The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-06-23
At NEW ORLEANS

by hilariy, good feeling, and the usual amount Oh
good speaking and scntimentising, but il was also
marked by excellent Judgment and taste. Inc
nature Of the festival, the mixed character OF the
assembly, and certain incongruities OF OPINION ana
ideas on subjects which were prominent IN
the thoughts OF at least considerable portion OF
the COMPANY, necessarily imposed some degree Of
restraint and embarrassment on the company. But
these difficulties were pleasantly surrounded, and
the whole affair passed of with uninterrupted good
humor
Major Arnold Harris presided with great dignity
and address. He was assisted by Recorders Win
ter and vaught. General Quitman sat on the left,
and w Sidney Smith, Esq, on the right.
When the toast to Great Britain and the United
States read Mr.. Mure, British Consul at this
port, loudly called for, and responded in a
speech full of good feeling and sentiment. He dwelt
with great felicity on the Importance of cutivatng
good feelings and relations between the two coun-
tries-and spoke of our common origin, language,
literature, and of that still stronger bond OF a COM
mon humanity, which bound us altogether by one
common tie Mr.. Mures speech was very happy,
and throughout was loudly applauded
The second toast to the guest was received with
loud burst Of enthusiasm, and with three times
three Of cheers
Mr. SMITH arose under an evident embarrass
ment, and responded to the toast in the following
remarks:-Mr. President, and Gentlemen-1 cam
not find words adequate sufficiently to express my
feelings for the kind manner in which you have been
pleased to drink my health. Rest assured that
feel highly honored at being the guest of SO many
distinguished individuals, whose hospitality and
sure But, gentlemen by no means merit the high
cneomiums which the Partially OF friends passed
upon my conduct with regard to the prisoners who
confined IN the fort at Havana, for having been
concerned in the liGtei expedition 10 CUBA. under
| the ex-Spansh General Lopez. My poor services
upon that occasion have been far too much over
rated ard my efforts to relieve the destitute condi
ton Of those who survived that disastrous UNDER
taking as heartily given they were, would have
been sCaht indeed had not been choerfully assisted
with means to do 50 by many generous and warm
! hearted individuals, among whom | feel pride in
mentioning the name Of Her Britannia Maiestv's
Consul, General Joseph T. Crawford, 70 whom never
yet was IN appeal made IN vain, BY person. in dis
tress and, need rot add, the noble action taken
! IN their behalf by one OF your osn chiyalrous and
! b)ghealted countrymen, John s. Ihrasher, through
whose exertions we were mainly indebted for the
means by which those prisoners were supplied with
those nocassarics they stood 50 much in need Of
and who promptly came forward. not with kind
words only, but with substantial aid. With regard
10 myself, | did nothing but my duty. nothing
more than what many, very many others would have
gladly, wiling have done, had they had the same
| opportunity that had. IL would. indeed ! think,
have been impossible to have looked upon the ororn
and destitute condition Of those brave but grossly
deceived young men, without feeling the greatest
desire TO endeaNor to do something for their relief,
and must confess, that it with feelings of deep
| satisfaction to myself that daily found my steps
! bent IN the direction Of the forts which
| knew contained the beating hearts Of many a
\ noble minded ard chiyalrous boy. little thinking
\ ut the time, that such 4 simple act of mine
4 would shortly bring down upon my head the bles-
| sings and prayers Of many fond father. mother
and sister, whose darling son or brother had be-
1 Ionged to that verto-be- lamented expedition
\ Gentlemen. have received from the relations of
some Of those poor fellows whose untmely deaths we
have all TO deplore, letters which estimate beyond
4 all price. But, gentlemen, j would beg to impress
| this deeply upon all your minds: the excite ment
/ IL Havana, wheR it became known that the expedi-
ton under Lopez had landed at Bahia Honda, was
intense The position OF the superior authority Of
tEa gFaIx Af
