New-York tribune., 1868-04-20

press perceive that the press proposes to celebrate
itself aughter and first and foremost as the New-fo
press was the nsgator Of this dinner, and Is largely
represepted therein the NewYork press proposes TO
sneak for itself Applause ask you, then gentlemen
TO ioin in the sentiment, 1.-THE NewYork Press and
ask the Hon. Henry Raymond to respond TO it. rhree
cheers for Henry ]. Raymond.l
SPEECH OF MR.. RAYMOND
Mr. President and Gentlemen II seems to me, asi have
no doubt il will seem to every Of you that the Press
of America ought to respond at this moment through
appropriate organ, to the noble ana generous sen
ments expressed by guest tonight have no com
mission and no claim and right TO speak Tor he press
of the United States. IA voice, Yes you haVel ain
here officially and only officially, TO speak for section,
segment OF that great Press; No. no but behalf of
that section and think with the assent of the whole
press with which that section is closely constantly
so intimately and proudly connected may say Una,
we deem il an honor to us, the Press Of NewYork and
the Press OF America that have had an opportunity
to greet on this occasion the guest who sits sits
at my left hand. {" Bravo, brayo!1 The
ton, 10 say nothing else maintains q qudst pIonI-
maintained an Independent existence not only ID ITSELF
but through its organization For many years pI may
say many in speaking Of the few years during winch
in form Press Club and 1t is among tne most pleas
ant of my recollectons IN connection win te pres &
good fortune at various times to greet as Sugsts
and 10 entertain with whatever We snS mo-
tjon Who did ms the honor TO visit us from the countries
of Europe remember almost the 1rst OF tn ose % oTCa
sions when that truly great man, then recently expelled
from the office of Governor OF Hungary, hOssuth, te
exile appause came to this country ana shnr,a al sa
depths OF the denseSt wildernesses OF the west ana
in great cities, and everywhere he went by inc s sNSf
voice in which he uttered such sweet words In behalf
of liberty and freedom, and by that sad solemn eye
with which, as our eloquent orator, Kuins Snoae, &
sad procession Of unnamed dengods who had aeu lor
afa NJ fbn Nayg.N ri
honored by his presence. he has hOnored Engaha
and the world by his services that great statesman %no
your people Sir turning 10 Mr. Dckens) now honor az
they honor few among their dead or their vingchard
Golden. Great applausel Then, too. came 10 US ano
brother in literature, william NJ Thackeray. lRenewed
applause And may say that OF the many things tLat
more nearly struck home closely than the feeling
and eloquent words of the heart in which he spoke 70 Us
ng1 We did not need. Sir that lie should tell ms how
much that was cherished by the lovers OF humanity
all the world over. wherever the English tongue vas
spoken or read but he never said one word
in praise Of that name that did not meet Win as
from human hearts He told us then what was true ten
and what has been growing more ana more ifue ger %
nee, that the writings of that ustrOus brother oIns
III the world OF letters had done moro than any ouer
event occurrence, more than any other service Me
he could call 10 mind TO make the men 0i the WOld eei
that they were brothers that they had common
that they were all Of athet striving ana macn
ing toward end and that each deserved aud ought TO
have the love- the sympathy, the cordial good ocss anu
kindly feeling OF every other. Applause Ibese,
Sir the fclCltlcs OF tAt new
Press OF other parts OF the country nave o,Jo! sd
also to greater less extent and know they lave all
sympathZed with the feelings which peryaded our hearts
al our good fortune IN meeting such men, aud hearing
them speak such words OF bruhcry kindness and love
The President the honorable the distinguished hEa the
hOnored President on thls occasion lalllaus'l has
spoken In words which know came from his heHt as
they reached all hearts, OF the service rendered
the cause Of humanity ~ our guest ums eNShbt
We are all laborng In common eauH l
think it may be truly said that the Pres, The Iree
Press all over the world, has but one common mis-
sioto elevate humanity. Ittakes The side of the mum
bic the lowly and the pooraways OF necessity leees
sty Of Its eXstenceas against those VINO IRON efc
position and power hold In their hands the destlnes OF
the owly and the poor for whom the Press Instituted
