Conferral of the Golden Merit Cross on Mayor Valentin Haller

Austria.

Merano, 8 October. It gives me very particular pleasure to be able to report to you how the supreme favour of His Imperial Majesty has inexpressibly elevated and glorified here, as recently His birthday, so now His name day. That feast day was chosen to solemnly adorn the breast of our distinguished Mayor, V. Haller, with the Golden Merit Cross, with which the Majesty of our most gracious Emperor deemed fit, by decree of the 7th of this month, to distinguish and reward his high services to the State and in particular to this urban community. Following the solemn high mass, the authorities and the dignitaries of the town, along with several visitors (among whom hardly anyone might represent the town so commendably), proceeded to the tastefully decorated magistrates' hall, where the excellent District Captain brilliantly highlighted the celebrated man's many merits. He recalled the splendid achievement that Mr Haller brought into being against all expectations at the very outset of his 38-year tenure, undeterred by the petty objections of cold-hearted pedants, through generous personal gifts and substantial contributions solicited by him: the new construction and expedient reorganisation of the civic hospital. He pointed out the spirit by which the honouree had been guided when, in 1836, as cholera wielded its dreadful scythe all around, he not only made the wisest arrangements in good time to counter it, but also entered the hospital himself with boundless selflessness, where he directed and oversaw everything with fatherly care. With good reason the esteemed speaker then observed that Mayor Haller had always directed his main attention to the pride and honour of the town of Merano, to the distinguished Gymnasium institution, where he served as vice-director from 1827 to 1848. What he achieved through inexhaustible donations to destitute, worthy students, through encouragement and exhortation, and through recommendations of the more gifted students far afield, remains unforgettable. It is written in the book of life, and we shall not intrude upon his humble modesty by listing it here. May I only be permitted to state that it is to his restless cooperation that we owe the procurement of the necessary funds and the elevation of the institution to an Obergymnasium. Were I not afraid of becoming too verbose, I would cite from the said address the Mayor's great services to the beautification of the town, to the local Schützen, and most particularly his noble, patriotic sentiments during the turmoil of 1848; yet let it suffice to say that his untiring labours, elevated by the rarest nobility of soul, the most generous selflessness, and the most loving self-sacrifice, reached a height pre-eminently worthy of supreme recognition. – Following the address, the District Judge pinned the Golden Merit Cross to his breast, whereupon at a given signal the Imperial Anthem sounded solemnly beneath the windows.

Thereupon Mr Haller replied with his customary heartfelt modesty: he regarded this insignia not as a reward, but as an outflow of supreme imperial grace; for if he had always intended good and in part accomplished it, the honour was due to God, who showed him his most sacred duty in promoting the welfare of the town wherever and however possible, and at all events to his beloved parents, who had implanted these sentiments in his heart. As ever, in this solemn moment he dutifully had solely the welfare of the town in view and therefore promised publicly to bequeath this token of supreme favour, so dear to him, to the town upon his death—no matter how valuable and dear it might be to his children—so that it might serve as an incentive to the most conscientious fulfilment of duty for all his successors. – Incredible, yet true: in the fresh memory of such rare merits, with these so noble sentiments just expressed, not a single mouth opened to convey the requisite gratitude; an abominable silence fell over the hall. And yet there were people present who had been especially showered with kindnesses by the Mayor, involuntarily bringing to mind those parasites of whom someone wrote that their bowels were longer than their memory.

We felt all the more obliged to express our deepest gratitude to the distinguished District Captain, who, seeing into the hearts of men, represented the well-intentioned citizenry by hosting a banquet at his home in honour of the celebrant. To this gathering he invited the heads of the imperial and municipal authorities, the clergy, the Gymnasium teaching staff, the civic guard, and the main shooting range; there, the warmest and loudest outpourings of affection, gratitude, and respect for the honouree found voice in resounding toasts. The finest reward for this highly deserving man is the recognition of His Majesty and the enthusiastic affection and gratitude of the upright. In that same spirit of affection and gratitude, I repeat here the concluding words of the aforementioned address: 'Mr Mayor! May your breast long remain adorned with this most flattering token of the supreme favour of His Majesty our chivalrous Emperor; may you find in it, as well as in the general joy of the citizenry over the distinction conferred upon you, an abundant compensation for the often bitter drops with which, inevitably and not infrequently, a mayor's cup is mingled!'