The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-12-24

There Is, believe, no people, Of ancient or
modern times, who have had more frequent occa-
sons for joicing than ours no one whose his.
tory, for so shoft period, has been crowded With
so many wonderful national achievements, cases
Of giander individual development, and more
marked nterpOsiious of Divine Providence. And
no event in our history deserves better to b, the
object Of special c0mmemolatio1 than the
landirg OF the Pilgrims on Plymouth Rock.
standing on the ocean strand with them on tha
bleak December day, and regarding simply le
exalted, yet sober euthusia.m of that people for
GiVil and religious liberty, regarding what the,
had already 90 brayely dared aud so patiently
suffered for ighteousuess' ard freedoms sake -
All that has since trausprel, seems but the nAtu-
raj outEtuW'h Of race of such noble orig n.
Il could hardly have required prophetic vision
20 have seen that before such indomiRble ,pnit
and hard enterprise, the new world, aud il, wage
occupants, must give way and disappear; that
when tbe mother county, from whose ptrsecu
Sons hey tlsd, should stretch ont her hand To-
impose new expressions these sturdy adventures
would protest, battle and conquer; that when
the foundation of a new nation was to be land
the largest civil and religious freedom should be
secured TO all Aud now in this later day, when
this splendid fabric Of natiOus ity-the couccp.
ton, embodiment, and offspring Of their noblcst
idlM-shOuld he mCuacod, the spirit which has So
animated them should also animate an CmUIous
End patriotic pOst,rity 20 maintain ], No every
hazard Very respectfully yours,
The next toast, "Thc Poets Of New Easl,ni, >"
was responded TO in beautiful and eloquent Ian
guree by William Cullen Bryant.
Before the speech, N.ce-Admia Fauagut and
Conn odore Draytuu had entered the room amid
tremendous cheering and nine hearty cheers for
-Acmha Faragut.
"lhc army and the navy of the United States
The mountains blaze with victory, and the floods
clap their hands for JOY. A few more charges
from our dauntCss legiOus--a few more brold.ide
ir'm our gallant gun0uats, and the whole field Is
won"
lhc following letter was read from General
HrAparARrBRs ARMIES or ruE UNITED
S1ATs, City Point Va, December D, 1864.
Joseph Il ChuatC Esq, Chairman, etc Dear
slr-Guur favor, inviting me TO hC present at
Tie meeting uf your Society on the 22d inst, Is
received. My duties are such that il would be
impossible for me to make any appointments so
far ahead, and especially 40 when il wOuld take
me nom ,he armies in the field. Please make
my excuses 10 the "NCw England Society" for
not accepting this kind invitation to he present
with them on the 22d Of December. With great
respect, your obcdient servant,
U. 5. GRANT, Lieutenant General.
SPEECH OF ADMIRAL FARRAGUr.
The Chairman then introduced, amid loud and
enthusiastic cheering, Admiral Farragut:-
GENTLEMEN do not know what your expecta-
| tions may be of Ncc.Admiral Farragut, but you
| have seen enough Of Rear-Admiral Farragut 20
| know that he is not very well qualified 70 make
such a speech as GU, perhaps, would like to lis
/ Ten TO- 1 am Bldu 10 return my LhAnk9 Tor the
| hospitable reception and enthusiastic honor |
| have always received in this hall; and when |
| had the pleasure TO see you last | promised to
20 abroad to keep mp sympathetic feeling with
our association in another quarter. daughter
and aTplause.) l only wish that / could return
my thanks as the General has DONE by "a letter
lLaughttr) But we have some odd notions
IN the navy, and one is that we share
our shot as we do our prize money; hence
the higher the rank, we have the more respOns-
hlity; and hence, l suppose am called upon
! can back up what was said by the gentle nan
CWillam Cullen Bryant as to the manner in
which the sons of New England and other States
have poured out their blood at the South. God
knows they have poured IL out nOby cloud and
continued applause
Commodore WinsOw, in response to loud calls
rose and in few words stated that he was not
well enough to do more than simply TO thank them
for their kind and enthusiastic greeting.
Loud calls were then given for Commodore
DraytOn, who rose amid cheers. He said -
GENTLEMEN ALLOW me to return my thanks
for your kindness. The only merit / have is in
having he fortune of being associated with Ad-
miTal FaTagut, who has so much reputation that
every one who comes near him gets a little of it,
(GrcGt laughter.) Still am Just as much inter
ested in putting down the Rebellion as he is or
you are. That have not been abe to do il to the
same extent is, perhaps, owing partly TO want Of
ability, and partly to want of opportunity, (Laugh-
direct antagoni,m with the ideas which you re-
present; but allow me to say that l have the
waTmest feelings towards you, and always have
had. / think wherever the interests OF hum iuily
are concerned, New England is generally right.
fl had not been born somewhere else, l think
would have selected New England. daughter
and applause)