New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-03-11
A CENTENARIAN.
THE 10GTH BIRTHDAY OF CAPT. LAHRBUsH.
From tn Ereniaa MaA Marea 10.

No did yesterday, in few ut and eloquent words below
reported The breakfast given by him yesterday was IN
ali its incidents much like those of previous years,
and Ike them, was unique and memorable entertain
mSn' Inc 5oi9win6 genuSmeh H py s ~
greet Capt Lahrbush his birthday; william cullen
Cuilum, Major-Geu Horato q. Wright, Mayor. Cen A. ~
Webb-now President Of the College OF New-lork-Mr.
Whiteaw Reid Nh Peter r. Strong, Mr.. Frederic De
Peysterathcr OF Cen DE PoySter and President OF TIE
Historical Society," J. W. Hammers'ey and Mr.. j. NJ
Bundy Gen Pleas ton Commissioner OF Internal
Revenue ATTENDED last breakfast and expected
lie present this year. unable to come, and sent
dispatch apOOgizhg Tor his absence or the IA who were
at the table, yesterday ten were present at the similar
OF the entertainment yesterday have only space TO
Say that like it's predecessors, it peculiarly enjoy
able The special guest of the occasion seemed TO be
brighter and more yyacious than he last year and
did ample justice TO the various courses OF an elaborate
dceun. His recOnectiOns OF times preceding the birth
of the Oldest gentleman present fresh and lively
and his account OF the manner in which Napoleon
snubbed the then uDimportant King OF Prussia at inc
famous interview the Niemen especially interest
ing Wow of recent changes in Europe. He proposed
the health OF his host and expressed the desire ana nope
OF meeting the entire company ten years hence IL Is
possible hc may After few hours of genial converse
ton aud OF enjoyment OF the deheaoies on Ie or
Gen. De Peyster made the following remarks III eNpia-
nation Of the object OF his entertainment O., col,
DEAR FRIENs: We have often met together 10 GEL
citrate the birthday OF the venerable hero OF ILe ooca
sion that II Is needless 70 repeat al thS @
ticulars OF his career. Therefore w0ulV noS PISEu
larry invite yOur attention tins DAY 10 the Iea'ois
tween his life and the existence OF me Two giSa
which have ongrOssed the public attention iof the AS'
seven months -, =. A..
IllrhuSh born In 100, Jne year III NiiNh w
CapstOnc may he said 10 nave been plaSed uIVI ~
structure OF Frederick the Great since IT was IN that
year that che rSi steps were taken toward the dvu
OF Poland which niled IN tie Nou 1ctmoo M I,,i
extended arms Of East Prussia and Slesla inns aCquls
ton may said 10 have consolidated the kngdoh Oh
Prussia The two slices of Poland gave ii consisence
"A body-for 10 had hitherto resembed rish, or
rather pOypuS. This is DO inapt comparison When t
,raSninc ana voracious propenstes Of BoRussia and
The pol9pu, are considered. AT that time Louis XIV.
S %%S such a monarch so peaceful and infuen-
tial that the great Frederick declared n
ne were King of France that not cannOnshot shOudbe
fired III Europe without his permission Since the birth
day OF the guest We have assembled to honor four mon
arhs have swaye the scepter of Prussia and thirteen
mOnarchs and different forms Of government have d.
rected tie destnies OF France The Captains hISt ap
pearance in arms against the truly great Republic Of
France, which he saw triumphant ON every SIDE rising
surely step by STEP to supremacy IN Europe ana ms
Ireland those French destined to Keep Eng and in CON
slant state OF repidaon until Trafalgar eectually Ter,
minated peril by the destruction Of the combined
French and Spanish nayies.
when the 18th OF June, 1906 he beheid the anniha-
ton Of military organization which had cost centu-
~ and a-haf Of uninterrupted labor and attention, and
wheel Europe had hitherto regarded irresistible He
then IN the suite OF the British EnOassadof, the
celebrated LOrdBy rOns cutting
following TO the field the King Frederick William H. and
his Queen Louisa the most l0vaDle OF women ana the
most unhappy Queens. During the ensuing year he
became acquainted with succession OF celebrities, Bun
perOrs Kings, Archdukes, Princes, and what was te
M Inc world With wonder AT Coburg he hobnobbed
in Rhensh with Burher 30 low in fortunes that he had
scarcely means 10 live; yet, even then, so Jul OF nope
That he felt that through his sword will, Prussia
destined to feed full her vengeance upon France.
