Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-02-01
uted Office to everybody else, and taken none
hImself He would give for q sentiment

Major Poore said he WAS afraid there was no.
iaushter,I ana he would therefore proceed to
read the tblrd regular toast:
.Correspor dents of the old tme-in the DAYS
of slow coaches before tie construction of
railroads. We have in our company one OF
them. i'm the person Of Hon. James Brooks"
Mr.. Brooks, IN response. gave some interest
ing reminis cen ces OF olden time, when he first
came to " ashiu gtcn q correspondent, as long
ago as 1872 There was then no railroad 10
Washington, no telegraph line TO forestall the
letters OF the cCrrespon dent He came from
Portland, Me- then five days from the Capital.
now only twenty -four hours. He had the
whole field TO himself; cocld write and con-
tradict what he wrote; could make and unmake
rey utaiions.
Mr.. Brooks in this connection made some
playful shots at Speaker Golfsx in revenge for
certain wrongsexpe rIepC.d from that presi-
ding officer in cutting of MS opportunities for
aH o,a,or,Gai M display; In those those good old times
time as they do now five min utes to the men,
ber from Maine-half. a minute to the member
from & New York; ILaughterl Why, Tristan
successive days! (Laughterl
A oice-"Garrett Davis can do il nowr'
mot in the House," said Mr.. Brooks with a
nod in the direction of the Speaker. Demos
themes, Cicero, Chatham, Fox aud Sheridan
would have been extinguished 10 a House
where the only chance Of distinguishing ones
self consists in the ability OF concentrating the
whole power OF thought IN a halfminuts
speech. [Great laughter.] Now that he had
the floor lnuisputabiy he had q great mind TO
seek revenge by two hours speech, but
would be merciful and print il iI the GlObe.
The fourth toast was: sex editors In Con-
gress. We do not dlmin Ish our admiration of
them because they have left their newspapers
TO appear in journals Of legislative charac.
Hon. James 6. Blaine, Of Maine, was called
upon TO respond. Straws show which way the
wind blows, and Judging from the expressions
let fall Saturday night W henever Mr.. Blaine's
mentioned. no Ash OtO
pondents are firmly OF the opinion that he is sthe
coming man" for the Speakership of the House
of Representatives.
Mr.. Blaine, in the course of his fehcitous re.
spohse, alluded humorously TO the references
that had been made to "nen who have risenr
from the editorial chair to be mem bers Of Con-
gress, &c, but he could not exactly see II in
that light. While il might be assumed as fact
that every member Of the press is fit to bs a
member OF Congress, the converse 10 not the
case by any manner OF means. When he was
first elected to Congress he was condoled with
by Ralph Waldo Emerson who told him that
the event brought up most painful reminis-
cence A brilliant and gifted associate in col!
lege went TO New Iork and entered the news
paper profession, fell into bad habits, re-
formed, relapsed, and after vibrating from good
TO bad for some time finally went to Congress;
tnen, SAID Mr.. Emerson, 81 gave him up en-
"Erins Green Isle: 1t has furnished many
names whcn stand high on the roll OF metro.
pOlitan correspondents, and some of those
names have been heard in legislative halls
when the clerks have been directed TO call the
roll.
This was responded 10 by Hon. w. Z Robin
son in capital little speech. abounding IN
good things, having more special reference 10
aIlnslons made IN the course OF the evening
He caused great merriment by giving the par
ucnlars OF lectaring tour through the North
some thirty years ago, with "reminiscences of
an interview with the venerable editor of the
Providence Journal MIR. Anthony.
