The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1866-02-02
Tl,e. aortalk go.s''it';..
& FRIDAY. FEBRUARY 2, 1865.
HONORS TO Mr.. SEWARD--HOW
HE WAS ENTERTAINED BY
THE CUBANS.
. rforr..uoud.uc. of the New York Herald

full In getting them, of the banquet
given by the Captain General to Mr..
Seward, on Monday, the 22d, my former
letter having been, by force of circum-
stances, very incomplete. - 80
| ollleS ARRANGEMENTS OF THE rs aHs
The distinguished party sat down to q
table at few minutes past seven. The
| Captain General was dressed In fill uni
| form, with the broad ribbon and cross of
| st. Ferdinand, the rest of the company
being in full evening dress or brilliant
uniforms. l..,,... .8e ..,..ssss...
Mr.. Seward occupied the seat on the
right of the Captain General, at the head
ofthe table. Onbihis Excellency's left,
and opposite Mr.. Seward, sat Mr.. Ken
nedy. Next to Mr.. Seward sat Mr..
Minor, Consul General of the United
States at Havana, els Uis Gen. Davila.
At the other end of the table sat the
Commandant General of the Arsenal
and Navy Yard Of Havana. On his
right, Mr.. F. w. Seward on his left,
Captain Walker, of the De Soto. The
intermediate space being filed up by the
other guests. Forty persons in all sat
down to one of the most splendid BAN
quets ever given in Havana.
"pEACE AND PROSPERITY TO THE UNITED
| STATES ~ I..
When the dinner had been disposed
| of, and at the moment dedicated from
| time immemorial to the interchange Of
those sentiments with which 1t should
be supposed the conviviality of the mo-
ment has nothing to do, the Captain
General rose to give the first toast. His
| EXcellency expressed In few words the
extreme satisfaction 1t gave him to well
come to Cuba the distinguished Secre-
| tary of State Of the United States, and
| the honor he felt done him in having at
his table q statesman of such elevated
character. He spoke of the relations
| between the governments and people of
| the United States and Spain, which had
always been in the highest degree friend
| ly and cordial, concluding by congratu-
| latipg the United States on the termina-
ton of the war, and expressing the hope
| that they may continue at peace and in
crease in prosperity and happiness.
MR., Stewards REPLY.
| Mr.. Seward thanked his Excellency
! for the marked attention shown him
| and the personal compliment paid him,
and, after alluding to the prosperous
condition which the island OF Cuba en-
Joys, he added that the United States
had no other views or desires in these
regions than the advancement and hap
piness Of these people, 1t being matter
| OF indifference by what means or by
what form of government they attained
! those lofty ends. He offered the senti-
ment that Spain is the only European
| Power that has any right to footing In
America, since Spain had always been
eminently American. She has the
glory of having discovered and bestow
ed America upon the world, and Of hav-
ing peopled and Christianized the great
er portion of those vast regions. He,
therefore, wished Spain all manner of
happiness and prosperity, in order that
she might be able to maintain her
American possessions and bless them
with peace and all those gifts with
| which Heaven recompenses frugal and
laborious people. That these were the
wishes and only aspirations of the
| United States. He praised the strict
neutrality and impartial ,dignified policy
which Spain had observed during the
war, and in this connection alluded in
very flattering terms to Mr.. Tassara,
Minister Plenipotentiary of her Catho-
lie Majesty to Washington, who, by his
frank, loyal and conciliatory character,
had in great measure contributed to a
satisfactory solution to questions which
had arisen during the past five years. In
conclusion, he alluded i'm play full man.
ner to Captain Walker, commanding
the De Soto, saying that if he lthe
speaker) could speak of Spain only by
what he had been able to observein the
despatehing of official business, the cap
tain could give other testimony of a
more agreeable nature, from his frequent
intercourse with the port of Havana.
| CAPTAIN WALKER ON HIS FEET
The gallant commander of the De Soto,
replied to Mr.. Stewards closing remarks, ,
by saying that he had had many times
the pleasure of visiting Havana before,
during and since the war !; that he had
always met with the kindest treatment
from the authorities, while among the
citizens he had many friends who
honored him with their sympathy and
esteem and towards whom he pr0fessed
sincere regards, adding that he hoped to
have the pleasure of returning and re-
visiting the Captain General.
| aTHElUNIrED STATES NAVY,
was the subject of the next toast, given
by the COmmandant General Of the
| (Apostadero) Arsenal and Navy Yard,
to which Mr.. Kennedy replied In few
| words, alluding, in the course of his
remarks, to the prodigious efforts made
to re-establish peace In the Union, and
to the policy pursued by Mr.. Seward.
concluding by offering the sentiment.
THE PROSPERITY OF THE ISLAND OF cUBA.n
which was the last toast proposed. and.
as 1t appears, was not replied to.
VISIT TO THE GRAND THEATRE DE TAcoN.
At about nine O'clock, after coffee had
been served, the Captain General, Mr..
Secretary Seward, Mr.. F. w. Seward,
Mr.. Kennedy, Captain Walker, the
United States Consul, and the Secretary
of the civil government took their places
In the carriages placed at their disposal
by the Captain General and drove To the
Tacon theatre, where they Joined the
ladies of their party, Mrs. F. w. Seward
and hersister already occupying the Cap
tain Generals toge. Mr.. Seward occupied
the seat of honor, with Mrs. Seward and
the Captain General on either side. The
party remained till the close of the per
Torrance, given by the Ravel- Martinez.
Il troupe. t'
lon their return to Mrs. Almy's Hotel
they were serenaded by the magnificent
band of the artillery and waited on nv
hundreds OF persons anxious to pay their
respects to the distinguished strangers.
Among the cards sent in were number
from ladies and gentlemen ofthe African
persuasion anxious to contribute their
mite of homage.
BY midnight all was silent, and every.
body went to bed. isdiI '-I~e''I
THE DEPARTURE. fe
On the following daylTuesdav. the
/ q vv%es nd