New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-03-03
Mr. CLEvELAND'S LETTER.

A JUN 81. II NO'rN
MR.. CLEVELAND'S LETTER.
Fx-President Grover Cleveland had been invited
70 sneak ~ the dinner. but he unable TO be
present and sent the following letter:
Westland. Princeton. y. j.. Feb. IS. 1899.
G9I y Dear ar sr regret exceedingly that cannot
ISS Hceebration Of ny schurzs seventeen birth;
day. ! md that an engagement which hSd hopeu
might be postponed Will prevent my aWenaanCg
Ny disappointment IS measured by the eXireme
sa.oay 70 the yogme hat VIII he presented
the occasion YOU have arranged. in eIaieiui sup
port Of Mr.. Schurzs usefulness ana pa'l'o"c '''-
HIS life and career teach lessons that cannot be
Illustrate the moral grandeur Of ds.nterested public
service and the nobility of fearless adNo IcF ~,
he ead day FOR our country when in the light Of
such an example our people refuse to see the best
and honesty. in storm as wei as in sunshine ~
believe that the most confident nope OF me PER
rnanencv and continued benohcence Of our free n
stitutons rests upon the cultivation by those IN,
trusted with public duty ana among me rams OIL
YYonrs very truly GROVER CLEVELAND.
An,ong others who sent letters Of regret were
the German Ambassas sr. Baron Won Holleben; An
drew Carnegie. PresiHnt Raymond Of Union Col
lege Noah Brooks Charles Dudley Warner. Daniel
G. Gilman. Robert Matthews. ST. Clair McKelway'
Governor Stephens Of Mississippi Francis r. Cope
W D. Bynum. William c. Endicott and J. Sterling
Morton.
Mr.. ADAMS'S ADDRESS
Charles Francis Adams opened the intellectual
mart Of the feast with an address saying in part;
There was the slavery debate. which filed mems
minds and kept busy their tongues thIouEn eMT,,S
years; then came the Civil W ar lhel ieco-IS
lion. then fat money; then CiVl Sets!ce Iii
imperialism" and others know only as sNp az
sion In the discussion Of each OF these issues Nj
Schurz has been prominent, ana ! should ne AZ d
loss "a decide which l thought he had discussed
most ehcctviey ana yet Is not Win any one Of usSe
ISSUES or wis.i Closely Associated in my mind Ills
closest association as now thinH OF MN, IS wltI
have not mentioned. but one always win us, ana.
10 my mind, more lmpoIIanI WI AK ne eineia
ecsed npi - t6re6er refer to the problem Of
reSdiYsti1g ana arranging our political machinery
as 10 enable the people OF the country, whether IN
Nation state city no. only 10 put in Pubic and
experience have most highly qualified 10 do good
ser DTes4nt machnery' regard Mr. Schurz
object-lesso no less eloquent than unansWerape.
Having. by general agreement PaL hlsel I,a6 I'D
for public discussion, Ar. SchuIz was thIIy Seals
ago and by mere political chance elecleu 10 U- sie
Senate. He was there single term only. what
he accomplished ana the posu9h ne WOO, won IN '"'
to-day regard Mr.. Schurz as incompaTably the
@ 5eeTs6a fnowiedee for efectve and brilliant
parliamentary nfe-I mean parliamentary lie 81
Mr. Schurz have been kept continuously IN me
Senate from 1863 10 this cay as puDnc :, men are
Mn WIZ eHHdPrrned by that weight Which comes only
from seniority. our parliamentary annals would
have contained another record not less memorable
fhan no. exdTcsed by him on he course 81 public
events would have been as evident as 1t was bene-
fetal. In this, probably all here agree win me
and yet neither singy nor acting In concert could
a. any time through all those years nave gwen
effect to our wishes. The political Inacn1neIy pre-
scented Obstacles not 70 be overcome. Tied hard
and fast by law and tradition the fePreSentaivo
could not seek the constituency nor me e. consoIu5
ency 90 out TO find the reBresentaupe Wppo
nor in Germany. In America Il was 50 then; It is
so now Il bids fair long so to continue.
Dr. A. Jacob. responding to the toast Young
Germany IN the Storm and Stress Period de-
scribed the part which Mr. Schurz had taken III the
German revolution Of 1si9.
Professor William NJ Sloane. speaking to the
toast THE Champion OF the Slave" described
briefly Mr. Schurz's work in the anti-savery agita-
/ ton before the Civil War.
John r Lockman. who served under General
Schurz in the Civil War, talked 20 the subject
1.-THE Soldier IN the Civil War
The Statesman in Reconstruction" the
theme Of the speech by Congressman William H.
Fleming. Of Georgia. who spoke Of Mr.. Schurz's
work in the reconstruction period following the
war
Other toasts and speakers were tho following
orba United States Senator" Moorheld Storey, OF
BOSTON. ex-president Of the American Bar Asso-
ciation. THE Member Of the Cabinet" Herbert
Welsh. Of Philadelphia. secretary Of the Indian
Rights Association. and The CIVIL service re
former" Edward NJ. Shepard.
RESPONSE OF MR.. SCHURZ.
NJ schurz was called upon for speech when
The o,her speakers had been heard, and he was re-
ce,ved with much applause and listened 10 with
attention He said In part:
stand here as a victim Of misplaced confidence
u1ben some time ago. Mr. Schwab asked me-
whether would accept an invitation to dine win
come friends on or about my seventeen brthoay
Gladly consented. expecting a quiet evening WIN
. email Circle Of intimates. Gradually learned
a. he matter was assuming forInldaD DIG proper
ti"rs I'm. then II was too late TO rciTact ana now
ga myself here in the presence OF nuhuItuS..
= I'd NV whole biography Is merciessy thryWh az
co "a ~ubllc while have no far oppoi 'unlly 3o'
Trferd'nr myself. ! am accustoHeu 70 'iit 80
cn.sion # public questions. but not 10 me ulscus
I'm ~ nv personal character. Belhg ~ d sens
aI,sd ,,non TO do this, the situation ~ 10 me -
,ramelv embarrassing. II accepted an lnls li"i,e
I, ,pn,,d he egotlsm II declined H. II "oula pe a.
-, " cios criticism Of the partahty or my llyHus
- tbrrefote only thank you, an anu thCh o5
,o, for these honors ard TO all VINO from ldI az
49, to-day have fairly overwhelHtd M w., 49,,
heir Kindness and that ! 40 from the very 'oO
tom Of my heart -. hoord to-nfsbt about
,,rsrif can be said with Safety OF uH5 A"' va"