Part 37 (2/2)
Of few men could it e--never of his fears' With fir vital issues, he did not shrink froonist he ham, 'His weapons were ever those of the warrior--never of the assassin'
”This, is indeed no ordinary occasion Here and noe unveil a monument erected in honor of the memory of one who, alike in private life and in public station, illustrated the noblest characteristics of the A of his life and achievements we have heard with profound interest froreat occasion, ex-President Cleveland --one indeed eminently fitted for the task The orator orthy the subject; the subject--honoring the e--worthy the orator
”In all the relations of life, the man whosee of the world With clear brain and clean hands he ably and faithfully adh public trusts He was in the loftiest sense worthy the personal and official association of the eistrate at whose Council Board he sat, and whose confidence he fully shared
”Fortune, indeed, ca Morton, in earlyfrontier State for his hoe interest, he repaid Nebraska for a confidence that knew no abate witness
”Under his guiding hand, a new day was added to the calendar The glory is his of having called Arbor Day into being Touched by his nificent State It is no ure of speech to say that the wilderness--by transition alarden, the desolate places beenday' is now one of the sacred days of this commonwealth Henceforth, upon its annual recurrence, ordinary avocations are to be suspended, and this day wholly set apart to pursuits which tend to beautify the holadden the hearts of all the people Inseparably associated in all the co years with this day and itsMorton That he was its inspiration, is his abiding fame
”In other times, monuments have been erected to men whose chief distinction was, that desolation and huhter had marked their pathways The hour has struck, and a new era dawned The hts of deciuered cities, of starving peoples, or of orphans' tears In all the years, it will be associated with glorious peace Peace, 'that hath her victories no less renowned than war'; peace, in whose train are happy hohter of children, the planting of trees, and the golden harvest
'Soft peace she brings; wherever she arrives, She builds our quiet as she forh paths of peevish nature even, And opens in each heart a little heaven'”
XLIV A MOUNTAIN COLLEGE
SUCH INStitUTIONS VALUABLE FOR MOULDING CHARACTER--MR SCOTT BOTH HONORABLE AND PRUDENT IN BUSINESS--HIS GREATNESS AS AN AGRICULTURIST--HIS AVOIDANCE OF PUBLIC LIFE--HIS SOCIAL AND DOMESTIC VIRTUES--DEPENDENCE OF THE NATION ON THE CHARACTER OF ITS LITERARY INStitUTIONS
In 1895, Mrs Julia Green Scott, of Blooe in the mountains of Kentucky in honor of the memory of her husband He was a native of Kentucky, and the institution bears his honored name
Upon the occasion of the dedication I spoke as follows:
”The dedication of the Matthew T Scott, Jr, Collegiate Institute marks an important epoch in the history of central eastern Kentucky
It cannot be doubted that this institution will be potent for good inthe youth of this and succeeding generations for the ireat Republic Is it too much to believe that this encies in this land, that in the outstretched years will inspire our youth with yet higher ideals of duties that await theland's great statesmen could be indelibly impressed upon the memory of all who may hereafter pass out froreat and noble calling; not a h as we can, but an elevated and lofty destiny'
”It is e of the iven to this institution And yet, I am not unmindful of the fact that if in life he would shrink froht associated with it in the way of benefactions He was a native of Kentucky--born in Fayette County, February 4, 1828 His father, of the saton, and forbanker of the State The son inherited the high sense of personal honor, and the splendid capacity for business, that for a lifetiraduate of Centre College at the age of eighteen, his fortunes were soon cast in Central Illinois, where his re years were spent, and where his ashes now repose During his early residence in Illinois Mr Scott realized--as few men did fully at that day --the marvellous prosperity that surely awaited the developolden opportunity for the man of wise forecast His investhest plane He becae landed proprietor, and stood in the van of the advanced agriculturists of his day He for sure the munificent reward of labor wisely bestowed upon this, the prie measure adopted by others, and have proved no unireat agricultural interests of the State
”Mr Scott was in the largest sense a man of affairs He was ever the safe counsellor in the many business enterprises of which he was the founder It were scant praise to say he was possessed of the highest integrity His was indeed an integrity that could know no teation, he was incapable of an ignoble act He was eree the sturdy characteristics of his Scotch-Irish ancestors His principle in action was:
'For justice all place a temple, And all season Summer'
”He was in no sense a self-seeker Deeply interested in public affairs, and having the courage of his convictions upon the exciting questions of the day, he was never a candidate for public office
Declining the noress, he chose the quiet of home rather than the turmoil of public life
In the advocacy, however, of what he believed to be for the public weal, 'he took counsel ever of his courage, never of his fears' That he possessed the ability to have acquitted himself with honor in responsible positions of public trust, no one who knew him could doubt
”Courteous to all hohest type of the old-school gentleman He exemplified in his daily life the truth of the poet's words:
'That best portion of a good man's life, His little, nameless, unremembered acts Of kindness and of love'
”No man ever had a loftier appreciation of as due to woman
There was in very truth a relish of old-ti in the presence of ladies He was never happier than when surrounded by children, by whoher tribute could be paid him than by the words spoken with equal truth of another: 'With hiuardian of my children, I could have pillowedsteadily, and without reservation, to the Presbyterian faith of his fathers, he was none the less iave where needed, liberally of his abundance
He was deeply touched by every tale of human sorrow,