The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-11-08

shall not permit myself TO depart
from the lines of fair discussion and
honest argument, and ! feel confident,
from long acquaintance with most OF
the gentlemen who compose this hon
orable joint convention, that the sug-
gestions which / have to offer will be
accorded the same patient and courte-
GUS consideration that is always grant,
ed by members Of the city council to
even the humblest of their fellow-cit-
liens.
l desire also to say that my opposi-
ton to the memorial to Queen Victoria,
and the opposition Of those whom I
have the honor to represent, should not
be construed as an affront or mark OF
personal disrespect to the gentlemen of
the British Jubilee Memorial Associa-
ton, or to any other of our felloW-cit-
liens, of British birth or ancestry.
Many of them I know personally.
Their high standing in the community,
their frequent acts of public generos1
1ty and their active interest In all mat
ters, pertaining to the welfare Of the
city, is well known and most highly
appreciated by all of their feIlow-cit-
liens.
No! this opposition is directed solely
and entirely against a principle and
not against individuals. It is based
upon the theory that there is no room
In free and Independent America for
tribute or homage to royalty and that
monuments and memorials to monar.
chy are inconsistent with doctrines and
principles of democracy.
In the consideration of this matten
certain facts must be admitted names
, ly, a memorial to Victoria would be a
memorial to royalty. Royalty has long
since been banished from this country.
Queen Victoria possesses no greater
claim to the loyalty of the citizens OF
F., worcester than she does to the loyalty
OF citizens of other American
cities. No other American city has
honored her with a monument or me-
mortal. There has been no public de-
mand for the erection Of a memorial to
the queen in Worcester The location
j recommended for the proposed menao-
rial is the most prominent place ana
I the most valuable spot Of Iand-speak-
=! ing commercially--in the city.
! With a single exception there is no
/ monument in the city of Worcester
commemorative of any American SOL
/ cier statesman or patriot The erec-
+ ton of memorial to the queen at the
present time would necessarily precede
| the erection of statues or memorials to
the patriotic soldiers of the revolution,
who sacrificed their lives in order to de-
stroy the system of government which
Victoria representa- lastly, we are
citizens of Il democracy, and not sub
jects OF a monarchy
Under these circumstances. i submit
! to you, Mr.. President and gentlemen OF
the city council, that the placing of
any monument, memorial or entabla-
ture upon the old common, to the honor
OF the queen Of Great Britain, would
be a violation Of the theories of de-
mocracy upon which this republic is
founded. 1t WOULD be violation of
all of the sacred traditions and senti-
ments attached to our old Worcester
common 1T would be a violation of
the Well defined precedents which the
inhabitants Of Worcester, established
nearly a century. and a quarter ago,
and. finally it would be a violation OF
the spirit-if not the very letter of laws
and statutes which have been adopted
for cur welfare and security
have said that the placing Of me-
MORTAL to the queen of Great Britain
upon the common, would be Violation
of the theories and principles Of de-
| mocracy.
| When the people Of this. country, On