New-York tribune., 1868-11-05

Inv a
Who had dined too woir-tho speech being made at
tbat period of the evening when the stomach and the
heart of some men e'C equally full. But it IS
sincere expression o. Mr. Johnsons feelings He had
announced in ue morning in reply to the Mayor tnaV
in the evening it his purpose to lay po,oro ,no
Chamber of Commerce and before all England MS
whole neart He had said moment BEFORE tna' no
"knew there was wisdom and gOoc SENSE, anu
patrOtism in the people OF hVerpooi ''u' m
Wonld induce them 10 Jorego me recent P"S..
II is not Mr. Reverdy johnson VINO IorgNes MI
Laird; il is Mr. Laird who forglves the America"
Minister. If he needs it, he has certainly earned H.
Mr. Laird did indeed build the Alabama, which
bunt some scores of American ships, and swept inc
rest off the ocean, He cost America, directly ana IN
directly. not less than $100,0OO,OC0. Mr. Lard mas
inst pride in the help he gave the Rebelllon ana
inst resentment against those extreme partsahs III
the North who questioned his claim TO tho character
of public benefactor Mr.. Johnson, at Leeds, said
that no act had been done to arnish the reputauoh
of England piracy is a harmless pastime-
and at Iiyerpool he entreats Mr. Laird
to forego the recent past and excuse the
hard things that have been said about him. You may
he presumptous enough suppose that Mr. Laird So
icts the regard of the American Minister by probes
sions of penitence It is exactly five days since Mr.
Laird as conservative candidate for Parliament rom
Brkenhead, addressed meeting of bis constituents
AT the conclusion of his speech, Mr. Lewis Hornblow
or nronosed vote of thanks to Mr.. Laird, recalling
the time when every Englshman's check blushed
| with honest pride that we had built the Alabama"
Stimulated by the cheers of his audience, MI Horn
blower went on to say that " he believed that looo
of 160 would havo done the same thing as MI Lairu'
| who sat beaming with the pleased satisfaction 'is'
attend upon man who has done a good action anu
r Il,
plause from his constituents could so minister TO MI
Lairds complacent pride, as the public declaration
of the American ambassador that the American peo-
nile had repented of their wrath and his pubhc en-
treaty to forgive it.
Mr.. Johnson did not forget that there were otner
noonle in Iiyerpool beside Mr. Laird entitled 10 MS
| svmnatbes and apologies, above all TO generous
| enloev Remembering how recently the nag OF MS
| own conntry had been driven from the ocean. he
thoueht it fitting TO compliment the Llverpooi snip
bnilders on the energy which had given them aimosi
! a monopov of the worlds commerce. Your nag
| cried Mr. Johnson in glow of enthusiasm, passes
unchalenged on every protected by the power OF
Eneland-tchich, thank Cod nerer failed as" lamin
despair of explaining what MIR. johnson meant py
thanking God that the power of England never faed
| u.s. public dinner in England is always scene
of some confusion; there is a glare of gas ana
by so many old friends of the Rebellion, MI Johnson
| nerhaps forgot for moment that he was there as
| American Minister to apologize to Mr. Laird, and
when he said Gus" lapsed into his true character OF
| representative for his Southern brethren. Then lie
| bethought himself of another pretty compliment 10
Mr. Laird and touched the fact that the trade OF
Liverpool with the United States was two-ttths Oh
its whole trade. but omitted to mention the exact
proportion that had been diverted by help Oh the
| Alabama from American into English bottoms But
IL cannot be said the Alabama ever out OF his
mind He painted picture of commerce ana Know
ING as we do that the Alabama sailed out of Liver
pool as a merchant vessel, / do not remember
ever to have neater description OF her
yarions performances Commerce" says Mr.. John
SON. explores the ocean, brings light its treasures
and dissemimates them through Christendom for the
happiness and enjoyment of her race" The descrip-
ton would perhaps have been heightened by MENTION
ing more particularly the sixty chronometers from
sixty American ships burnt at which Capt.
Semmes disseminated through Christendom. Then,
| in fine burst of relig gious eloquence Mr. johnson
apostrophzes the men who built not only the Ala
bama but her sister pirates and the blockade-run-
ners as we'll "You may be said to be the pioneers OF
morality and religion. [Cheers1 You take with you
the missionary and the Bible Icheers and wherever
man is found there by your means, and their instru
mentality you secure wider and wider spread OF
Christian civilization" This however lacks origin
ality The slave trade in which Liverpool won Tor
merly an honorable distinction has always been ad
| vocated in just the same way as means OF Chris-
tianzing the African race
The Joint account Of the Alabama negotiations sup
piled by Mr. johnson and Lord Stanley NAV be left
for comment to the American shipowners whose IN
terests are at this moment ntrused to the guest OF
| the builder Of the ship that destroyed their own
The negotiations 90 on "merrily" says Mr. Johnson.
Merry is a good word and suppose the ships which
Semmes scuttled sank merrily into the ocean, and
| those which he burned famed merrily up into the
sky and the families whom he ruined wept merrily
in their distress, and the nation whose commerce
was annhlated has never been able to restrain It's
| merriment over the exploits of the Alabama
| The Liverpool papers record from day TO day the
progress of the intimacy between Mr.. Reverdy John
son and Mr. Laird On the day following the dinner,
this afectionate couple embarked together on board
yacht for short cruise. Their yacht like the
| Alabama when she left Liverpool, had no guns on
| deck They presently landed at Birkenhead, and
Mr. Johnson escorted by Mr. Laird visited the ship
! yards of the latter Here, no doubt, Mr.. johnson
was shown the historical spot where the keel of the
| Alabama was laid, the ways over which she glided
into the water upon her merry mission and the buoy
| in the river from which she finally slipped away. 1t
| is not stated whether Capt Bullock of the
| Confederate Navy who superintended her
| building, was present to explain 10 Mr.. john
son the qualities which enabled her
to outstripin speed both the merchant vessels who
were her victims and tie vessels of war which churl
shly sought to interrupt her career Capt. Semmes,
it is only too certain absent; bnt 1t IS believed
dispatch has been sent to his home in Memphis,
| questing his immediate return. No future banquet
4 H. 1o