[HANNIBAL, MISSOURI, MAY 14.]
About the earliest reception on the great journey occurred at Hannibal, which was reached at 5:30 the morning of the 14th. Notwithstanding the hour, 5,000 people gave the President an enthusiastic welcome. Secretary Rusk and Postmaster-General Wanamaker appeared on the platform with General Harrison. The Reception Committee comprised Capt. John E. Catlett, C. P. Heywood, J. J. Kirkland, Smith Alexander, Lewis Jackson, W. H. Dulany, Edward Price, S. J. Miller, James C. Gill, J. H. McVeigh, John T. Leighter, J. H. Pelhem, W. E. Chamberlain, J. H. Boughton, Thomas H. Bacon, G. O. Bishop, S. W. Philips, and W. F. Drescher. The veterans of W. T. Sherman Post, G. A. R., W. H. Davis Commander, and several hundred school children were conspicuous in the reception.
President Harrison spoke as follows:
My Fellow-citizens—I have only time to assure you that I appreciate very highly this evidence of your respect. We have extended our journey to the Pacific coast: we have crossed the sandy plain, where for days together the eye saw little to refresh it, where the green of the blue grass that is so restful to the eye was wanting, and yet again and again at some lone station in the desert a few children from a school and some of the enterprising people who had pushed out there to make new homes assembled with this old banner in their hands and gave us a hearty American welcome. I am glad to return to this central body of States in which I was raised; glad to be again in the land of the buckeye, the beech, and the maple. To these dear children I want to say one word of thanks. They have done for us much on this journey to make it pleasant; their bright faces have cheered us; I love to see them. The care the States are taking for their education is wisely bestowed. God bless them all; open to their feet pleasant ways and qualify them better than we have been in our generation to uphold and perpetuate these magnificent civil institutions. Thanking you most sincerely for this kindly demonstration I bid you good-by. [Great cheers.]
[SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS, MAY 14.]
At the Tomb of Lincoln.
Brief stops were made at Barry, Baylis, Griggsville, and Jacksonville, but not long enough for speech-making. Thousands of visitors from neighboring towns helped the people of Springfield welcome the President on his arrival at 9:15 o'clock. The Committee of Reception that met the presidential party and escorted them through the principal streets to the Lincoln Monument in Oak Ridge Cemetery consisted of the Hon. Joseph W. Fifer, Governor of Illinois; Senator Shelby M. Cullum, Senator John M. Palmer, ex-Governor Oglesby, Representatives Henderson and Springer, Lieut.-Gov. L. B. Ray, Secretary of State J. N. Pearson, Auditor of State C. W. Pavey, Treasurer of State E. S. Wilson, Atty.-Gen. George Hunt, Adjt-Gen. J. W. Vance, Hon. Rheuna D. Lawrence, Mayor of Springfield, and Hon. James C. Conkling; also, Hon. John M. Clark and Col. E. D. Swain, of Chicago.
The procession, composed of Illinois National Guards, veterans of the G. A. R., Sons of Veterans, Knights of Pythias, and the City Fire Department, was marshalled by Gen. Jasper N. Reese, assisted by Col. J. H. Barkley. During the exercises at the monument Mayor Lawrence presided. Governor Fifer delivered an eloquent address of welcome, to which the President made the following response: