The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1854-11-10
DINNER TO GEO. D. PRENTICE.

OlNNEh IL GEO. ID. PhEN IlCE.
A dinner was given to Geo. ID. Prentice
editor Of the Louisville Journal, by the cti.
zens of Memphis, irrespective of party, on
Wednesday the SO!h ult Mr.. Prentiee's re.
spouse to the complimentary toast was very
happy. Wequote portion of it below. As
highly as he has been appreciated by friends
and foes, we are certain no one will read
what he said on the occasion, without think
ing still better of the man.
GENTLEMEN feel grateful for the natter-
ing toast just given and for the exceeding
cordially with which you have received it.
wish ! could make fitting response to it,
All who know me know that am not pub
lie speaker. believe that can scarcely be
said ever to have addressed an assemblage of
men in all my life. Indeed never half liked
to address more than one woman at time.
And am almost afraid | am getting a little
toe old even for that. If You want speeches
from me, the best way for You will be to sub
scribe for my paper, and then | will make you
three or four every day. J will tell you all
the truth-and possibly little more. have
oitentimes written till my fingers were bis
tered, and perhaps some of my democratic
friends may think, that, if had spoken the
same things, my tongue would have been
blstered too. Nevertheless, ] believe | am
an honest politician and editor; and, if man
can continue honest in vocation where the
temptations to be otherwise are so numerous
and powerful, don't know but he deserves n
good dinner from both wings and democrats.
Still, am conscious of having committed
| some political errors, and heaven grant that
this excellent dinner may lie more lightly up
on my stomach than those unintentiona er-
rors do upon my memory.
Gentlemen, though | am not speaker,
can at least thank you from the depths of q
warm heart for the compliment you have paid
me, in inviting me to meet you on this oeca-
sion. No compliment could have more graf
flied me than this invitation from the gentle
men of Memphis to public dinner, unless
perhaps, an invitation from the ladies of
Memphis to public tea party. know that
my wing friends will both pardon and justify
me when saw that prize this compliment,
coming from Wings and Democrats alike, far
more than could a similar one from men,
bers of my own party alone. There was
time years ago when cared little what my
political opponents said or thought of me, so
| had the regard, the support, and the APP
plause of my political friends. But have
long since ceased to feel thus. have learn
ed to appreciate and to desire the good opin-
ion of all good men. have learned that
candor, and truth, and honor, and honesty,
and wisdom, and patriotism, and virtue, are
confined to no party. My devotion to the
party with which have acted throughout my
life, is unfalterirg, but time teaches to all
true hearts the great lesson of political lbe-
rality. | have published some things, which,
although well intended at the time, | could
wish blotted from the memory of my readers
and from my own. have written some bit
ter things of men, who have since passed
away from the earth, and whose memories
revere, and on whose graves | could shed
tears of sorrow and regret. All. when | look
back through the tventy-sx years of my ed
itora lie, and think how many ! once de.
nounced who afterwards became nv personal
friends, or proved themselves their cOuntry's
friends, and how many once eulogsed and
toiled for who have since turned their hands
ruthlessly and causessly against me; when
reflect how often the most arduous and devo
ted political services are forgotten by those
to whom they are rendered, and how often
the deepest political injuries are magnanim.
ously forgiven by those to whom they are
done and when remember how many of my
political friends have strven to crush me- and
how many democrats have gathered around
me as band of brothers in the days of my
personal peril, should be guilty of IN out.
rage on my own conscience, and on every
feeling and impulse Of my heart, if were
not to weed out from my nature the partizan
bitterness that once fourished there. lam
Wing, but | will greet every true-hearted
Democrat as my brother, and / will greet no
ialse-hearted Wing as such. What the future
of parties is to be | know not, and the wsest
of us are not wise enough to know Dsor-
CARNATIONS and reorganizations are in pro.
gress, and in all probability many who have
Tor years been battling desperately against
each other, will find themselves arrayed
shoulder to shoulder in defence of the great
cause Of human rights.