Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-12-12


We have been considerably amused, as well
as somewhat disguised, from time to time, with
the accounts Of the reception and the varied
festivities offered to the Russian grand duke in
New York. Jenkins was in all his glory, and
layished his choicest epithets and all the wealth
of his wonderful vocabulary upon descriptions
OF the unfortunate young mans personal ap-
pearance and manner, his eyes and hair, his
boots and gloves, his bed room and its appoint
ments. Each of the New York papers has a
member Of the amiably- self.complacent jenkins
family upon its staff, and the remarkable COM
pound of impudence and adulation which con-
stituted what the managers of these papers were
pleased TO call their graphic and interesting re-
ports, made a curious if not altogether pleasing
study. What was actually done in the grand
dukes honor may not have been very much
amiss, but it was impossible to read the news
paper reports without eoncehing a lively con-
tempt for all who took part in it.
Boston, we are glad to see, managed these
things much better. The welcome to the grand
duke there was no less cordial, 1t was, if any
thing, more hearty, although less serve. The
committee and the citizens, while offering to
their guest all the honor that his position as the
personal representative of friendly sovereign
demanded, retained their self-respect and be-
haved themselves like gentlemen and not like
aunkeys. Their attentions were so arranged as
10 indicate that they expected TO interest the
prince, and not merely to afford themselves an
opportunity for gazing at him. The dinner in
nj lpxTia 1a1 A,s.,
ment Of its kind. 1t is reasonable to
suppose that he was gratifed with it. If he
has the intelligence generally attributed to him,
and even so much familiarity with our language
as is implied in the brief responses be has made
to formal addresses, he could not help being en-.
tertained by the genial humor and wit Of the
Boston orators-men Of mark and renown, all
of them, in the world of letters. They did not
employ their rhetoric, of which they are mas.
tiers, in adulation, but their tone was manly
and self-respeetful, as well as cordial As a
specimen, take this extract from Mr.. George S.
Hillard's address, not the most brilliant, but
fair specimen of the whole:
'fIn regard to that ball, the concert and this
entertainment, there are two voices as there are
about most things in life. One is the cynic
voice, and one is tne charitable voice. The
former asks, Why lavish all this cost and trou-
bic on young man who has done nothing
personally TO earn such tributes? but the latter
voice says, 1t is for this very fact that these Of
ferings derive their significance. Our guest is
not man, but symbol; it is not for what he
IS, but for what he represents, that we honor
him. 1t is America extending the hand to Rus
STA, and Russia meetingi it with friendly grasp
Nor is it necessary that those who tender
hnr1l1 = Ill
the institutions of Russia, or of all the events
IN her history. Surely, if we think the nstitu-
mons OF Russia are not democratic enough how
eau we better bring about the improvement we
desire than by causing a member of the i'm
perial family TO think kindly of a country that
mas made such splendid progress under demo-
cratic institutions? l give my hand to every
thing that tends to create peace on earth and
good will among men. Ii is better that Russia
and America should dine together and dance TO-
gether than fight together, 1t is better that the
Russian eagle and the American earle shouId
employ their beaks in eating out of the same
dish than in pecking out each others eyes.
Shall always be happy to meet Russian prince
no0leman or gentleman at dinner, nor viii /
object 10 drink the emperor's health, especially
when the liquor is as good as tits here tonight"
The addresses by the president of the oc-
easion, Mr.. Winthrop, Professor Lowell, Mr..
Dana, and the poem by DR.. Holmes, were all in
the speakers happiest vein, and quite worthy OF
that or any other occasion. That the prince
found these festivities agreeable his freedom
from constraint seems to prove. He not only
replied appropriately enough to a toast, but
proposed the health Of President Grant and the
prosperity Of Boston, and as is perhaps the
Russian custom, or, possibly, according to the
belief prevailing in Russia, the American Gus
tom, led of himself the applause with which his
toast was greeted in what TIE reporters call in
one case a Handsome" and in the other a
naive" cheer. The other arrangements made
for the grand dueal entertainment we've doubt
less equally excellent in their way. Precisely
how the ball differed from other balls we can
not tell; but we are sure it had some peculiarly
Bostonian, and therefore excellent, features. A
concert Of the public school children in tn,
music hall was, Of course, included in the pro
gramme, and, if Alexis did not enjoy that, ever,
trne Bostonan knows that it was his own fault
On the whole, we suppose that Boston and th,
grand duke are mutually pleased with eacl
other.
Even the New York World, for this occasion
only, descends from its customary attitude O.
sublime contempt for Boston and ali its works
and 10 compliment the metropolis of New Eng
land on the manner in which it dispensed il,
civic honors az contrasted with the New Yorl
style of doing such things, We hope our neigh
boring city will not allow itself, by this excep