We are all of hess directly more or less eAein-
sivey connected with the movements of g0ycrnucits-
governments OF various forms, IN different paris dhc
world. and through different agencies and ways intaat
men, improve their material condition. aud give nm
through the weary task tH all OF us, In degree,
have TO undergo before fulfill our pilgrimage here on
earth. But IL often strikes me, when thlnk 0f the
ahors OF Governments and the abors OF those VINO Try 70
aid governments, and when l contrast them WIN the
fruits of the efforts. and the machinery through which
literary men labor for the same common end-it often
strikes how coarse and rude and Ineffective Is the
whole machinery OF government TO accomplish the great
end of elevating humanity. IL ls not through ma
chinery, II Is not through organizations, through
FORMS through cOnstrans through laws. that we touch
the real springs OF human action. ApplnusoI II not
through hose agencies that we learn what IS tha Gle
Yates humanity what II j. that purncs H. what mat
brings all 10 think themselves brothers and act To-
ward each other as brothers It's those VINO deh Win
the secret springs Of actions who through The channels oi
fiction Of cOngcnlal aud sympathetic human history;
tonch the springs of the human heart aud make Us teei
as well as convince our utelccts II Is those who do most
TO carry the world what all believe 10 he It's ut
mate destination. lAppausc Ana certainly h tIc IIess
ont Of the Press, Government or out OF Government
nowerc on the face tho earth, In any form or IN any
shape through any agency, nave thtrc lN'u many
,niot mai II stronger If did not kc To appear
extraVagant-have there lived many men who nave
character Of tLe Human heart and have done much
that way TO bring about that uuany Of human feeling,
that COrdality OF human brotherhood as tht dlsl-
eryt he that has written, | say III WITHOUT
the slightest exception OF a single DOOk single
from his pen has been calculated 10 nfuse into every
human heart feeling that every man was his brother
and that the highest duty he could do the world aud
the highest pleasure he could confer upon himself and
the greatest service he could render To humanity was 20
bring that other heart whether high or low as close TO
his own as possible, lApplausc What he has accom-
pshed In that way, how many human hearts ne mas
thus brought together how much OF Kind feeling he has
infused society," among all men, OF All classes
high aud low, rich and poor, powerful ana wehk-how
could o. to attempt TO describe. Applause. But |
know there II not man mere ana lhcre is hOi nai
who has known any man here, who knows anything Of
his writings, who has made himself familiar with their
spirit has yielded 10 their Influence who has not been
and kinder. nobcr Loud cheering) Excuse the
proIxity into which seem TO be running VIII not
prolong my remarks / only desire to return thanks,
on behalf OF the New-Iork Press, for the compliment
which has been paid 1t by the assembled press Of
the United States. Go on, on think may fairly
claim that the Ncw-YOrk Press-and know no higher
claim that could put in for 1t here tonight than this
that the Newly Press from the beginning, from
the time when words first dropped from the pen OF our
ustrious guest, the Ncw-IOrk Press has appreciated
them and may add appropriated them llaughter and
that the fruits thereof are apparent In some OF the
changes the improvements the advances, which e has
been good enough speak Of here tonight We All Know
his characters. They seem like persons We cherish
them "a friends ! feel well acquainted with some OF
then-yes great deal better acquainted with some OF
them than / do with many OF the men whom ] meet
here on the streets every day OF my NE know nave
derived more good from some Of them than from any,
or at least many OF the friends whom meet every day
They do everybody good for they are always cheerful
always lopefn always earnest, always kind 20 every
one; and In spite Of all may clam for our republican
institutions and equality OF rights, humanity III ths
country-I say 10 fearlessly-Owes more OF its sub
stautal advances 10 the writings OF Mr. Dickens than
even 10 the Press Of NewYOrk Laughter and applause
His is kind public service, which IL done without con
seiousness and sometimes without intent Such man
writes what lie knows OF men, and what he writes ad
dresses tSef all IL reaches thclr heaTts anu