4 jewel of the crown Of Spain had been committed
/ 10 the charge of Gen. Concha, and he had sworn
TO preserve 1t with honor The tranquility of Cuba
was menaced with an armed invasion. Let us
I under such circumstances, place ourselves in his
! position. and then We would be better able fully
! to appreciate the magnanimous act Of humanity
which induced him 10 issue the eyer-to- be remeni
\ bered act of clemencv contained in his proclama-
! ton Of August 2ith sparing the lives Of those Of
] the expedition who should surrender, or be male
prisoners, within four days from that date, but which
4 he afterwards extended to an unlimited time. Bat
Tor this act OF clemency, not Of the expcdi-
ton would have been left 10 tell the tale and We
should bave had 10 dep|ore the loss Of upwards of
| one hundred and eighty brave l1ds, buried, unpro
pared, into eternity. Gentlemen. lot rs fucn give
unto Caesar the things which arc Caesars ben the
prisoners were brough. into Havana, their cond ion
/ Tor u Gay or Two was very dep.UTabe. bat tho mo-
! ment then suferings represented to Gen Con
cha, instant relief afforded them and m osnl
10 such OF them may he in the .iv. who her
/ every Indulgence was not granted Ia them during
tn commitment. consistent with their condition
prisoners. The captain General instructions from
/ the supreme government in case II the threatened
\ invasion, were doubtless decisive. According TO the
general order Of the day. addressed to the army in
cuba. IN April 1901, 10 quarter was to he given;
lo prisoners were TO be taken: and yet. General
Conoha spared the lives Of nearly two hundred men,
who also, through his strong recommenda-
/ ton, has, materially aided in obtaining
to their families. All praise. therefore, is
due to General Concha, and the superior authorities
Of the Island, for their many acts of generosity.
! The men will themselves tell You that, after they
delivered themselves up, they were treated with the
greatest kindness during the whole march from San
/ Christov3 to Havana-the people could not help
plying the youthful appearance Of the liberators,
and it was impossible not to have been filed with
/ wonder and admiration at the herosm displayed by
/ handful Of mere boys. who, no doubt. fully believ-
ing that the cause in which they had embarked was
| Just one fought so manfuy in support. even to
WIN Kindness and consideration from their foes. In
4 conclusion, gentlemen permit me once more 70 offer
you my warInest, my most sincere thanks for Your
great kindness and especially for the distinguished
honor conferred upon me in November last, when
I received ron the young gentlemen OF TINS city
handsome testimonial Of their regard. shall ever
look upon that beautiful present with feelings of the
deepest pride and satisfaction, and il mus. always
ne source 81 extreme pleasure to mo to think that
my services should lave merited 80 great an honor
from the citizens Of n State whose chyalrv and ge-
nerosty i beyond all question, and whose talents,
4 energy and enterprise have rendered it famous to
"Aa sttOHu 10 none III tUts great ana gi0-
rious Union.
cen. QuITNAN was loudly called to respond to the
I toast 70 our country. which he did III speech OF
length. The General ascribcd the greatness
Of our country to the virtues and energy Of the poo
lie, rather than, as was very common error to
the mode IN which the government was administer
Cd. TIC people were always in advance Of the go
ycTnment. The people had never ratified the desr-
nation ~ robbers and pirates bestowed by the Exec
Gtive upon the unfortunate young men, some Of
whom had sealed their sincerity with tlcir lives in
Cuba, and others, whose hard fate had been miti-
gated by the Kindness Of tho noble gentleman whom
they were honoring. sen q. referred, in the most
complimentary terms. TO the proud spirit which
characterized the foreign relations Of Great Britain
and 70 tbc honor everywhere accorded to an English
subject The Generals speech contained many papa-
bic hits, which, however, be appeared to be under
an apprehension might offend some sensbilties.
Whom the toast TO the press drank
ALiN. WALLER was called on, and cspondcd in
speech, IN which he attempei 10 show that Great
britain was distinguished, il was true FOR her manly