Evening star., 1901-09-28
PORTO RICO's GOVERNOR.
Impressive Ceremony of the Inaugu-
ration of VIM. III. Hunt.

Impressive Ceremony of the Inaugu-
ration of VIM. III. Hunt.
/ From the San Juan News, September IT.
1t was a profoundly impressive scene in
| the council chamber of the executive man
sion yesterday morning when Mr.. William
| H. Hunt was sworn in as the second Amer.
| lean civil governor of Porto Rico. The
ceremony was simple in the extreme and
all present were touched with the solenl-
| nifty of the occasion. There were less than
hundred persons present, including the
| chief justice and associate justices Of the
| supreme court of Porto Rico, the members
| of the executive council and the house OF
| delegates, the heads of the executive de-
partments, the bishop Of Porto Rico, the
Reverend DR.. Drees. the alcalde and other
city officials of San Juan, the foreign con-
suls resident In San Juan, and a few in
vited guests.
During the ceremony an insular police
| man stood back of the governor holding a
standard bearing the new coat of arms
| of Porto Rico. DR.. NJ. G. Brumbaugh act
ed as master of ceremonies. At lilo
O'Clock he made the following brief ad-
dress:
''The late lamented President Of the
United States, on the 9th day of August,
commissioned Mr. William H. Hunt to be
governor of Porto Rico and accepted the
resignation of Mr.. Charles H. Allen, as
governor of Porto Rico, to take effect on
the 18th day of September. In pursuance
of law thereof, we have met in this solemn
hour to attend to the inauguration of Viii
liam II. Hunt as governor of Porto Rico. -
The Right Rev. ]. H. Blenk, bishop OF
Porto Rico, then delivered an eloquent in
vocation. Chief Justice Quinones admins
tered the oath Of Office to the governor,
who repeated after him. as follows:
II, William H. Hunt of Montana. ap-
x1ofr, %A1 ~f u,
so1emnly swear that I will support and
defend the Constitution of the United States
and the laws Of Porto Rico against all
enemies, foreign and domestic; that will
that I take this obligation freely without
mental reservation or purpose Of evasion,
and that 1 will well and faithfully dis
charge the duties of the office on which
am about to enter. So help me God"
The governor signed the written copies
of the above oath in English and in Span
ish. Governor Hunt then, in the following
words, referred to the great national sor-
row:
"What was to have been a holiday has
suddenly become a time Of universal grief.
Our hearts are. bowed down with sorrow.
ou: minds dwell only on our national be-
reavement In confining this ceremony to
the simple act Of taking the oath I there
fore felt that my wishes but conformed to a
common feeling, for know the manifesto.
tions of popular grief in Porto Rico are
SpollldueouS cNtueuCeS VI Tue STdteluI IONS
Of the people for President Mckinley
Words Of tender sympathy and coincidence
have come from every point in the island
from the hamlets in the mountains, from
the valleys and the cities by the seas, ex-
hibiting devotion to his memory truly
beautiful in its pathos. No cables car
properly convey to the mainland the truth
Of this widespread sentiment-only those
who are here in the closest touch with the
expression of it can fully appreciate whal
I mean.
IT thank the people and only say at this
| time that my highest ambition Is to be
| worthy of the great trust conAded to me
| for them by the patriot we mourn. Having
! guided the nation through the calamities
| of war, he yet lived to lead it to the tri.
experienced, his craftsmanship was broad
and his mind invariably turned toward the
elevation of humanity by concord and not
| by conflict throughout the world.
"Solicitous for the happiness Of his whole
country his sympathies were extended tc
every part of it; he gave them to the peo.
pie of our island with peculiar interest
anxiously desiring the success Of civil gov
| ernment and the ultimate attainment OF
| their highest aspirations.
| Never faltering in his confidence in theil
| patriotism, he believed that dwelling undel
| Just laws in the bosom Of equality, ere lone
| must come With an abiding faith in the
| institutions Of America he sought to i'm.
plant them where their influence might
! ever work universal good. Patient In form
| ing his judgment Of policies; wise in his
| conclusions upon them, the acts of his
| blameless life have prepared ages of hap
pineSs for generations OF men,.