The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-05-15


the British minister, ut the anniversary dinner OF
the Maryland Historical Society, on Saturday
evening last, and which was briefly sketched IN
our running report on Monday. 1t Is chaste
and eloquent, and we now make room for 1t, not
wilhstanding the pressure Of other matters upon
our columns:
GENTLEMEN: Notwithstanding the pleasure
which feel in meeting you again, and the IN
iluence Of the gay countenances which surround
me, confess to you that enc sorrowiul sentl-
ment has at this moment the first place IN my
heart.
Since we last met, the brave and gallant spirit
Of that soldier who then ruled over the destlD'es
Of this Republic, aud to whose high achieve
ments had then the opportunity OF paying n
casual tribute of respect, has passed from us to
that land where there is no honor to the victor,
no humiliation to the vanqushed. Sad and
sudden, gentlemen, was that event, but even
whilst following the remains Of the honest
hearted Taylor to the grave, ] could not see
without admiration the quiet and decorous man
ner in which the rens Of government passed
throughout this extended empire, from the
hands Of great warrior to those OF peaceful
magistrate. [Cheersl Nor have ! marked
without interest how prudent citizen, arriving
so suddenly and Unexpectedly at power OF
which monarchs might be proud at once dis
played the sagacity aud the capacity OF great
ruler--calling to his councils the Wise men OF
the land, cheers, and adopting that policy
which he thought best calculated--in crisis
big with the fate of empire--to assuage the pas
sions Of conflicting parties, and to bring them to
that ground ofcompromise, on which lagree with
preceding speakers, it is always polite, when
possible, to arrange calmly and amicably the
worldly differences Of mankind. Loud APP
plause And, if these things, gentlemen, are
credtabe to an individual, are they not credit
able also to the institutions of the State to
which he belongs! Yes. You say, yes.
repeat most assuredly, yes! And now speak
of them because it appears to me that cannot
better testify that deserve, in some degree, the
regard and kindness with which you and your
countrymen have honored me, than by showing
that appreciate the qualities of the statesmen
that govern you, and the institutions under which
you live. Applause. Oh gentlemen, | am
proud, you know it, don't disguise it, of St
George-but freely admit that the greatest feat
he ever performed was that of begetting St
Jonathan Cheers and laughter Yonder
figure, however, reminds me (pointing to a
figure of History, on the table,) that we are not
here as children of st. George or st. Jonathan,
but as counttymen, all, of the great and common
land of letters. Cheers The society which
is here assembled, and Of which you have elected
me member is dedicated to the.study of his
tory, and though the field to which it is princi-
paIly confined is American history, in what part
Of the civilized world is not American history
subject of interest! Cheers. For my own
part, gentlemen, have just been qualifying my
self to wear somewhat worthiy the badge you
have conferred upon me, (pointing to the rib
bon of the society upon his breast,) by pay
ing visit to the fountain source of your early
traditions. | mean that almost fabulous region
where Powhattan---
''the Lord ofall,
Quivered and plumed and 1.-THE and TALL"
held his rule over the halt naked, much laugh
ter may say this laughter and ruthless war
'riors who roved through the primitive forests of
Virginia Yes gentlemen, | think could pass
my examination, and show good title to my de-
gree, for have been standing on the ground
where the gallant Smith was laid upon the fatal
stone, and have listened on the very spot where
those romantic facts occurred, TO the tale of how
the beautiful, suppose ! may not say the fair
daughter laughter of the Indian King rushed
to the rescue of our common hero, and saved
for future deeds life already so full of marvel
lous adventure; [cheersl and is il not a fact of
singular and favorable augury that after visiting
the historical exploits of one John Smith,
should find another John Smith, laugh erl-
probably his Observation-Disclosures of your
Historical Socety!* Cheers and laughter l.
Will you allow me to congratulate you on hav-
ing President who has such traditional claim
to the post And will you allow me also to con-
gratulate you in following the pursuit which you
have selected as the occupation of your leisure
in a spot, and under circumstances which must
naturally tend to make it agreeable. Cheers.
Your historical studies gentlemen, must of course
begin with your own peculiar history, and
whether you look to its past current, its future
course, don't think you can well be dissatisfied
[Cheersl Ay, gentlemen of Maryland, let us
turn to the first pages of your early chronicles,
what do we see there ? Amidst time of general
intolerance, when the voice of religion was else
where drowned amidst the cries of victims and
the shouts of prosecutors, when the holy light
was elsewhere rendered lurid by the glare of bon
fires blazing over human sacrifice, here, in this
chosen land, her soft and gentle accents sank
into the heart of the penitent, breathing mercy
and forgiveness cheers, whilst her ever-sac
red ray beaming round the tranquil affairs of st
Mary's, seemed like the lustre of the sweet planet
of the night to dspel surrounding darkness and
dispense the clouds which the tempests of that
stormy ufue uFoNe ever ana anon toward tne
peaceful waters of the Potomac; Iappause,
and here, gentlemen, let us not pursue history
into the domain of theology nor seek to enquire
whether this glorious federation was the work
of Protestant or Catholic. Suffice it for US to
know that it was the work of Americans and
Engshmen, oud cheers,] whose minds were
mbued with truly Christian spirit, at time
when men seemed to have unlearned the Christ
ian preeept, that no one can really love his God,
who does not love his neighbor also, Applause,
and iisuch is the picture, gentlemen, which comes
to you from times gone by what is that which
stands on the foreground of times now present,
promising future still more splendid for times
to come! ICheers. Your city has increased
within the last ten years from one hundred 10 n
hundred and seventy thousand souls, and has
added within the last year 500 houses to its
previous habitations. Applause 1t stands
upon bay whence the shipping which crowds
its waters is carried by the steady breeze of
prosperous commerce to every region open to
the ocean; cheers whilst already three rail-
roads place it in direct communication with the
three great divisions of this immense continent.
lCheers.