The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-05-19
TO Be CONTINUED.
COMPLIMENTARY FESTIVAL TO THE HON.
JOHN p HALE
Al the Hall Of the Boston and Etchbvg Rail
road Station, Mag 9Th, 1853.

Al the Hall Of The Boston and Fitchbtug Rail
road Station, May 5h 1853
Agreeably to the wel-arpointed arrange
mens made by the friends Of the Hon JOHN
p. HALE, in this city, the complimentary festi-
val in honor of his eminent public services was
celebrated with unusual success and .splendor.
BY the hour assigned for the gathering the
antc-roOms and avenues to the hall were dense
ly crowded with the participants, and the sig
nal of entering the dining hall had been given
scarcely ten minutes before the vast apartment
was completely filled The hall was most ad-
mrably arranged for the festival. The raised
platform for tho honored guest and tho invited
friends was placed in the CENTRE upon tho west
side of the hall, and was occupied by three ia
bles of graduating height; on each side of
these were two minor tables, and before this
range, extending laterally across the vast area,
were nineteen long tables all bountoously spread
and ornamentcd The plates set may be emu
merated M follows: The nineteen long tables,
sixty each, LAO; the four side tables, forty
each, 100; the three platform tables, 100; total
400 Besides these, some limited accommo-
| dations were furnished in the ante-rooms. 1t
will DO safe TO say that fifteen hundred indiyid-
. uals partook Of the feast
4 The vast hall was will ont decoration Of any
kind, if we except the brilliant alienation OF
. female lovcliness, with manly grace, that par.
tcipatcd in the entertainment whose gay holy.
u day dresses, and bright, cheerful countenances
i like the varied colors of n wcll.arranged par
. torrc, gave unusual beauty to the scene Seldom
o has Il finer body of men and women appeared 10
II public assembly.
& John e. Pallrcy, of Cambridge, presided.
% The demands Of the physical organization
worc satiatod through the bounteous provision
of Mcssrs. Francis O. Irish and John Wright
assisted by Mr., =. j. Bailey, of Union Hall
% Never were tables spread with more generous
banquet-ncyer an appetite tempted by rarer
; viands. Fish, fcsh fowl--the Weddings Of wa
y ter, earth, and air-the products of most skill
n ful commssarics-al were presented for the
y free discussion of the numerous host, and right
= earnestly were their merits canyassed, and with
= hearty unanimity the verdict rendered of SUI.
; perlatiye"
7 After due season spent in this delightful
1 exercise, tho intellectual entertainment com
. mcnced. The distinguished President of the
!. day, Hon, John q. PalIrcy, rose and said:
y LApIEs AND GENTLEMEN: Assembled her,
nj by the common interest, in cause AZ holy Al
n the madness of man ever opposed, or tho right
We eousness OF God ever smiled upon--a Gauss
., worthy OF the constant courage of man, anC
:" tie sweet sympathy Of woman--you have beer
rs pleased to honor mo with the trust Of ofierin,
10 your welcome to statesman, who, il our pow
a or had been equal tn our wishes, or had beer
10 equal to the confidence which his great ser
:, had inspired in US We would have called to tn
nj helm Of the nation assured that then the ma
he ton would have had II prosperous voyage.
u New Hampshire, to the advantage Of his in
We tcrest, il may be, but little to her credit, an
S ~ much to the national loss has found that sh
- could dispense with his official services. Bu
ladies and gentlemen there are honors high'