Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-01-04
The American Banquet in Paris.

From the London Times. Dec. III
The dinner at which the American resi-
dents in Paris celebrated their day of nation
al thanksgiving was such as might have been
expected at such place and on such an oe-
casion. There was gathering of that crowd
of American citizens which appears to de-
light in the French capitol principally be-
cause IL presents so many contrasts to their
own homes. Everything that the luxury
and taste of the gayest city of the world
could contribute to their enjoyment was fur
nished in profusion. The company saw in
Mr.. jay a grandson of one of the American
Plenipotentiaries who signed the Treaty of
Paris in 1888, and his presence called to
mind the ancient and traditional friendship
between France and the federation; friend
ship which has survived monachies, repub-
lies and empires. His speech and that of Mr..
Bigelow, the resident Minister of the United
States at the French Court, might have re-
assured any who are anxious about the future;
and if any hesitation remained, General
Schofield's, fresh from the campaign fought
under Sherman, must have dispelled il.
But when all is said, il would be easy to over
rate the political significance of the Paris
banquet. to attribute to the words spoken
there weight which they do not possess,
and to misapprehend the value of such
demonstration as representing the settlements
of the American people. We accept, with
out reserve, every assurance of the continued
friendship between France and the United
States which found utterance at the dinner,
but we do so because the course of past events
made their truth antecedently probably, or
rather certain. We are left Just where we
were, but it must be added, our former posi-
ton was perfectly satisfactory. Had we no
thing more to rely upon than the enthusiasm
of the guests at the Grand Hotel, we should
not however, be so confident. 1t would in
fact, be mistake TO accept the brilliant as
sembly which met together at the top of the
Rue de la Paix as the spokesman of the
American people. The strength of the ma
ton lies in a mass of energetic, industrious
and selfreliant men who have nothing in
common with travelled lovers of art. To
confound together Americans at home and
Americans abroad is as great blunder as it
would be to suppose that Russian noble
man on his travels is representative of a
Russian peasant barely emancipated from
serfdom. The mistake in the latter case
would be immaterial, because the Russian
peasant has no political power; but whenever
the mistake is made with respect 10 America
the result is certain misapprehension of
American politics. Men take the inflated
nonsense which some orator or journalist
chooses to utter as a reflection Of the sense
of the people, and are astonished TO find that
the line of action adopted by the Executive
power is apparently at variance with the
opinions of the masses governed. In fact,
however the rough common sense and I'M
calmly shrewdness of plain farmer of New
II.
test of public opinion than the speeches of
protested politicians; and il was not the least
of Mr. Lincoln's exellencies that he was the
embodiment of class which isthe deposit
tary of political power in the Union but
which before his time almost wanted rep
resentative. General Grant seems to have
inherited in some degree this Characteristic of
the late President II would seem that there
never has been a more inarticulate hero
The words he utters are few and rugged; but
when they come they express the logged
resolution, the ardor slowly kindled, but
when once alight steadily maintained, the
unflinching pertinacity, and the power of adj
apting means TO ends which acting together,
crushed the Southern confederation, and
which we are bound to recognize the more
readily because they are among thebest carac-
teristics we covet for ourselves.
No protestations are needed to convince
the world of the peaceful designs of the
American people. The republic had armies
in the field numbering their hundreds of
thousands, which after encountering pro-
tracted and stubborn resistance, found them
selves suddenly in the possession of complete
victory. In the moment of their soccess,
flushed with the triumph they had achieved
and intoxicated with glory, they have not
demanded to be led against new enemies;
they have not murmured at sudden dismiss
sal. Armies have been quietly disbanded,
and hundreds of thousands Of volunteers
have gone homeward as men turn TO their
accustomed work. These are facts more elo-
quent than any speeches which can be deli
vered. This last triumph of the American
nation is its greatest, for it is a triumph in
which rulers can claim no share, and for
which Generals can ask no credit. 1t is
triumph ofthe citizens themselves, who went
to the rescue of their country when its unity
appeared in danger, and now betake them
selves to their fields and homesteads when
the danger is past.