settle the matter, and the President was delayed in
Washington, when, by reason of domestic affliction, he ought to
have been elsewhere. I said: "Under the circumstances, I do not
see anything better to be done than to allow the bill to pass. If
I was called upon on yea and nay vote I should vote against it."

On the 22nd of October, 1892, I attended the dedication of the
building erected by the State of Ohio, on the exposition grounds.
The structure, though not entirely completed, was formally dedicated,
and the keys were duly delivered to Governor McKinley. On receiving
the keys he made a very appropriate address. I was called for by
the crowd, and was introduced by Major Peabody, president of the
State Board of Managers. I do not recall the words of my speech,
nor was it, or the various speeches made on this occasion, reported;
but I no doubt said that the United States was the greatest power
on earth, and Ohio was its garden spot. I made a political speech
that evening at Central Music Hall, as previously stated.

Among the objects of the greatest interest at the exposition were
three Spanish caravels, the exact counterparts of the Santa Maria,
the Nina and the Pinta, the vessels with which Columbus made his
memorable voyage of discovery. These reproductions were made by
Spaniards at the place from which the original vessels sailed, and,
manned by Spanish sailors, followed the same course pursued by
Columbus to the islands he discovered and from thence sailed to
the mouth of the St. Lawrence, and following up that stream passed
through Lake Ontario, the Welland Canal, Lakes Erie, Huron and
Michigan, to Chicago, more than 1,000 miles from the Atlantic Ocean.
I had been invited by the managers of the exposition to deliver an
address of welcome to the officers and sailors of these vessels,
on their arrival at Chicago on the 7th of July, 1893. They were
received by the managers and a great crowd, and conducted to a
stand in the park of the exposition, where I made my address, too
long to insert here, but I quote a few paragraphs:

"Mr. President, Captain Concas and the Officers and Mariners Under
His Command:--You have before you men and women of all races and
climes. They have met to share in this great exposition of the
industries of all nations. To-day they celebrate the discovery of
America by Christopher Columbus and the arrival here of the marine
fleet under your command, manned by the countrymen of