The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1857-08-27

On Thursday last the United States Consulate
changed hands, our worthy Vice Consul, Dr.. Geo. A.
.Lathrop, who has been fortunate enough during his
occupancy to give general satisfaction, giving place
. to his successor the Hon. A. Pratt The evening Of
that day was improved by many of our residents, to
pay their respects to the retiring Consul, to express
to him. their good will, as well Is commentator OF
his official conduct and capacity in the discharge of
the onerous duties of the Consulate. The Vice Consul
takes with him in retiring from Office the good wishes
Of our community.
Although the gathering wasimpromtu. the hospita-
BILE board of the Vice Consul was soon spread. and his
guests made welcome. The refreshments having been
discussed to the satisfaction Of all present, Capt. d.
C. Waterman cslled the company to order and said:
We have met, gentlemen, as you are aware, to pay
our respects to DR.. Lathrop on the occasion Of his re-
tirement from the Office of Vice Consul Of the United
States. 1t is the wish of the merchants and business
men here present, that Mr.. Gregg, whom we see in
our midst, should take it upon himself to express
their sentiments, and in their naLae assure DIR.
Lathrop of their appreciation Of the manner in which
his official duties have been discharged. Will you
Mr.. Gregg come forward and speak in our behalf,
The company then generally called for Mr.. Gregg,
who made the following remarks:
am grati6ed very highly, Capt Waterman. to
be 30 much honored by the merchants and business
men of Honolulu. To speak in the name and behalf
Of 30 intelligent and respectable a body on such an
occasion is a distinction to which 1 can lay no just
claims whatever. But I am proud of it. and shall
always remember it with pleasure. / thank you and
the merchants of Honolulu for the confidence reposed
in me, though / must be permitted to say at the same
time that, in my judgment, you, or any of those
around you, would have been a better and more elo-
quent representative of the views and feelings of this
numerous assemblage than I can hope to be. (Turn-
ing to DR.. Lathrop Mr.. G. continually
I am not a little surprised, DR.. Lathrop, to find
myself thus suddenly commissioned to address you in
the name of this most respectable company. l ac-
knowledgeeehe high honor of serving such a con-
stituency, and the qualification arising from it is en-
HANGED by the nature of the service am to perform.
congratulate you sir, most sincerely, in having
secured the appreciation of the merchants and bust
ness men of the port of Honolulu The enjoyment of
their favor is a distinction of no ordinary character.
They are not apt to bestow their confidence incon-
siderately; their testimony is well weighed before it
is given, and when given it is entitled to the highest
respect. They have witnessed your conduct; they
have had a full opportunity of ascertaining your
merits as a public officer, and now as you are about
to retire to private life, they desire me to assure you
of their respect and approval. Their presence here
tonight is intended to give you an evidence of good
will and friendly feeling-an earnest of their appre-
citation of your efforts and success in managing fairly
and faithfully an important public trust. So far as
I am advised there are no complaints lying at your
door, you retire to private life with the endorsement
of that part Of the community which has had the
best opportunity of knowing and judging of your
principle of action. They part with you officially
with deep feelings of regret-feelings only moderated
by the belief that the gentleman who takes your place
will not fail to act upon the same wise and liberal
principles which have governed your conduct.
1t now only remains for me to express the hope
that a long career of happiness and prosperity is be-
fore you. The social circles Of this community would
regret deeply your absence and that of your amiable
family. Your friend@they are legion in number
trust that your interests will not require you to leave
Honolulu. But should it be otherwise, should you
deem it expedient, as it has been intimated you may,
to return to your native land, you will be accompanied
only by the kind sentiments and good wishes of a cir
Gle even far more numerous than that now assembled
around your festive board. But no matter where
your lot in life may hereafter be cast, you will not
be forgotten by those to whom you have commended
yourself here as an honorable man and faithful pub
lie officer. In bidding you farewell as an official, we
leave behind US a heartfelt aloha nui. May no pr
hkio ever ONE near your house or mar your for
tunes.
With much feeling the doctor replied:
Mr.. GREGG AND GENrLEMEN.-I have the unex-
pected pleasure Of meeting tonight some OF the old
residents of Honolulu, diplomatic and consular rep
resentatives, and a large number Of the merchants,
business men and shipmasters; and it is extremely
gratifying to me, at the close of my official career
among you, to receive from you the assurances which
you have been pleased to offer tonight.
have been living in Honolulu almost. long enough
to entitle me to the s~obriquet " an old resident" and
the time is drawing nigh when 1 expect to leave here.
to return to my native land once more; and, gentle
men, permit me to assure you that l shall ever re-
member with much pleasure the voluntary ,testimo-
NAL on your part this evening, as well as on other oc-
casions, of your satisfaction with the manner in which
1 have performed my public duties.
The Office from which I have this day retired is, as
you are alLwell aware, one of many perplexities and
trials, one in which many conflicting interests are to
be harmonized; one where belligerent parties even
threaten to annihilate the Consul by I" heaving their
ships upon him. from which catastrophe, however,
no one has materially suffered; and here too the
helpless seamen looks for the redress of all his
wrongs, whether real or imaginary.
Wien entering upon the duties of that Office, i was
well aware of many Of the difficulties which were to
be encountered and in my most ~ssnguine anticipa-
tons l had not expected to give the satisfaction or
meet with the approval which you have accorded to
me. I have endeavored in my public duties to carry
out the same principles which have always been my
guide in private life; to acquaint myself as well as
possible with my business. whatever it might be. and
to perform my duties promptly and faithfully with
out fear or favor. You are all more or less interested
in the manner in which the duties are performed at
the Consulate of the United States, as a vast prepon-
derance Of the commerce is American and a large
proportion Of that consists Of the whaling feet But
these whalers are.in the widest sense of the word
cosmopolitan. and. although alarge number annually
visit us. yet they can easily be turned away in sufi-
cient numbers so as to materially affect the business
Of Honolulu. We have felt and regretted this on q
former occasion, but I trust that even the remem-
brance Of that may be forgotten, in the pleasant rea-
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