Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1849-10-11
MlistcIIoitcollg.
Webster at Plymouth Rock.

| had never Glanced to sit at table with
, Mr. Webster, and ] was very glad of this
opportunity to see him, for once. with his
armor OH" You will understand. of course
that the annual and formal Pilgrim Dim
ner" takes place III December and celebrates
the LdRdiHg, and that this was more in
formal gathering, ayowedIy to celebrate the
characterization. The real object probably
was to meet Mr. Webster over the pilprim
theme bis Congressional duties preventing
him from attendance here in the winter
Mr.. Winthrops presence was secured by
The same arrangement, and that of other
eminent New Englanders in Conrress.-
Easier access to the place in summer, and
the chance OF finding agreeable guests
among the distinguished strangers from the
South IN the travelling season, were addi-
tional reasons for establishing biennial
dinner; and indeed this celebration seems
likely TO become the more important of the
/ two.
There were hundred present, prnci-
paly " influential Bostonians" You know
Boston well enough to understand how this
would differ from a company of influential
New Workers. They were mostly rich
I
arch fool, nor mere literary man among
them. For edhr disproportinn of brains
to the pocket, they have very little respect
IN Boston. A more keen, sagacious set of
physlognomles were never collected about
a table, and it was impossible not to recog-
nze, even in their looks, the cool ineyita-
beness and breadthy calculation which
makes Boston enterprise both more hber-
al and certain than one from any other cap.
ital in our country. Among the invited
guests were Mr.. Mercer, the wealthy plant
er from Louisiana, Gov. Woodbury. of New
Hampshire, President Wayland of Brown
University, Edward Everett and Mr.. Mild
may, grandson OF Lord Ashburton. Il
shall not have informed you of all the eds
ungulshcd presences," however, without
mentioning that, at a double window which
opened from the dining-room to the hall
ike handbook at the opera. we're seated
several of the more charming descendants
OF the Pilgrims, and among them Mrs. Ban
croft, (wlle of the late Minister to England.
whom the younger Quincy, in his speech,
took occasion To compliment very graceful
~ upon her ieicltous representation of the
ladies' of the Pilgrim stock at the prouGest
court of Europe. Perhaps it would inter-
est our female readers to add that the cLley
Quincy, who was also present, made a
speech in which he tarly called the princi-
pal orators to order, they (Nlr. Webster.
Mr.. Everett aud Mr. Winthrop having glu-
rlled the pilgrim iore-tdfherS TO the exclu-
sion of the pilgrim tore-mOfhcrS, without
whose assistance, he thought, the landings
down to US from Plymouth would have been
very distressngly interrupted.
Mr.. Webster was already in the recep-
tion-room on the arrival of the special tram
which brought the guests from Boston,
dressed with that courtly particularly which
becomes HIM, and he made lis greetings to
his friends us they came in, like the Ma
ture's monarch that he is, with AN uucon-
triyed and unoppressve dignity and SIM
pliclty. He was suffering from an annual
affection to which he is subject, in the
shape of what is called in England the " hay
ieyer"-a sort of catarrh winch comes to
some persons with each years infusion of
the aroma of new-cut grass into the atmos-
phcre. 1t had evidently proslrated his usual
health and spirits, aud when not cOuversing
| he looked scarcely in a lit condition even
for silent presence at testivliy
At the announcement of dinner, Mr..
! Webster, who was to fill "the chair" took
the arm Of venerable clergyman of Ply
mouth who has occupied the same pulpit for
| fifty years, and seated himself at the cross
table between tins gentleman and DR.. Way
lsnd. Two lung tables extended down the
large dining-hall OF the Hotel and, at the
upper extremely Of one, Mr.. Everett was
penlnsulated by Mr.. Alildmay, and near the
upper end of the other sat MIR. Winthrop,
these two the principal oratorical rellances
ol the occasion. The witty and lile-enioy-
Ing Judge Warren, (the most agreeable
man for SO eminent IA one that the maturing
succession to the Webster epoch has to
show,) had the management Of the dinner
arrangements, and he was well appointed,
no less for his ready judgment and courtesy
than as being President of the "Pilgrim
Society,"" and the best descended man in
New England-Lavlng, in his genealogical
tree, six Of the best known names among the
company Of the Mayllower.
| think have now drawn in the outline
of the scene with sufficient dlstinctness-
accessory as everything seemed, and was,
to the principal parsonage in the picture
Mr.. Webster arose, when the cloth was re-
moved, and, III his prImti,e and simple
dIction, opened the historic purpose of the
celebration. lie illustrated the event Of
the EmbHrkatlon most apty and impressive
", as a painter illustrates u historical group,
by giving the scenery around 1t. He drew
the mOrat sky aud atmosphere amid which
the Pilgrims resolved upon their voyage
sketchlng the great men of that period !:
Shakespeare, Milton, Bacon aud others,
with their contenporaneOus intellectual mo-
, menta, III STRAIN OF narrative eloquence,
that, quiet as it was, showed the great mas
ter. He then outlined the progress of the
principles of The Pilgrims, and, by easy
transition, passed thence to the extension
of the Republics power and limits. With
Il reservation as to his own concurrence in
the grasp after grasp that we have taken, OF
territory South and West, he expressed in
an outbreak of most glowing aud oyerpow-
er'ng eloquence, his feeling as to liberal
usage and prompt equalization Of rights to
all who are once covered with our banner.
CHANGING at our relative position toward the
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