The Champlain tercentenary

by New York . Lake Champlain Tercentenary Commission; Henry Wayland Hill

V. CALL AT THE SUMMER SCHOOL, REVIEW OF THE FIFTH INFANTRY REGIMENT, U. S. A., AT PLATTSBURGH BARRACKS, TOUR OF THE CITY, RECEPTION GIVEN BY THE HON. SMITH M. WEED AND LUNCHEON AT THE FOUQUET HOUSE

The morning hours quickly passed and the Champlain Commissioners and their guests were waited upon by a delegation of citizens of Plattsburgh.

The Commissioners, Governor Dix, Count de Peretti de la Rocca, and other guests left the Hotel Champlain in automobiles at 10 o’clock, under the escort of the Reception Committee of the Chamber of Commerce of Plattsburgh, headed by Mayor Andrew G. Senecal. They were driven to the Catholic Summer School at Cliff Haven, where they were formally received by Rev. Father D. J. Hickey, President of the Summer School, who delivered the following address:

Your Excellency: In the name of the trustees and patrons of the Catholic Summer School of America I welcome you to Cliff Haven. Through eighteen years of the twenty-one years of existence of this school we have been honored and inspired by the visits of all the Presidents of the country from the lamented President McKinley to the present President Taft. Through these years we have been also visited by every Governor of the Empire State, and it has been our happy privilege to extend to them the best reception possible. While we welcomed the Chief Executives of our country with joy, it has always been our supreme pleasure to welcome the Governors of our own state, as our school is under the charge of the State Board of Regents over which you preside. We have found in their visits an inspiration and encouragement in our educational work.

Your Excellency, I regret that your visit could not have been later. This is the first week of our summer session, and instead of hundreds, thousands would have joined in this reception. The scope of our work is high and broad. We have the best lecturers we can secure to bring before us in a learned and sound manner all that we should know in the domain of History, Literature, Art, Science, Political Economy and the leading social questions. Last year 3,500 visited the school during its session. Thirty-seven states were represented among its guests; so you see, the school and its work are well known and appreciated throughout our land. We combine here at Cliff Haven, the intellectual and the social in a high degree, and the intellectual and social are both protected and permeated by a religious spirit unobtrusive but all-pervading.

Whatever promotes the well-being and uplift of the citizens of this country, and especially of this great Empire State over which you preside; whatever goes to make an enlightened and safe people; whatever promotes, protects and preserves the sound principles of the founders of our great Republic, must be dear to your Excellency and deserve your inspiration. This we all feel to-day in your presence here, in spite of your many laborious and pressing duties. While I invited you, I feel that your presence to-day is due to the persuasive eloquence of one of our trustees, Judge John B. Riley, who is also a member of the Champlain Tercentenary Commission.

In the name of the trustees and patrons of the Catholic Summer School of America I again welcome you to Cliff Haven. (Applause.)

Appropriate response was made thereto by his Excellency, Gov. John A. Dix.

The party was then driven to the Plattsburgh Barracks, where the Fifth Infantry, U. S. A., on dress parade, under command of Col. Calvin D. Cowles, was reviewed, and the cannon thundered forth salutes in honor of the Governor and of Count de Peretti de la Rocca, of the French Embassy at Washington. It was an imposing sight and a reminder of the brilliant review of the same and other regiments and the Canadian troops, on the same parade grounds, by President William H. Taft, Ambassador Jusserand, Ambassador Bryce and Governors Hughes and Prouty, July 7, 1909.

Copyrighted and by the courtesy of the Powers Engraving Co. of New York

Copyrighted and by the courtesy of the Powers Engraving Co. of New York

Thereafter, a tour was made of the city, in which the party was shown the graves of Captain George Downie and other British officers, who had fallen in the battle of Plattsburgh. The Commissioners and other guests were then formally received in the beautiful home of the Hon. Smith M. Weed, on Cumberland avenue, which is situate near the Champlain Memorial. Mr. and Mrs. George S. Weed assisted in the reception of the distinguished guests. The guests were interested in seeing in Mr. Weed’s library the noted painting of “The Battle of Lake Champlain,” by Julian Oliver Davidson, a copy of which may be seen in the original Report of this Commission.

At the close of the reception, the Commissioners and guests were given a luncheon under the auspices of the Chamber of Commerce, at the Fouquet House, which stands on the site of the old Stage House occupied by Major-Gen. Benjamin Mooers, of Revolutionary military fame, who commanded the militia in the land engagement at the Battle of Plattsburgh. Judge and Commissioner John B. Riley presided and extended to the Commissioners and to the guests a hearty welcome. At the conclusion of the luncheon, the Commissioners and their guests were escorted by a platoon of mounted police, the entire Fifth Infantry, U. S. A., under command of Col. Cowles and staff, through the principal streets, whose buildings were beautifully decorated. Following the fifty automobiles containing the party were the Guard of Honor of the Society of St. Jean Baptiste, and the Horicon, Rescue and Lafayette Hose Companies. They proceeded to the site of the Champlain Memorial statue, where a platform for the speakers and guests had been erected, decorated with white and blue and the fleur-de-lis of France. Seats had also been provided for the general public.

GOVERNOR JOHN A. DIX