The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-20
GlRARD'S MEMORY 6ONORED.
Senator Depcw's Tribute to the Phil
ndelphiR PhilnnthrOpist.


PHILADELPHIA. May 19.-"Founders'
Day." or the one hundred and fiftieth
anniversary of the birth of Stephen Girard.
Philadelphias great philanthropist, was
deliberately celebrated at Girard College to-
day. Despite the downpour of rain. which
continued almost necessarily. the celebra-
ton was not postponed, for the reason that
the greater part OF the exercises were held
within the college building
The guests Of honor were Mai Gen Nell
son A. Miles and Senator Chauncey NJ
Depew. In General Miles party were Mrs.
Miles. Captain and Mrs. Frank M;chler,
Mrs. Hichborn. and Capt II. II. Whitney.
The distinguished visitors were met at
Broad Street Station by the reception COM
mittee, consisting of Gen. Louis Wagner,
Mayor Ashbridge. President of Common
Council George McCurdy. Joseph K. Cum
ing. and Col. William H. Lambert.
Senator Depew was orator of the day.
He said in part:
AS an enterprising and adventurous
sailor during the first twenty-five years OF
his life, young Girard learned much of the
greater privileges which prevailed in Great
Britain. Holland, and America. He cav
with clear vision the frightful conditions
which existed in his own country. The
tyranny. oppression. and corruption of the
court and aristocracy, the denial of law or
justice for the people, the grinding pow
erty. brutal ignorance, and practical slav-
cry of the masses became to his opened
mind intolerable, and he cast his fortunes
with the young Republic of the West.
THE names he gave his first fleet OF
American merchant vessels revea. the
mainsprirgs of his life and the development
and fruition Of this benefaction. From
time immemorial ships have reflected in
their titles thc loves or the gods OF their
builders. More frequently they proudly
carry over the oceans and around the
world the cherished names OF wife or
sweetheart. next of favorite heroes and
then OF places connected with boyhood
memories. There is to the sailor a per-
scnality about his ship which blongs TO no
other inanimate thing in any pursuit. She
is his companion. his treasure his safety,
and his home. Her speed, her move
ments. her idiosyncrasies. her varying
temper in storm and calm, are to him a
mystery and delight which find their coun-
terpart only in the woman he adores.
Stephen Girard had been from early boy
hood on the seas as seaman and master
He was self-taught. He had become an
American citizen during the most trying
times of the War Of the Revolution, and
keeniy appreciated his membership in tho
fortunes of the young Republic. He had
a wife and child. He was an ardent pa
triot. child of the church and devoted to
his family He was intensely proud of
these new vessels. which, when launched.
were the finest and fastest afioat. An or
binary man would have christened these
pets from his home. from Washington and
his compatriots, or from his birthplace at
Bordeaux. or the scenes of his prosperity
in Philadelphia. But this unimaginative
merchant and mariner. as he describes
himself in his will. called them respective
iy Voltaire. Montesquieu. Rousseau, and
Helvetius.
To his solid. broad brimmed contem-
poraries of the Quaker City, whose &C.
quaintance with French literature was lin
tied By Ignorance. prejudice. and aversion
this act was the freak Of Frenchman. 1t
did not astonish them. because one of the
fayorite delusicns of Americans has always
been that frivolity and France are synony-
nous. The tremendous results which had
followed the teachings OF the four philoso-
pliers of Girard's admiration and the
French encyclopedias were familiar TO
him. He saw and experienced the prac-
ticA effect of their principles in the lib
crty, happiness, and increasing prosperity
of himself and his fellow citizens in his
adopted country. Naturally his mind went
back to the Declaration of Independence
and the statesmen SO familiar to him in
their daily sessions at Liberty Hall to the
works of Voltaire and Montesquieu. He re-
garded the fathers of the Republic as the
pupils and disciples of his idols.
The wealth of Girard was the product
of peace. Its administration recruits and
disciplines workers for the industrial
army which has placed the United States in
the front rank among the powers of the
world in all that constitutes mighty ma
ton and prosperous and happy people. |
Among the famous as warriors and states
men, men of letters and enterprise build |
ers. and architects OF States and instltu- !
tons whose lires cover the century and a |
half backward from today, this mariner and |
merchant is forging to the front. In one |
hundred and fifty years from today there |
will be gathered to celebrate the birth of |
the founder, multitude of living witnesses !
and honorable memories of those who have |
died, testifying to the work and worth of |
the college which sprang from his mind, |
was built by his benefcerce, and expands |
by his endowment. America freely ex-
presses her debt of gratitude to her heroes |
and her statesmen, and gladly gives a day
or equal appreciation to Stephen Girard,