New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-03-03

when he is dead and gone. and the sum OF his life
has been tudicially struck after proper review
Of the audience. But although the first exueerance
| Of life may be behind me, / fatter myself win
! while longer and TO take more less interest In
the affairs Of the living Sweeping praise Is there
| IT, for they do not know what may still be coming
10 make them sorry for what they have said.
Indeed among the friends see here there are
| many who now ard then have-I will not say been
angry with me but who have seriously disagreed
, question. From the fact Of their doing me the
tba they have Changed their opinions but that
holding tho opinions stlll they have, In spite
eas aG Sincere in what SP said and did And hope
you will not think II too egotsucal on my par
! taken.
ONLY WHAT HE BELIEVED TO BE TRUE.
! have doubtless sometimes committed grave
errors OF observation OF judgment. but may ar
firm that In my long public activity have always
sought to inform myself about the things had
! 10 deal with and that IN my utterances on pubic
| interests have never said anything that did not
myself conscentiously believe TO be true II this Is
the reason Of your being here. am proud. very
proud Of II: and may promise you that this shall
! be SO 10 The last and that IN this respect AT
least you Will have fair chance OF not becoming
/ sorry for the honor you are doing NE tonight
| Nv friends who addressed you have said much
OF what | have tried to DO for our country Iney
has done for me. In speaking OF this you must
bear with me for indulging in some personal rem
! iniscence
I T.
his sensations OF landing in New-York in 1852;
spoke Of his first knowledge Of Washington and
American institutions. gained from his father;
glanced at his subsequent career; expressed his
gratitude TO the Republic and the American people,
and praised the land Of his birth and his fellow
citizens Of German origin lie then continued;
And now last word which may be fttingly
/ uttered on an occasion ike this. have reached
the age which may speak from experience, anu Ui
I
If there is any one among us who has lost fai,h
| in democratic governmental what Abraham LIN
coin called government OF the people. for the people
and by the people, am not that man. IheeeG' UuI
democratic Government has had us anus aiS
viii have more. Honest and earnest criticism OF
those aurts-eyen II nee4 De- me mo mos 81 ,s ihss
| pointing out Of threatening dangers. but cru
have ne object OF discouraclng wise and vigorous
effort for Improvement u they 90 they degenerate
Thing goes wrong cries out that everything is lost
II the pessimist who employs ms crlticlsm 10
! the same sp.-l, and method Of criticism to mon
archical or arisocratlc governments ne woua eas,y
| failures Of a worse kind In fact ne would prove
| any and every form Of government failure end
1aT !" the pe'''''' ''''' W ''
LOOK IN VAIN.
Tho truth Is. taking general results that you will
! look in vain for a people that have achieved as
much of freedom Of progress. Of weIbeinS and
happiness as in spite Of their occasional failures
the American people have under their institutions
! Of democratic government. Whoever has been
much in contact with the masses OF our population
knows that a large majority % tho American peo-
ple throughout honestly and earnestly mean 10 90
right and also that. the widest temporary excite
rrcufs nOtwif hstandng. they wish IS earnestly 10
satisfy themselves as 10 what Is right and therc-
fore welcome serious arguments ana apitals 10 tie
: highest order Of motives With surh people
/ democratic government viii be the more success
ful the more tho public opinion ruling II - en-
iightenei and inspired by full and thorough discus
SION The quickest danger threatening democratic
/ institutions comes from those influences. whether
/ existing in an excessive party spirit or Whatever
else which tend 10 stiNc or demoTaliZe discussion
and n impair the opportunities OF the people ior
/ considering and deciding public questions on their
own merits II those influences are euecuNelN
curbed our democratic government VIII not IAN
70 hold W the ideals Of the great American
, Ecoublc and move forward In their discretion
when ] speak Of Ideals ] do not mean the vague
dreams Of % fantastic visionary. ] mean the cOncep
lions and teachings OF such an idealist as George
WASHINGTON was whose Lessons and admonltlons
,rft 10 he American people his greatest legacy
stand as the soberest. the most practical. tho
wise,t and ~ the same time as In the highest
cers me most ideaistic Utierances that ever came
from an American statesman.
And now. 20 close The proceedings or the evening
FOR which cannot thank you too much, and which
long ] live VIII he one Of my proudest and
most cherished memories. raise your glasses and
drink 10 the sentiment Offer you: 49,,
our country. the great Republic Of the United
States Of America May r. ever prosper and Hour
ism the government Of for and by the people; as
the home Of free end happy seneratons ana as the
example and guiding star Of all mankind.