Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-05
GIFT TO GROSVENOR
Tribute of Esteem for the
Usage of Athens"
"A NOTABLE DEMONSTRATION
Veterans Departure From Congress
Fittingly Celebrated.
SILVER SERVICE PRESENTED
Speech of MI. Cushman Followed by
remarks by Champ Clark and
John Sharp Williams.

John Sharp Williams
| Even after twenty years service in Con-
| gress few men get more sincere, hearty
and rousing send-off along the road that
| leads to private life than did Gen. Gros-
! Venor of Ohio during the closing hours of
| the House yesterday. Particularly inter-
| esting was the ovation accorded to the sage
! of Athens, owing to the fact that several
| democrats, notably John Sharp Williams of
| mississippi, the minority floor leader, took
| occasion to speak of the wonderful man.
ser in which Gen. Grosvenors popularity
| had grown and grown during the past ten
years until now, upon his departure from
| public life, it is doubtful that he has
| single enemy among the $50 members of
| the lower branch of Congress.
i Incidental to the Grosvenor demonstra-
| ton was the presentation to him by the
| members of the House of splendid silver
| service of over 300 pieces. Mr.. Cushman
made the presentation, and, as usual. his
speech was a mighty good one.
| MI. Cushman's Speech.
| Il rise to a question of personal privi-
! lege,' Mr. Cushman said Indeed, l think
it is the highest privilege it has ever been
my lot TO enjoy. By the grace and the
| coul ,esy of all my associates on both sides
| of this chamber, l commissioned for
! the moment by them to perform a most
| Pheasant DUTY. The clock is remorselessly
| t,hing Off the seconds, and after few
| moments from now the great Fifty-Ninth
Congress will have passed into history and
many men who for years have occupied
trusted PAGES in this House will walk
! forth from this hall into the sunlight of pri-
| vate life.
| In til" eight years I have been in this
| body the one thing that is most profoundly
| impressed upon my mind is the high char
| acter and The capacity of all the splendid
| men whose accustomed habitat is this
| forum. the friendship of these men con-
| ceive to be the chief charm incident to a
| congressional career, and the splendid
| memories of the association of these men
| believe. sir, will be the one valuable and
indestructible asset that most of us will
| carry with us back to private life.
1t is neither necessary nor appropriate
| for me on this occasion to attempt to draw
| any comparison between the number of
splen !id men who are about to go out
| from this body, but think in justice to all
| men l may say that Gen. Grosvenor of
| Ohio ,a2piause), whose services among us
| ar soon to terminate, has filled one of the
| most Important and responsible positions
held in this body by any man in recent
years, and it is of him and to him for
| moment only that l speak.
He has closed the term of twenty years
| services almost continuously in this body
| He is one of the great figures in this body
| that seems to link us somewhat to the he
| roic past. He came to this House in 1885,
| more tnan twenty years ago.
| In this chamber he served with Dneley
| with Mckinley, with Reed. with Carlisle
and Mills and Wilson and Springer, and a
host of others among the giants of those
days. He has served under six great
Speakers of this House, two of them demo-
| Gratis and four of them republicans. He
has served during part of seven great
| r oil
| Presidents, and | am not violating any
secrets in this chamber when I say that
in recent years on this floor he has been,
| in measure at least, the spokesman for
| two great Presidents What a splendid
| career. Now We find him under the weight
of more than threescore years and ten
| with his mental faculties unimpaired and
| with splendid memory. Those of US on
the republican side know that Gen. Grosve-
| nor has never forgotten anything that ever
| happened. applause and laughterD But,
| sir from the other side of this House, from
my distinguished friends Messrs Champ
Clark and John Sharp Williams has come
| higher tribute for the generals marvellous
| memory. They say that under great stress
of circumstances and in political eXgencies
| the general has been able to recall things
| that never happened at all. prolonged
| laughter and applause)
What a splendid thing it is to have re-
| tained to this great age memory per-
| fectly preserved, equally poised and as
! accurate as the eXigencies of the occasion
will permit. daughter and applause)
| Under all these circumstances it was de-
| ternlined by the generals friends both
sides of this great chamber that his going
! from us ought not to be entirely unheralded
of men.
The Gift
Therefore, Gen. Grosvenor in behalf of
all your colleagues today it is my pleasant
duty to present to you token and a
souvenir that shall go with you into private
life to be a genial reminder Of the years
of your service here and the legion of
friends you have made here. The token,
| which was selected by men of this House,
sits in yonder lobby. 1t is a mahogany
chest, filled with a magnificent set of solid
silver tableware of more than 300 pieces,
of old English design, but of American
workmanship. Applause) Each piece is
engraved with single letter 9, being the
initial letter Of your historic family. On
| a silver plate on the lid of that chest you
will find engraved these words:
Presented to Hon. Charles II. Gros-
venor of Ohio by his friends and colleagues
Of the National House of Representatives
of the Fifty-ninth Congress on March 4,
1907, being the occasion OF his retirement
spicuous public service to his state and
his nation Applause)
IT must now close, expressing once more
| as the wish of all the members of this
body that you and your dear wife may be
preserved through many years, and that
on many festive occasions the use of those
| articles may Drlng 10 you happy ana Hefo-
ic memories" prolonged applause.)
Democratic Tribute.
Champ Clark, who has long been warm
| personal friend of Mr.. Grosvenor's, then
| took the floor. He admitted that he had
| come to Congress with deep-seated pref
udice against the general, due largely to
the fact that the latter was externally skin
ming democrats" But, Mr.. Clark said, while
| not enamored of that sort of man gener-
ally, he had watched and listened to Gen.
Grosvenor until he had come first to ad-
mire him, and after awhile to feel for him
"a deep personal, flial affection" ZAP
plause.)
He characterized Gen. Grosvenor as a
"topnotcher' both in the matter of set
, speeches and rough and tumble debate.
MAI. Joe Bagstock," said Mr.. Clark, de
scribed himself as sly sir: devilish sly
tough, sir; devilish tough transfer tina,
description to Gen. GrosYenor as a debater