"Brooklyn's spirit is due in a great measure to the nature of the press that caters to her. Her newspapers are intensely local in character. They give to her institutions such support as is not given to the institutions of any other city in the United States. It is this that has encouraged an intelligent and independent breadth of mind in Brooklyn. She keeps alive the old New England custom of a close watch over her government and of a constant discussion of all public questions. Englishmen are noted for their unremitting guard of their personal rights. They are not to be compared in this with Brooklynites who, in spite of a callous railroad system, still persist in demanding their rights.
"Her press has called into being all over Brooklyn numerous boards of trade and taxpayers' associations, and they, encouraged by the attention given to them, devote themselves to their neighborhoods. Edmund Burke referred to the journalists as a fourth estate. Aptly might we regard these trade boards as a second government. Highly are they respected. Many reforms, especially in transportation matters, have they achieved.
"I have outlined to you some of the features of Brooklyn life. She is in truth the place where the home life of Greater New York is developed, where it may be seen in its simple beauty adorned with its rugged virtue. I have not boasted of her rich men, but of her intellectual gifts; not of her social leaders, but of her clear-minded men and women; not of her wealth, but of her mental attainments. It is from such a community that we come to-day to write upon your visitors' book the name of Brooklyn. In our way we are as proud of our homes as was the old Roman matron of her two sons, although we may be as poorly decked with tawdry jewels as she was. We are as proud of our independence in politics as Philadelphia should be ashamed of her regularity. Boston is credited with being the Athens of America. Brooklyn deserves the title, but would leave to Boston her pedantic ways. We are sincere in our speech and simple in our faith, and when we say we rejoice in St. Louis' success, are glad to be here and are honored in having a day set aside for us, we but echo the sentiments that our hearts suggest."
At the conclusion of the oration the Chairman introduced Henry Sanger
Snow, LL.D., who read the following original poem:
POEM OF DR. SNOW
I
Hail! city of the West, from ocean's strand
Afar we bring thee greeting. At thy gate,
Wide-thrown in welcome, gathered nations stand
And praise the deed ye grandly celebrate!
The imperial star that rose from eastern seas,
Marking the new-born nation in the West,
Rides in thy zenith now—by slow degrees
The march of Empire takes its westward quest—
And over scene more fair, sure star could never rest!
II
Worthy thy festival of that high deed—
Louisiana's treaty—greatest act
Of all that came from our great Jefferson:
Nor king nor statesman sealed a nobler pact!
And worthy the deed of this fair festival,
When the young land whose life had scarce begun,
With lofty courage doubt could ne'er appall,
In the one act a finer victory won
Than war in all her scarlet glory e'er hath done!