The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-07-01
Henry wheaton, ESQ.

Henry Wheaton, ESQ.
We take great pleasure laying before our readers the
remarks of the Hon Benjamin Franklin Butler, submit
ted at the dinner of welcome to Mr. Wheaton, at New
York. on the occasion of his return TO his native country
The speech is appropriate and elegant and the sentiment
with which II finely closes constitutes, connexion
with the remarks noble eulogum the great founder
of modern International law and his distinguished Amer
can disciple.
BENJAMIN F. Butler, esq, rose and said:
The assemblage of tonight is tribute to worth, talent,
and services not less varied in their character than useful
The attention of company has already called to
public labor 1t Is my agreeable Office bring your
special notice his contributions to hat department OF
Jurisprudence which treats of the rights duties and inter
ofhe many able men who have represented the United
States AT foreign courts he is the only who has made
The leisure the TOLL necessary the pepa-
the Science his more extended History of
the Law of Nations have been received with marked APP
and have won for him and for his country solid and lasting
honor They have indssoluby connected his name with
This thought naturally reminds MS OF the founder OF the
few words concerning him. and the mission ntrlsted
him by Providence.
osophy of the nobest with which any writer was
He saw Chrisiendon divided into rival and hostile .'aes
each pursuing what it deemed its interest by means
the most INSCRIPTIONS War, the rifing preext,
the ready instrument Of every strong enough
T. as Of ed S
horror the benevolent heart of Grous and hnpeed him
In this work. he teaches and princes that JUS
is the policy and the real safeguard of nations
and that the surcst and best the interest of
s peen Is Of e n the % % of
instances TO other nations what under like circumstance
Independently of the pleasure which every lover Of ge
MUS and ovirue must take in doing honor the memory
~ special interest in his fame He was HoIander, and
contemporary with those Of his conn,rymen who had
ton His wonderful abilities themselves sufficient
Wan the praise patient labor and Of its appropriate
fruits sound learning, and sober Judgment, denies it
history what nation you find name which, in the
gifts Of universal genius and in the Accomplishment of ali
the superior Of Hugo de Groot The poet ind the phioso
pher, the theoogs and Juror, combined in one.
Nor can refrnin from touching, though in few and
measred words, the great moral lesson taught by his
o roSy and pas his WHOLE lite e suffered
exile from his native and-thnt land Of which he is
count SIR in the Judgment Of an impartial future, are the
PeJudces and passions OF tho present hour He who
mankind-the lawgiver of naiions. He has founded \
school Of Christian arss and school honor
To this school the United States have contributed their
full share Not to mention other justly entitled, by
their abors in this field, the applause of their country
me- of simple justice, claim for my county, in
the person of our distinguished guest the homage due
legations Of this comprehensive and commanding sci
ence. His works-lke those of his great the
same subject-have been written his own, but
foreign land One of thcm, made its first appearance
in foreign tongue. The rense DE Ju,e BeHi Pacis
was presented by its author the King OF the French The
History OF the Law Of Nations written the instance
OF the first literary institution OF the country.
Like the works OF Grotius, those of guest also
marked by the union of sound and thoughtful judgment,
with the graces OF varied and cultivated schoarsh and
are throughout pervaded by the liberal and phan
thropc spirit Here, fortunately for guest and Tor U.S.
the parallel ends. Grotius fled from his enemies For
than twenty he exile from his country
and when, ut LENGTH reluctantly permitted return he
reached it but to die Our honored guest after
an absence nearly as long but the period has been spent
in the honorable service OF his native land and he
he comes TO us too, as we would ain hope, long
Joy the synpahies of friends long the interests
humanity This tribute him is indeed, proof per-
sonal esteem; but would wrong and bettle regard
merely SUCH 1t is also token that love
try and those who advance its glory that tnke
est in the welfare of race and hold just honor those
who labor for its highest good.
give you the following sentiment:
Hugo Grous and the School he founded .-America has
furnished disciple worthy Of the Teacher and of the Sci
ence.