the Sie1en and saw Napoleon shake hands with Alex
ander raft that river This was the zenith OF
Napoleon and The Hadir of Prussia, for the peace OF
TIlst whose ratification he Witnessed made Napoleon
The master OF Europe and Frederick William IL hlng
without kingdom. The Captain lived 10 guard NaIo-
leon in St Helouathat Napoleon in 1907 the despot OF
Europe, IN lSl5 It's prisoner, He has also , hEea
principally, alone and unaded, occupy FaIs,
ana hCdg 'ng e Sa lived 10 se the SON of the Fred
crick William and the Louise with whom ne He'd from
Jena, than revengng the sovereign wrongs or ms
father and the broken heart of his mothera victim to
the insults and TO the outrages OF Napoleon WaI Is
ii was originally to hand the ever and basin TO the En-
perOr Of Germany and Austria upon his coronauon-nn
perOr OF Austria SadOwa and the other upon an kn
eTOr OF France, another Napoleon the exponent OF
These are terrific changes and it furnishes food for
thought TO sit beside man VINO has outved ancient
kingdoms gigantic empires and robust republics. But
still strange TO think that we have just drank
the country OF which are citizens, aud Of an adopted
citizen who, with all the examples OF European taAmu
tatiOn never during the Shareholders Rebellion de-
SPARED OF the republic. In l766 when the Captain was
born the French power in America which encrcled the
18 colonies in is rampired from LOuisbuTg to New
Orleans mad only lust O76G relaxed it, hold toward
the North. Toward the south IL sui huhg on, M
louisiana for over half OF century He himself had
lived nearly three-quarters OF century before the
Golden Towers of spain were replaced by the stars ana
Stripes Florida. When he was m his cradle the COo
MES themselves in their swaddng clothes ana our
people were still cnging TO the Atlantic shore IN lew
Wns and feeble settlements weaker aud more scattered
than the cities and villages OF states Nhlch were al
initted as stars into our National constellation
after he had reached the Psalmsts extreme OF human
life He had actually attained mans estate, While all
ond the first swels Of the Aeghanles was one vast
wilderness washed by the surf OF the Paci1e.
am not going 10 weary you with any more illusions
TO the fall rise of empires except to aud tat capt
LshTbush has lived 10 soc that pAtlOh, Whlc l. Us ~
fancy had 70 beg England 10 protect II from the trehc
and the Indian and then beseeGh France TO Iesoae
from England her allies, 10 the despot OF
France before whom ali Europe bowed IN reverence hat
he relax her vulture grasp upon Mexico wherein ne
hoped 10 restore the suprThdG! ol tle Le i s
that the nation hold the rod over England Tor
her crimes America in the hour of republican gOny
Yes he knows, and the world Knows that the rst Det
which Napoleon Ill received the first defiance his ears
ever heard the first command which he had perfOrce 10
obey, was gwen ana uttered ~ that Young america
when he return in 1888, B1tans discounted troops,
the last royal garrison which had been com eled To
evaeuate these liberated Colonies.
What an unexampea experience! Yet there sits the
nsrvels with perfect hueney, in fear not more Ian
guages stl greater marvel the history OF his own life
innocuOus of the Captain for lie has proved
invunerble the pers Of war, OF disease OF the land,
Ip as dead hy the ocean, smteH down for dead by the
pesienoe, there he sits with eye bright a. when he
looked upon his great Captain, Welllngton az ~hen,
lighting under MIN, he received Gu years the
Cross OF 5LayOHa sparkling upon his breast.
When we consider that for over half century Lac has
preserved his life by tue use OF poison taken III daily
doses sufficient 10 Kill twice as many as now SIT around
doses sutSD' tbin mai The Cs1tain = made ~ When
va Come 10 know that the Captain took at gle
doc as many grains OF opium 10 save HE LIE as would
have p9t az emo u s Years of age Let him vino oGUs
Shaiene the Captain pledge HIM IN the largest goblet
an Iaadanum and he will see him drink II on w.tA as
,cb immunity as its rivals in color, caret a.d Bur
..,"dv I'm this is sufficient interruption To the re I and
low ~ he company. Others have claims 10 yo- cars
Ivu simply add that 1 pray that the Captain ney 10
snar~d no Ifesde over many similar reunions ana LAT
Heaven NAV vOuchsale ~ MS all the ncaLh aH sAi'' 10
.ny these anniversaries this one, his lc6L as Jay
WlLh him. a. .,1,o,r,rg q. r... ... a.
,-Sn,ted Tor fie occasOn The first were VIA h > ~
St,on ope OF the guests and the poet OF lIe J.chst
of 1870 We give them as follows
Dear Captaini pray excuse our nolse
Wen bot gdly lot Of DOgs,
b,ye quite fonswOrn he gOyt
Ofuyenie fuy0lty.
rs aurslt tia shOnh strive
To r-aeh Thy hundred snd bVe
AID 4 keep alive
nd oLtg