The Portland daily press., 1868-07-15
Complimentary Dianer to Hon. John B
Brown.

Brown.
Immediately after the opening of the spa
cious and elegant hotel, erected by our enter
prisng citizen Hou. John B. Brown, large
number of our leading citizens resolved to ten
der him the compliment of dinner as token
of their appreciation of lis efforts for all he
had done for the city of Portland.
The correspondence between the citizens and
Mr.. Brown was published in the Press of July
Sth The invitation was signed by about 100
of our leading business men, and was headed
by William Moulton, Esq, President of the
Cumberland National Bank. The invitation
was accepted by Mr.. Brown in his usual mod
est manner, and preparations were made to get
up one of the most splendid dinners that ever
graced tables in our city. The landlords of the
Falmouth Hotel, Messrs. Ramsay & Wheeler
had orders to go ahead ad libituna, and to spread
such table as would do not only honor to
their lessor but would reflect credit upon the
hotel.
The time selected for the dinner vas Tnes-
day evening, the 14th inst. Consequently
about 1-2 p. M. last evening, a large number
of Porilands prominent citizens, representing
nearly every business, trade and profession, as
sembied at the drawing rooms of the Falmouth
Hotel and at 6 IL o'clock the company entered
the elegant dining hail. where spread before
them was an inviting display of edibles and
accompanying adOrnments, such as beautiful
bill of fare:
BILL OF FARE
!Soup-Mcck Turtle; A la Refine
kish-Soiled Salmon, butter sauce.
Remoges-Boiled Leg Mutton, with Capers; Roast
Siroin Bee Roast Green Goose; Roast Spring Chick
en-; Roast Lamb, Mint sauce.
Cold Lunch hicken Salad. Ia Rrsse; Young
Pig Renaissance; Boned Turkey, wi h Jelly; Pattie
Roman Punch.
Side hps-Sweetbreads, with Green Peas; Com
pote of Pigeon, la Italian; Lamb Chops, la Main
tenon; Tmball of Macaroni.
Cabinet Pudding, Wine sauce; Charlotte Russo /;
Dessert-Oranges; Bananas; Raisins; Nuts Ice
Cream; Strawberries and Cream.
Coffee.
At about 2. M. the assemblage, numbering
some 200 gentlemen, was called to order by ex-
Gov. Israel Washburn, Jr. Prayer was offered
by Rev. w. III. Fem, of the High street
Church The company at once "took up arms
to put down the good things of the occasion
which were furnished with great liberality and
taste by the enterprising hosts, Ramsay &
Wheeler
At 8 IL P. M. the word was given to "halt."
and "the feast of reason" was inaugurated.
The President of the occasion opened the
speech making of the evening by remarking
that he had been selected by the representative
men of Portland to preside on this occasion,
aud he entered upon the duties with pleasure
Although man does not live by bread alone
yet such occasions as this tend to increase the
social relations and knit together more firmly
the bonds of amity among all men. Life is
prolonged by civilization. No useful inven-
ton or advance is made in any cause but what
benefit the health of man. Whoever improves
an acre Of land, whoever builds city where
one is needed is public benefactor. He is as
great hero rs he who achieves great battles
(Applause.) If men work wisely together,
will -.H
The earth by Angels feet be trod,
One great garden of our God
One of the most distinguished of our fellow
citizens and most honored among men is our
honored guest, Hon. John B. Brown. (Great
appause.) In improving his opportunities in
giving his great faculties to the upbuilding of
the city of his adoption and his love, has he
shown his nobleness. My friends, think we
much we owe to him who has done so much
for us. Gov. w. then referred to the great fire
and its terrible devastation, laying large por-
ton of our beautiful city in ruins, and the feel
ing of dismay which naturally would have
arisen; but no sooner had the disaster occurred
than with his whole heart and soul Mr.. Brown
entered upon the work of reconstruction. We
soon saw his immense sugar house rising from |
the ashes, and stores, edifces, and now this |
noble and magnificent hotel. (Applause.) |
Such hotel has been needed greatly and it |
does great honor to its protector and owner
Not only for these material benefits do we |
thus honor him alone, but for his noble exam |
Pile. He was our great strength and uplilted |
US all in rebuilding the waste places and plac-
ing our city in higher and greater position |
than it ever before seemed possible in so short |
a time. Long may he live to enjoy the reward |
Of his labors and see the prolonged prosperity |
IF his adopted city. Enthusiastic applause.) |
He will carry with him through life also those
ocial qualities and many virtues which endear
linn to us all Gov w. closed by giving the |
GLOWING toast:
sour honored guest"
Which was drank-the whole number pres
mt rising in honor to the guests of the eve |
ling. Loud and continued applause followed |
Hon. John b. Brown rose and was greeted |
With tumultuous cheers and applause. 1t was |
some moments before before he could be heard. |
He was evidently touched by this mark of es- |
eem, and after the welcoming reception he
said: 81. ..r
Mr. Chairman, Friends and Fellow Citizens of |
Portland 1t is impossible for me to reply to |
your most generous reception. Words fail me. |
All can say is, sincerely thank you for this |
honor, and 1 shall look back upon this occasion |
IS the most honored and brightest epoch of my |
life. This of all others is to me the most graft
ying evidence of your regard. After abiding
o the interest which he had taken in all the
means and measures to advance the general
Welfare, Mr.. B. again heartily thanked his
friends for the kind AMI elegant manner in
which they had shown their regard, and he as
'ured them that in the future as in the past
hey would ever find him ready to aid them.
Rounds of cheers and applause greeted him as
ne closed.
Gov. Washburn, in felcitous manner, re-
marked that ones thoughts naturally turned
20 the elder members of the company-the old |
;tand-bys of the past to whom we owe so
much Regretting the absence of several of |
Them who were expected, he read letters from
the venerable ex-Judge Shepley and Judge
Nathan Clifford, regretting their inability to be
present. both however expressing themselves
strongly and earnestly eulogistic of Hon. John
B. Brown and his good W ,rks.
William Deering, Esq, was then called upon
to respond for Our Chief Magistrate of Port
land" Hon. Jacob. Mcclellan, who was una
voidably absent. Mr.. Deering regretted His |
Honor was unable to be present, and alluded |
tottha great advantages of Portland as city |
by the sea. Its harbor, its commerce, its mer- |
camille standing its material beauty, its public |
edifices were in turn enlarged upon. Not least |
though last named was sour beautiful hotel
for it belongs to every one of us. We are
proud of it and its noble builder The busi
ness men and merchants of Portland. he re-
garded, were not surpassed in sagacity and in
tegrity by any in the land. Although much
has been done, more is yet to be done to rem
der Portland great manufacturing, mercan-
tile and commercial port-such as new railroad
lines and new ocean steamers. The main
spring of our enterprises is John b. Brown