Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-04-27
ST. Georxs,s Day New York.


Thomas Church, on Broadway. 10 the
evening the Annual Dinner and Festival was
celebrated at the Metropolitan Hotel. The
dining hall Of the hotel was beautifully and
appropriately fitted up for the occasion, hav-
ing the portrait of the Queen at the upper
end of the room, and the British and Ameri-
can Flags draped fraternalIy at each end,
and the banners OF the European Continental
Monarchies gracefully fe-tooned on the sides.
At o'clock the dinner was announced to the
air of ''On the roast beef of Old England
The company, which consisted OF about two
hundred AMI fifty guess, at the table.
The toast to the President of the United
States was responded to with enthusiasm.
To the toast, Her Majcsty's Ministers and
their representatives in this country" Lord
Napier rose and was received With loud
cheers. His Lordship said:
Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen In rising
to respond 10 the present toast, permit me to
thank you for this renewed opportunity
which you have granted me of meeting my
countrymen and 80 large representation OF
the citizens of New York. 1t Is mutual
satisfaction for US, trust, to draw closer the
ties of nationality and good fellowship. l
feel the pleasure, | experience the benefit OF
ESQ lping from the engrOssing political con.
cel us of Washington, and ningling With the
industrial movement and practical intelligence
of this great metropolis. When | had the
honor Of ADDRESSING you year ago, we had
recently issued from a great war, by sea-
sonabIe peace. and it was natural to suppose
that We might enjoy the fruits of our exertlons
and sacrifices 10 a period OF unbroken re-
pose and unchequered prosperity. You know
how those expectations have been frustrated.
We have passed tbroughthe fires OF great
affiction 1t has been sad that a country Is
happy whose history Is dull; but gentlemen
we have little experience OF that sort OF iell-
city which is connected with stagnatIon. We
repudiate the surdld safety of an isolated
and idle power. 1t is the boast OF England
to be embarked on a course Of ubiquitous &C.
tivity and unceasing progress. We beiieve
that our purposes are good, that our actions
are honest, that our work deserves, on the
whole, the commendatlon OF men and
the favor of Providence. 1t is certain how
ever, that this crowded and aspiring career
cannot be pursued without trial and peril.
and without the vicissitudes Of good for
tune. We have learned again that dangers
must be encountered. that errors must be
corrected, that the precipitation and InJuNhcc
of other times and other agents Will still de-
mand their eventual cXpIatiOn. 1t Is noi
my part to exputiatc here on our prolonged
agony and orr unparalleled Triumph
This very day we have learned that the
fantastic fabric OF barbarOus empire, supper
ted by delusion and despair, has crumbled
under the thunders of the British guns, and
that the Indian mutiny--with all It's asS0cla
tons Of horror aud anguish, Of faith, OF ten
deruess and glory--is vanishing away, leav'
Ing TO us the duties Of mercy and the task OF
restoration. God forbid gentlemen, that
should extenuate the crueItles which have
been committed that | should undervalue
the sufftrings which have been endured
We will never forget the young, the innocent,
the fair, the brave, who have trodden the
darkest road which ascends to immortality
Our loss has, indeed, been grie'ous, but our
consultations have been great We possess
the virtues of the departed. We possess their
examples Of pety, fidelity, patience, and he
roism which will be laid up in the brightest
treasures of time; and We possessed friend
in the hour of tribuiation. When the gloom
had gathered most thickly, then voice OF
comfort and encouragement burst from the
American people. That was a fraternGl
voice, and its tones will not soon expire In the
grateful memory of England. Gentlemen,
on this occasion, in the presence OF my res
pected colleague, and 10 that OF 80 many o'
his country men, | cannot pass over in silence
the recent union Of the future sovereign OF
Prussia with the daughter Of our Queen
Why is it, gentlemen, that this union has
reused such wide and warm emotions IN our
respective countries! Why Is it that these
young lives and precious destnles have been
offered to a benigDant heaven with the pray
ers and aspirations OF all true German and
British hearts? Not only because this ALI
gnce is so natural, 50 equal so suspicious;
not only because it is the work OF spontane-
ous impulses. and The reward of paternal
virtues; not only because 1t has rent assun-
der the veil which hangs between the Us
and sorrows of the humble aud the great,
AID blended all in the universal circle OF dc
NESTS love More than this. The union
10 which | al!ude has become the gentle
symbol of that profound and ancient sym
ratby, which, notwithstanding the disturb
ances Of contemporary politics, still prevails be-
tween the nations OF Germany and Eng
land. That sympathy is founded IN the deep
and durable engagements OF the past. We
trace it 10 our common BIRTH our common
faith, our kindred thought, our confederate
arms in our standards always planted SIDE
by side in the recolIections of the great
Frederick, and the recolIections Of the grea!
Duke, on the soil of the German fafherland
moisteued by our mingled blood. Nor are
these imperishablc features Of the mutual
history remembered in spirit OF luminosity
or a spirit of exultation. They are calmly
and proudly cherished as the basis OF
generous affection. We preserve these mem.
cries az we preserve the arm II and the trophies
of our ancestors, Tor glory-not Tor offence +;
and surely, gentlemen, there is something
peculiarly significant in this cordial greeting
of all the members of the German family on
the Territories of the United States. If 10
Europe We can look back to a united past,
here we have the picture of an associated
future. Twelve centuries have gone by since
Germany sent her ehterprising swarms to
supplaut the primitive population OF the
British isles. 10 this vast interval we have,
on separate scenes, enacted our respective
mission in labor, in science, IN letters and IN
notifies: but here we stand at length, at the
time and on the place OF an appointed re-as-
sembly. You who inhabt the city OF New
Y,,L ara ,he constant and not the Indifferent