The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-01-13
I H E REP u BLIC.
COLUMBIA rYPoGnAPHIoAL SOCIETY.

COLUMBIA TYPOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY.
On Saturday evening. the 4th of January, 1851
the Columbia Typographical Society celebrated its
thirty sixth anniversary at Willard's HOTEL in this
city.
The annual election Of the officers of the Society,
and the other Incidental and necessary business,
was disposed Of at the City Hall, from whence the
members proceeded to Wizards Hotel to meet their
invited guests at the festive board
The newly elected President of the Society, A.
B. CLAYTON, esq, presided and the newly-elcct-
Vice President, JoHS H. Thorn. esq, took his ap-
proprate place at the other extremity of the table.
Amongst the invited guests the Hon. H. s..
Foote, of the United States Senate; the Hon. Jas.
l.. Orr, member of the House Of Representatives
from the State Of South Carolina Thomas Richie,
esq, editor of the Union Ewood Fisher esq.,, and
E. De Leon, esq, of the Southern Press; Walter
Lenox, esq.,, Mayor of the city Of Washington |;
Ovid F. Johnson, esq, Of Philadelphia; William
M. Overton, esq, &C., &c.
The table was bountifully and elegantly supplied
by the host of the City Hotel, and the two hundred
gentlemen present were evidently highly gratifed
with the bounteous repast.
The duties of the supper table having been dis
charged, the President rose and said:
GENTLEMEN: Before proceeding with the bust
very briefly to state for the benefit Of those friends
who have honored US with their presence on this
casion one two Of the legitimate purposes of the
Society to which belong, the thirty sixth ami
versary of which we have this night met to cee-
brate. 1t is beneficial association, and aims to
promote the interests of its members by providing
a fund to be used when accident or sickness inca
pacitatcs a member from pursuing his daily avo-
cations. II seeks to elevate labor, by securing to
it an appropriate reward, and by preventing un-
due competition and consequent ruinous depres-
sion in the wages paid. The Divine law has made
it incumbent upon all to labor; man must earn his
bread by the sweat of his brow; and labor, sane
toned by such high authority, is honorable, is en-
nobling However much, in other lands, the man
who tolls for his daily bread, and strives by the la
Dor of his hands to supply his own wants and the
wants of those dependent upon him, is looked up
degraded and inferior being; yet, thank
God, we live in a land where labor meets Just
ward; and where the man Of toll receives the same
respect, and may aspire to the same dignities,
the most favored child of fortune. He who de-
pends upon himself, and supplies all his wants by
his own cxertions, needs not nor seeks the foster
ing Of those in power, for he ia an independent
man The social position of the workngman in
this country ia of its distinguishing character
istics The principles of the Constitution under
which live beget in him a feeling of pride and
Independence l know but speak the sentiments
of you all, when / say that, as Americans, as Anne
rican mechanics, were you placed before the
throne of royalty itself, your native independence
and pride Of character would preserve you undis-
mayed by it's power, unawcd by its splendor. Ever
ready to accord to talent and station the respect
which is due to them, we demand for ourselves
that regard which belongs TO honest, independent
honorable labor. In word, we are "united to
support labor. but not combined to injure capital
With these few remarks, permit me to offer to you
the first regular toast of the evening"
REGULAR ToAsTs.
/. Our Thirty sirth Anniuersary-With higher
scale of prices, we can afford to celebrate it on
higher scale Of enjoyment May its incidents, like
those of its predecessors compose an entertaining
page in the book of memory.
T. The Columbia Iypographical Society-We honor
it for the stand has taken and shall stick to 1t as
long we live.
g. The United States-USIrED they will remain
while the form in which they made up rests,
now, on the great body of the american Press.
4. T.e Art Of Printng-It has distributed all the
sorts Of knowledge in the great case of the world
whose bores nations. and given the Genius of
America the first take.
S. The President Of the United States-A head line
set up by the People May it never fall out Of the
form of the Constitution.
6. Free Schools and Free Press-Our liberties
will be safe long intelligence shall guide the
one and rule the other. Those who schoOled in
knowledge will ever be ready to press into the ser
Z. The Constitution of the United States--A good
proof of the excellent workmanship of its authors.
Every clause of it was justified in true measure,
wide enough to embrace the rights and ensure the
happiness of the whole people
s. Washington-The great type Of heroes and
statesmen. Letters never composed the name OF a
purer or more eXaited patriot.
g. The Early Masters Of Printing opened
the founts of knowledge, and distributed its trca
sures to the world. Let their names be imprinted
on the records of the worlds benefactors.
10. american Iypos-They have proved that they
can be leaders in the Senate, the forum, and the
field whenever fortune points the way.
IL. The Deceased Members Of our Society Though
their stars set i'll this world, may hope that
they have been trdnsposed to mark hiGfus in the
volume of the Just.
l2. The american Flag-Its brilliant tints are a
copy of those that beautity the heavens. May they
13. Woman-Thc only class in the contract sys-
tenn that should not be abolished.
The President announced that the list of regular
toasts had been gone through with, and therefore
he called upon the Committee of Arrangements TO
propose those with which they were prepared
Mr.. McNerhany rose and proposed
Thomas Ritchie-The man who always does his
duty, whether he contracts to do it or not-an able
and fearless champion of the Union, and the "F'a-
ther Of the American Press" lAPPlausc;l
the Typographical Association; cannot sit quiet
ly in my seat when hear such toast given in
compliment to one who, perhaps, does not deserve
it. As to the contract system ! shall say nothing
Any thing on that subject will not come with pro-
priety from me. leave others to pass their opn-
ion upon it, and therefore shall pass it over in
perfect silence.
AS to the Union, gentlemen, I rise principally to
congratulate you upon that point. When your
last anniversary took place this great Republic was
in danger; the very battlcmens Of the Constitution
were assailed the ship OF State was launched upon
Q tempestuoua ocean, and many an anxious heart,
and many sagacious eye predicted that it would
founder in the tempest. Thanks be TO God it has
survived il all.
Suppose this Union had been dissolved, what
would have become of the last hope of the human
race' What would have become Of us. What would
have become Of you, living in the metropolis of
The Union? never contemplated such catastro-
phc ns that without recollectng that not only
your private property would be sacrificed but those
noble institutions which we see every day would
have to totter to the ground. What would become
Of those beautiful squares that cultivated hcrel
What would become of the great Capitol, where the
Representatives OF the Confcderacy Of the thir'- =
sovereign States gather togethe- 4 J one
munc On the dAs''-' -. IN counsel to com
LAY of the whole country! What
would become Of the monument now rising and
piring to the skies to your immortal Washington!
Your avenue, beautiful as it is, would be covered
with grass; your public buildings would tumble
down, and the monument of Washington, instead
Of being finished, would gradually decay, and ev-
cry stone of it would fall to the ground. Some fu-
Il Il.