Senator Anthony (who Is held to De the
nln hfnl inny
ber Of the Senate by the ladIes) Indignantly
repelled the idea that he was old enough TO be-
an editor thirty years age! 1t must have been
his grandfather TCheers and laughter.1
Mr.. Robinson next paid his respects 10
Speaker Coliax, and like Mr.. Brooks, seemed
10 have good sized crow TO pick with that
gentleman for reducing his spouting opportu-
mites 10 the minimum. He said he was like
the gentleman from Hon. Mr.. Mullins district,
who said he haO caught everything there was in
Washington except the Speakers eye. fGrea,
Laughter He spoke OF his love for his old pro.
fession OF journalism, and indicated his pur.
pose 10 return TO il.
The next toast, 1.-The bioeraphefs of the Re.
public, who are permanently recording the
deeds Of those whom the nation honors, and
whose daily public acts we endeavOr to chJoni-
Gle, - was responded To by Mr.. James Parton,
the well.known magazine writer and hlsto-
nan. His response was so neat thing in its
WY that il is worth giving in fu'l. He SAID
Mr.. Chairman and Gentlemen: II is always
Interesting to see something unique OF Its kind.
must be. as you know, some where i'm the world.
the individual who is more unaccu stoned TO
public speaking than any other. lie stands
before you. l am he. Behold the unique
object, Laughter and applause.l Once before
IN my life, and only once, 1 attempted to
address an assembly, and that was at the In
sbriate Asylum in the State of New York.
Laughter. But those Inebriates, gentlemen,
were all sober, [g1eat laughter. and cries OF
Oh ''Oh.'l and meant to remain so. and
have, trust, KEEP; their resolution. Thus mex
in following gentlemen trained TO public speak
ing, and IN addressing members OF the profes-
sion no take 10 oratory so naturally as yours.
Bur, Mr.. President and gentlemen, whatever
writing for the public owe IL 10 the news
paper press. owe it to the fact, that,
evening, about twenty years ago, when l was
a teacher earning three or four hundred dollars
year, took it into my head TO sit down and
write a piece for paper; and that piece l lett,
The next morning at the door OF Mr.. N. r
Willis, then the editor OF the Home Jour
nal. My hand trembled as l pulled the
bell handle and as handed the packet to the
small Tiger in grey livery who opened the door
month after, had the pleasure OF seeing my
of the paper; and l might truly call the feeling
with which contemplated II ecstasy. II was,
i suppose, the most thrilling moment OF my
life. Thus encouraged, i went on, and have
ber OF the press, have always retained live.
1y interest in the welfare and dignity of your
profession; especially Of the working meu OF
the press, who confer distinction on many
but remain themselves unknOwn; who enrich
others, and remain themselves poor. do not
believe we have in the United States more
hIgh-spirited, able, and exemplary body of
young men than the working members of your
professions, TO whom We are all 80 much in.
debied every day Gentlemeb, shank you for
the honor and privilege of being among you TO.
night. IL has been a delightful occasion, and
one shall always remember with pleasure.
''American dIplomacy-never more useful
than when in the hands of working pressmeu,
who can examine the past history Of the ma
tions to which they are accredited, or zee that
its present life is illustrated, while At the same
ma i0nal interOsts." Responded to by Mr. e.
g. SQuler, Of Leslie's illustrated Nefcs.
The National Banks, wi hich furnished the
Union armies with funds during the war, and
which never refuse to cash the drafts Of CORE.
spondents now there is peace" RESPONDED To
By H. ID. Cooke, Esq.
THE United States Navy-its sheets and lines
have been well handled during the past eight
years By one Of our own Craftsmen, well aided
by another graduate of the printing once and
Of the editorial room, whose presence here to.
night inspires grassfSi irsSoiiectons rec OF the
Washington correspondents in the discharGe Of
their professional duties"
Responded to by Hon VIM. Faxou, Assistau.
Secretary of the Navy, who in the eourse OF his
remarks Announced that he Would shortiv
AZ ain take up the pen editorial and Docome an
active member of the newepape1 fraternity
Mr.. Faxon paid . very high compliment to the
Washington corTsspondenn as class, by say.
ing that during the eight years Of his connec.
ton with the Navy Department he had had
A.