The sun., 1899-06-14
ARTHUR STATUE UNVEILED.
ELIHU RooT,s FEELING TRIBUTE TO
THE FORMER PRESIDENT.
He Referred TO tho Trying Ordeal Through
which Arthur Successfully Passed Fol- !
lowing the Assassination OF President /
III M nj

lowing tho Assassination of President
Gnrfleld-Site Of tho New statue.
The bronze statue OF Chester Alan Arthur.
designed by George +. Bissell, and which was
paid for by S25. 900 subscribed by number OF
friends OF tho late President was unveiled yes
tcrday afternoon in the northeast corner OF
Madison Square. opposite tho building lately
occupied by the University Club and before
that by the Union League Club. The ceremony
attending the unveiling was brief Two or
three hundred invited guests sat in the chairs
placed around tho platform which was erected
in front OF the statue. Ex-Secretary of the
Interior Cornelius n. Bliss presided In OPEN
ing the exercises Mr.. Bliss explained the
movement the result OF which was the erection
OF the statue. He then introduced Elihu Root
who made tho presentation speech. Mr.. Root
said
The committee OF which Mr.. Stewart Is
Chairman. has charged Inc with the duty OF
formally presenting to the city of New York
the statue Of Chester Alan Arthur. the twenty
first President OF the United States. now about
to be unveiled. Tho statue is the result OF the
contributions OF President Arthurs personal
associates and friends here in his home, who
know him as he was. and admired aud loved him
long before tho world knew him, and who
found in the universal esteem and admiration
accorded to him by the whole people in his
later years. not revelation. but recognition
OF his character and qualities. This memorial
OF our old fellow townsman is to stand appro-
priately in the New York OF Arthurs day in
the square around which centred 50 much of
the cty's activity In his time, in front Of the
old clubhouse OF the Union League. OF which
he was long an active, and at the last an
honorary member and near the familiar path
way along which many Of us have passed
wi ip,6 la WI tfAn I'm ~ Y
ton avenue home.
The personal relations which have prompted
this expression OF affection and esteem nre
RAPIDLY lapsing into oblivion. The mon and
women who knew him. who felt the direct in
1uence Of his clear and bright intelligence. his
commanding character. the sweetness andEen-
tleness OF his disposition the rich stores of his
cultivated mind. the grace and charm OF his
courtesy. his grave and simple dignity and his
loyal and steadiast friendship. are passing
swiftly away. In but few years more the Joy
he gave in living, the sharp sorrow Of his un-
timely death. the treasured memories OF his
association and his friendship. will exist no
longer in any human heart. He will be but
name on a page Of American history. and his
personality. potent as 1t was In life. living rs
It Is still in our hearts. will have ceased
from its separate existence. and live only in
the undistinguished immortality OF effect in
the life Of the race. Wero this all tho story,
his memory might well be left to die with tho
dying. But there remains record Of national
safety. achieved in q time ofimmnent peril by
his noble qualities. his hard endurance. his
self sacrifice and patriotism. and it Is right
that this record OF patriotic service should be
preserved and continually recalled to tho
minds Of generations TO como by this statue Of
impershabo bronze standing upon the public
In nd ~ rity which him n thn
nation.
mo greater peril ever menaced the coustitu-
tional government OF the United States than
that which confronted the American people
when President Garfield fell 10y tho hand Of
Guitcau on the I'd Of July. 1881 External AS
saults consolidate a people and stimulate their
loyalty to their Institutions. But when Gar
field fell the danger came from within. The
factional strife within the dominant party
which resulted in the nomination OF President
Garfield had been Of unprecedented bitterness.
Vice President Arthur had been selected from
the defeated faction. lie was one Of its most
conspicuous and active leaders. Stilled for
time during the canvass, the controversy was
resumed with renewed vigor and moro violent
icelings in the early, days Of the, new Adminis-
tration. 1t extended through every State
and city and hamlet suddenly the adhcrents
Of tho murdered President saw The l9Pwers Of
leader OF their defeated advcrsarics. and that
transfer effected by tho act of an assassin.
Many Of them could not Instantly accent the
and disappointed seeker for Office; many Of
them questioned whether the men who were
nelds enemies should profit BY his death;
the public mind. and for the moment there
was dOubt-gra'e dOubt-and imminent peril
IT
Under such conditions acting upon the toll
egraphed request OF the Cabinet. In order that
took too the he oath OF oftice at his home in Lexing-
ton avenue at midnight on the night when
es o e fRa rsy As no moro
lonely and pathetic figure was ever seen as;
1g o P.os Fs n Of M he s n"s
the peoples choice. He had no party behind
him. for the dominant faction, Of hiis party
vancement. and distrusted his motives, He
had not even his own faction behind him; he
aTsesy aes yvo ot sna accord With the argent d
sires Of their partisanship. and that disappoint-
and lay 6oS 9Rn R b1 heT" ne
the. earth by, the feeling. exaggeratod but not
surrounded by dislike. SUSPICION. distrust and
conformation as an enemy OF the martyred
Deep and settled melancholy possessed him;
almost despair overwhelmed him. He went to
power waking through the valley OF u ths
throne as one who is accused goes to his trial.
Then came the revelation to the people Of
America that our ever fortunate republic had
again found the man for the hour. Hi actions
were informed and guided by absolute self
devotion 70 tho lottiest conception OF his great
office. The solid substance OF character In
herited from his Scotch ancestry, and his Ner-
mont birthplace. and developed by the typical
American training Of the poor clergyman's son
carving out his own fortune without any re-
sources except those which rested within him
self, made him master Of himself and depend
ent only upon the dictates OF his own judg-
ment and his own conscience. His skill
rs q politician in the best sense and
his experience as an administrator made him
q, Judge OF men and their motives; and en-
pass the feet OF an unwary Executive His in
stinctiye sympathy and chiNalrtc regard for
the memory and the purposes Of the lamented
Garfield disarmed resentment;, The dignincd
sincerity OF his speech conGiliuted the friend
ship even Of hi enemies. The extremists OF
his OwD party faction found that their demands
for tho fruits Of revolution were addressed to
one no longer leader OF faction but the Pres
dent Of tho whole people, conscious Of all his
obligations, aud determined to execute the
peoples will Tho codness, the alienation OF
old allies the reproaches which they visited