The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1908-07-02
Tribute of a Friend.
Expression of Joseph P. Cald-
we'll, Editor of the Charlotte
Observer. Who Has Ever
Remained True in His
Friendship and Admiration
of MIR. Cleveland One of
the Greatest Figures of Our
Time.

Charlotte Observer, June 25th
4. The public wifnot be surprised by
the announcement of the death OF
Mr.. Grover Cleveland The event
had been long anticipated and was
deferred longer than many OF his
friends had expected. Ii is re9reta-
BILE that in the order of nature such
men can not live forever but in that
order this great man had reached
the period when his death was logical
and repining on account of it were
vain and foolish. Cicero's DE Senec-
tute says something like this-that
the death of an old man is a natural
event while that of II young man is
as if a besom of destruction had
swept over the land Mr.. Cleveland
had reached the age when death fol-
lows naturally. In the maturity of
his powers, his intellectual force una
bated, he lays down the burden OF
life and goes to join the majority.
circumstances forbid that tribute
which the event suggests and trib
ute of words would, after all, be su-
pererogation. The work of this man
will linger in his country's history.
His record is a most extraordinary
one. Few Presidents have passed
through such a period OF storm and
stress, and whatever else one may
think of him none will deny that he
met the various crises in his career
with a superb courage, with nerve
which never faltered nor failed. De-
serted by his party, left friendless
among pitiless enemies, he followed
with serenity the hard path of duty
and left, unhonored and unattended,
at the end of his second term, the
capitol to which he had been well
coined but few years before by the
glad acclaim of shouting thousands.
Thank God that he lived to see his
vindication! However they may
deny it, all men now know in their
hearts that Cleveland was right all
the time and that though he sacri-
, feed himself his unexampled nerve
saved his country in his second term
from what was perhaps the greatest
disaster that ever threatened it. The
ungrateful people, most of all the re-
creant South, must stand at his
open grave today with conflicting
emotions.
To this nothing need be added ex-
cept that ia November, 1866, Har-
ward University celebrated the two
hundred and fiftieth anniversary OF
it's founding and that President
Cleveland attended the ceremonies;
that on this occasion James Russell
Lowell delivered a magnificent ora
ton, concluding with this reference
to the President: His presence is a
signal honor to us all, and to all |
may say personal qualification.
We have no politics here, but the
SONS of Harvard ali belong to the
party Which admires courage,
strength of purpose and fidelity to
duty. He has left the helm
Of State TO be with us here, and so
long as it is entrusted to his hands
we are sure that, should the storm
come, he will say-with Seneca's pilot,
| o, Neptune! You may save me if
you will; you may sink me if you will;
but whatever happens, | shall keep
my rudder true"
The spirit of prophecy was upon
the speaker. The storm came and
the pilot kept his rudder true. God
rest him!