The preparations for the President's reception were upon an extensive scale; the business houses were covered with bunting, and pictures of the distinguished traveller were seen everywhere. Fully 50,000 people participated in the welcome home. A speakers' stand was erected in Jackson Place. The parade was a most successful feature of the demonstration; thousands of veterans, sons of veterans, and other citizens were in line. Gen. Fred Knefler was Marshal of the day, aided by the following staff: Major Holstein, George W. Spahr, J. Hauch, John V. Parker, J. B. Heywood, W. O. Patterson, Samuel Laing, J. A. Wildman, H. C. Adams, A. W. Hendricks, John W. Keeling, Charles Martindale, W. H. Tucker, J. M. Paver, H. C. Cale, Josh Zimmerman, T. S. Rollins, E. S. Kise, O. P. Ensley, Frank Sherfey, and Berry Robinson.
Cheer after cheer went up from the vast concourse as the President made his way to the stand, accompanied by Secretary Rusk, Postmaster-General Wanamaker, and the Escort Committee. It was a genuine Hoosier welcome. Governor Hovey made a brief but feeling address, welcoming the President's return with "pride and pleasure." Mayor Sullivan followed the Governor in a warm greeting on behalf of the citizens of Indianapolis.
President Harrison was visibly affected at the manifestations of love and esteem, and during the speech-making clearly betrayed the emotion he felt at the cordiality of his welcome. He spoke as follows:
Governor Hovey, Mayor Sullivan and Friends—I do not think I can speak much to-day. The strain of this long journey, the frequent calls that have been made upon me to speak to my fellow citizens from Washington to the Golden Gate, from the Golden Gate to the Straits of Fuca, and from the most northwestern portion of our territory here to my own home, has left me somewhat exhausted in body and in mind, and has made my heart so open to these impressions, as I greet my old home friends, that I cannot, I fear, command myself sufficiently to speak to you at any length. Our path has been attended by the plaudits of multitudes; our way has been strewn with flowers; we have journeyed through the orchards of California, laden with its golden fruit; we have climbed to the summit of great mountains and have seen those rich mines from which the precious metals are extracted; we have dropped again suddenly into fruitful valleys, and our pathway has been made glad by the cheerful and friendly acclaim of our American fellow-citizens without regard to any party division [applause]; but I beg to assure you that all the sweetness of the flowers that have been showered upon us, that all the beauty of these almost tropical landscapes upon which we have looked, that all the richness of these precious mines sink into forgetfulness as I receive to day this welcome from my old friends. [Great applause.] My manhood has known no other home but this. It was the scene of my early struggles; it has been the scene, and you have been the instruments and supporters in every success I have achieved in life. I come to lay before you to-day my thankful offering for your friendly helpfulness that was extended to me as a boy and that has been mine in all the years of our intercourse that have intervened until this hour. [Applause.] I left you a little more than two years ago to take up the work of the most responsible office in the world. I went to these untried duties sustained by your helpful friendliness. I come to you again after these two years of public office to confess many errors, but to say to you that I have had but one thought in my mind. It was to use whatever influence had been confided to me for the general good of all our people. [Applause.] Our stay to-day is so brief that I must deny myself the pleasure I would have in taking these old friends by the hand. God bless you all. I have not forgotten, I can never forget, Indianapolis. [Prolonged applause.] I look forward to it, if my life shall be spared, as the city in which I shall rest when the hard work of life is done. I rejoice in its increase, in its development as a commercial centre. I love its homes, its people; and now if you will pardon me the effort of further speech and believe me when I say this is a most interesting and tender moment to me, allow me to say to you for a time, God bless you every one and good-by. [Great cheering.]
[RICHMOND, INDIANA, MAY 14.]
At Richmond, Ind., a very large and enthusiastic assemblage cheered the President. The Reception Committee consisted of Mayor Perry J. Freeman, Hon. Henry U. Johnson, C. C. Binkley, John Harrington, Everett A. Richey, Andrew F. Scott, J. H. Macke, John H. Nicholson, Col. John F. Miller, Capt. J. Lee Yaryan, Dr. J. R. Weist, E. D. Palmer, H. C. Starr, Frank J. Brown, J. B. Howes, and Isaac Jenkins.
Congressman Johnson introduced the President, who said:
My Fellow-citizens—We are now about completing a very long journey. For something more than four weeks we have been speeding across the country, from the Potomac to the Golden Gate, and northward along Puget Sound. The trip, while it has been full of pleasurable incidents, while it has been attended with every demonstration of friendliness and respect, has, as you can well understand, been full of labor. I began this day—and it is only a sample of many—at 5 o'clock this morning, by speaking to my fellow-citizens at Hannibal, Mo., and from that place to this I have been almost continuously on my feet or shaking hands over this platform with friends who had gathered there. We have seen regions that were new to me, people that were strangers, and yet, throughout the whole of this journey we have been pervaded, surrounded, inspired by the magnificent spirit of American patriotism. [Cheers.] I come now to pass through my own State. I have so often within the last two years been at Indianapolis and passed through Richmond that I did not expect you would take any special notice of our passage to-night. I am all the more gratified that you should have surprised us by this magnificent demonstration. As I had occasion to say at Indianapolis, the respect, the confidence, the affectionate interest of my Indiana friends is more valuable to me than anything else in life. I went from you two years ago to new duties, borne down with a sense of the great responsibility that was upon me, and I am glad to believe from what I see to-night that I have at least saved the respect and friendship of my Indiana fellow-citizens. [Cries of "That's so!" and cheers.] And now, as I return again to labors and duties that are awaiting me, I leave with you my most affectionate greeting and sincere desire for the prosperity of Indiana and all its citizens. I hope that my life will be spared to be once more a dweller in this great State. [Cheers.]