I beg to thank you both for this letter and your generous welcome to a spot the natural beauty of which has been so much enhanced by your efforts. My visit to Sutro Heights, the cliff, and park will be a red-letter day in my journey.
The next visit was to the Presidio, where the President and General Ruger witnessed the brilliant manœuvres of the troops. Lieutenant-Colonel Graham was in command; Captain Zalinski was the officer of the day. Captain Morris led the heavy artillery; Captains Brinkle and Kinzie commanded the mounted batteries; Colonel Mills headed the cavalry aided by Captains Wood and Dorst.
Phi Delta Theta.
In the evening the President attended a banquet in his honor by California Alpha Chapter of the State University of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity, of which Mr. Harrison is a member. George E. de Golbia presided. When the President arrived he was greeted with the fraternity cheer. J. N. E. Wilson introduced the honored guest and proposed the health of "the President."
General Harrison, responding, said:
My Friends and Brothers in this Old Society—I enjoy this moment very much in being able to associate with you. I was a member of the first chapter of this fraternity, which you all know was founded at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio. I have not lost the impression of solemnity and reverence which I experienced hunting in the dark in those early times to find my chapter room, and I am very glad to know that those meetings were not meetings in the dark. I belonged to the order when it was young, and now I find its members scattered in all States, where they all hold positions of trust and influence. I find that in its history it has produced nothing discreditable to itself, but always something of which we may all well be proud. I thank you for these few moments of association with you. [Cheers.]
At night President and Mrs. Harrison, Secretary Rusk, and Postmaster-General Wanamaker attended an official card reception at the Palace Hotel, tendered by the citizens of San Francisco. The visitors were introduced by Col. J. P. Jackson and George R. Sanderson. The occasion was one of unusual brilliancy, rendered especially so by the presence of Admiral A. E. K. Benham and the officers of the fleet, Gen. Thomas H. Ruger, Gen. G. D. Green, Gen. John P. Hawkins, Gen. John G. Chandler, Col. Geo. N. Burton, and a hundred or more other officers of the regular army; Governor Markham and staff in full uniform, Maj. Gen. W. H. Dimond and staff, Gen. J. H. Dickinson, and scores of officers of the National Guard, and a thousand or more private citizens of prominence accompanied by their wives.