Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-21
HoNoRs HANNIS TAYLOR.
Edinburgh University Gives Degree to
Noted American
an. July 9

From the Edinburgh Statesman, July g.
A special graduation ceremonial was held
yesterday by the Edinburgh University
senatus, when the honorary LII ID. degree
was conferred upon Mr.. Hannis Taylor, late
minister plenipotentiary of the United
States to Spain. The ceremony took place
in the senate hall of the old university, Sir
William Turner, vice chancellor, presided
There was a large attendance of the mem
bers of senatus, and a number OF ladies'
were also present.
Sir William Turner said they were met
for the purpose of doing honor to an emf
nent jurist-Mr. Hannis Taylor of WASH
ington. In the spring of the year the SEN
atus resolved to offer the honorary degree
of doctor of laws to Mr.. Hannis Taylor In
the belief that he would be able to be with
them at their July graduation, but Mr.
Hannis Taylors services in his own coun-
try were required at that time, and so he
had come across the Atlantic to be there
that day to receive the honorary degree
that the university was about to bestow
upon him.
Sir Ludovic Grant dean of the faculty OF
law, in presenting DR.. Hannis Taylor, said
If the step taken by the Senatus IN hold
ing a special graduation ceremonial Is TN
usual, we must not forget that the claims
of the individual in whose honor this meet
ing has been called together are unique;
and my only regret today is that the lau-
reation of one so distinguished as DR.. Han
mis- Taylor has to take place In precincts
which are circums cribed and before an
audience which is necessarily sparse, IN
stead of In the ampler atmosphere OF our
academic colosseum. Although Dr. Hanns
TaylorS advent does not coincide with any
of the statutory festivals of the university
calendar, 1t is, nevertheless, from an In
ternational point of view, by no means In
opportune, for If there is one season at
which more than another America should
be present to our thoughts and at which
1t especially behoves us to extend the hand
of fellowship to our brethren across the
water. it surely is the week in which falls
the 4th of July-the great day of independ-
ence-from the contemplation of which all
bitter associations have long since COM
pletely faded away.
This mention of the relations of the two
English speaking countries leads me to be-
gin my recital of the grounds up on which
DR.. Hannis Taylor's tttleiito recognition
rests, by reminding you that he is the au-
thor OF a monumental work, The Origin
and Growth of the English Constitution.
Sir William Turner said that when he
looked back upon certain special occasions
such as that he remembered that Mr. DIS
raen, Mr. Robert Lowe, Mr., III. M Stanley
and Mr.. Oliver Wendell Holmes made
speeches, and he thought DIR. Hannis Tay-
Tor could not do better than follow their
sexample. applause m - ~.
br. Hannls Taylor, in the course or nus
reply, said that cold. indeed, would be his
heart were 1t not pierced through and
through by the cordial and generous well
come which had greeted him that day in
the land of his forefathers 1t was not
strange, perhaps. that his heart should
nave been stirred by a tender emotion when
ne nrst crossed the frontier of Scotland on
wednesday last More than a century ago
Two scottish youths. William and Isaac
Iaylc-, the sons of William Card Taylor.
went away from their native town of Pals
They settled at New Berne in the state of
North carolina, where they founded two
FAMILIES His father, the youngest SON of
h Wniiam taylor, was an elder in the Pres
,, Chnrch, full of reverence for the
XIX ana for the traditions of the mighty
ana romantic land from which his father