The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1863-12-25
Complimentary Supper to Hon. A. @
Riddle

Complimentary Supper was giVen to
Hon. A g. Riddle, at tho Angler House in
Cleveland. or Wednesday evening Of lss,
week, by friends Of that gentlemen, who do.
sired to testify, in some public way. ,bei,
respect for him, and their regret at parting
from him." The Leuder says '.the affair was
n splendid success" Hon. r. c.. Parson,
presided, and, on calling the company tc
order, made n brief speech Of much force
and elegance. in which he highly compli.
men'ed the guest Of the evening. Several
othcr short and appropriate speeches wer,
made, Mr.. j. ii. Rhodes, late of tho Hiram,
Institute. and now editor of tho Leader
responded to tho toast, THE LOYAL Press
of Oar Country" with characteristic earn.
estness, power and eloquonce. We have
room for only MIR. Riddles feeling and i'm.
pressive response to the toast compliments.
~ to himself
MIR. Riddle began by observing that al.
though he had been kindly notified tina, he
would DO called on to respond to o sonti.
ment IN honor of himself, no had rot the
malicious cruelty to anticipate the language
of friendly hyperbolo and prepare u set
speech in response thereto. fnd, no said
what with tho JOY of meeting you here, the
pain OF suying goodbye to you, and the
natural melancholy felt in taking NY Ioave
of home and friends, that my emotions will
not crystaI'ze into any fitting language. !
can but tender TO you my acknowledge.
ments for this grateful and graceful testi.
moDial OF friendship. and leave you to i'm.
aCine tho words which you wosld yourselves
utter it circumstancrd MS | am. Tho speak.
o. then reverted teeIlngly to the time
of his first coming to Cleveland, and ac.
knowlodgcd gracefully the kind courtesy
With which his seniors at tho bar had re.
ceivod and troatoi him. Ho hoped to DO
judged By that recognized though not often
Expressed rul6, that n man shall DO ostima.
ted not 10 proportion to his genius, his tai.
ents, the Opiu:ou of tho press about him.
his lame or his notoriety, but as no is known
by his friends. 1t had been most grateful
10 him thus to be known aud Lowell. In
tho last thirteen years. he said, which have
passed iC matters OF but little moment to
mysel: Individually, there have accumulated
tics, binding mo to you--never so strongly
as now ut the moment of parting--by cher
lshed associations and memories. The speak
or then paid \ high compliment to tho
Cleveland bar, remarking that tho fact that
he was "A mumber of il had always been a
suticien. passport and recommendation for
him.
Now 90 forth from among you, per.
haps tor months. perhaps for years, perhaps
for all time, as God in his morclful Provi-
dence shall decree for mo. | go with no
fooIiag but kindness, no thought of bitter
moss. rptpIpnpu IN thn nuai havn liln
ali men. some regrets, but | leave no one
behind ina from whom | cannot part in
friendship. tApplause.]
Hero, perhaps. l should close. But /
pause TO express another regrot-that |
must leave nv land before tho great and
overshadowing cloud of war which darkens
II IS fIi y dls spelled. There il no heart,
however nnmble, no individual, however ob-
scure, no arm, however weak, that whom
patriotism and love OF country warm, in
spire and uerye them their absence may nor
In some slight degree weaken the strength
OF the great mass Of that loyal people who
sustain tho Government. Applause.
will not deal in tho co~mmonplaces OF
this great Contest. Ii is tho great outgrowth
CT tho century. lie is the natural catastro.
pho which transpires in tho history of every
nation which has gone astray from right. IL
is the result of the effort ot the great God.
heart of tho nation to adjust itself again,
Such catastrophe will como inevitably
whenever "a dovia,ing nation is to DO brough,
back from out of tho debrls of its wrong and
ruin to the paths OF justice. 1t has taught
its own lesson, and woe to tho man or
party who cannot learn and practice lis
teachings. [Applause.
go out from among you, and though my
return DO as speedy as | hope, | pray that
that return may SEQ the whito-wingnd an.
gels Of poace sheltoring and o'erspreading
with their pinions our whole country.
Once again thanking you, kind friends
for this evidence Of yonr esteem l take my
seat. [Applanse.l