |
 principle, without the right of appeal |
 that pubic memorials must represent | actual service, another of It's objects | will have beeen gratified. The town Of New Haven, so generous in other ways and so widespread in it's educational influence, has been ungenerous in it's | treatment of those who have contribu- | ted liberally to its growth and devel- opment. The monument standing fur
 ther up this unique park in honor of
 the veterans of the war, and the statue
 of Christopher Columbus, are, I be
 lieve, the only public institutions of l InelT tIldIdCleI lO pG loNllu Nllllii biiS town limits, except those purely local
 memorials that adorn the campus of
 the academic department of Yale uni versity. I am by no means prepared to charge this oversight to an in- difference to the sturdy elements of character that have guided us to our present state of prosperity,
 nor to be a too technical and angular
 interpretation of the relation of ser
 want to master We are too magnani-
 nous a people, too considerate a people
 to wilfully neglect to either reward or
 Identify in a public manner faithful
 stewardships. The fault, or rather the
 omission, is to be attributed wholly to
 oversight on the one hand, and to in- l experience on the other. We have not formed the habit, as the city of Bos- ton, for example, has, of memorabilia ing in enduring form striking in- ' stances of public usefulness and gra- , cious philanthropy Nor have we had } the time and the opportunity, in this 5 prodigiously active and prodigiously 7 youthful country, to cultivate the sen t timental side of our character that finds its graceful expression in practi- s cal forms of love for the beautiful in r art in all European cities. It does not : Indicate that we lack by temperament e the essentials of it. Quite on the con y trary, no temperament is more natur- : ally sensitive to it's influence than the n American temperament. A country Q than can show such refined tastes anc n demands in cruder undertakings i: p we'll on the road to an intelligent ap j. preciation of the highest forms. Int o interest that has been manifested II t this simple but chaste memorial be n fore us, which commentaries usefu d achievements, points the upward ten l. dency and marks the opening of nev
 avenue of popular recognition, witt Il It's consequent wholesome effect upol d public and private endeavor.
 l. The initiative faculty in mankind i ,s strong, and strange indeed will it b d if the example the appreciative donor q of the Lewis memorial have given i l. not more frequently followed in tn I future, until there has been rescue n from popular oblivion the memory c lr the strong and useful men who pre- it ceded him, these influences together t ye encourage and develop a higher stand at ard of public service for the future d It IS suggestive at this moment an Id In this place to recall the debt of grat le itude this community owes to Henr ot Farnam, whose liberality gave us Fai ne l nam Drive, that sweeps in here frol sd the north to lose itself in the equall CT beautiful driveway that rolls in froi e, the eastern entrance, at the bidding To, EN IN,,ot tich ho Ian if1fp mt est these splendid gifts lent to tn ld most alluring of our national posse tn sions, and to what wise and whoeson ns" expenditure of public and private mol ss eys they gave encouragement. I ne theso generous men more than to otl ss CTS, not excepting Mir Lewis, who a, Ill vocated its reclamation from priva hands years before it was reclaimed, ( We as committee owe the present a' "e vanced condition of this park! The
 | furnished the inspira ton that hurrit 'o it's development and made it, not on
 a source of local pride, but an object nu solicitous interest to those similarly ir
 @ bued with the grand desire to add 1n the beauty and happiness and col " and tone of New Haven's social If at, | It is the desire of the contributors "a I this fitting memorial that it shall ser ale like purpose, and influence and devt rc op the sympathetic and appreciati of and sentimental side of our citizenshi ,n- If it accomplishes this, it will have Ii .on | ed for the public good.
 is In presenting this memorial to t The | City of New Haven, and entrustil an- it's care to it's honored mayo, hims, len a public servant who has been various ed. and successfully tested, I may add pie word in regard to the man, Henry ed Lewis Born in the grand old cou the l ty of Litchfield, whose hills nurtur lon many another son of Connecticut W ose was destined to serve it's people fait nd | fully and well, Harry Lewis passed er- boyhood days very much as all boys ( oV- and very much as all boys ought. nat was seventy-five years ago to-day th er- he opened his eyes for the first time Lnd the town of Cornwall, and gave zen mother that shrill warning cry tl os- ] proclaims birth For twelve years lived there amid agricultural influent rs- and imbibed the spirit of independer vas which later in life was to turn to be sire his advantage and disadvantage.