"Ah! how many grave faced fathers and tender, sweet faced mothers have watched their boys, one by one, go out into the world, and have turned back in solitude, cheered by an occasional visit, an occasional letter, to wait until their days should be fulfilled. And how many of us must now say that their days have been fulfilled, and that a simple stone marks their last resting place in the village churchyard. "What have we gained by this? Contentment? They had it. Respect of our fellowmen? They had it. Success in life? They had it. True, their fortunes were small--and yet they had no clutching fear that speculation, fraud or treachery would rob them of the fruit of a life's toil. And they had an abiding faith that there would be provision for the years to come. Aye, that there would be provision for the last journey to that land, where, according to their simple faith: 'The wicked cease from troubling and the weary are at rest.' "I will yield to no man in loyalty to the State of my adoption; but who can chide me if my heart clings to the home of my childhood, to the graves of my forefathers? "If we, who have left the old home to build a new one in the West, can be faithful to the traditions of our childhood--if we can bequeath to our children the lessons of industry, honesty and economy which our fathers gave to us--we shall do more to honor the State of New York than we could do by rearing marble to the skies." The presiding officer then introduced Honorable Benjamin B. Odell, Jr.; Governor of the State, who received a great ovation, it being some time before the Governor was able to proceed with his remarks. His speech was punctuated with liberal applause. He said: ADDRESS OF GOVERNOR ODELL "The diplomacy which led up to the acquisition of the Louisiana territory furnishes one of the most interesting incidents in the world's history. The establishment of a republic devoted to the interests of, and affording liberty of conscience and freedom of action to its citizens, was an experiment in government which could not have succeeded if any restraint had been placed upon that liberty, or if its constitution had not been broad enough to meet the demands of a growing country. From the settlement of America down to the Revolutionary War sanguinary strife had been the lot of the American people. The thrifty Dutch and the stolid determined Anglo-Saxon sought not in this country a mere temporary home, for, unlike the Spaniards, their dream was not of gold, but rather their hope was for a liberty so broad and catholic in its character that it would grow with succeeding years and make certain that peace they had sought for in vain in the land of their birth.