The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-12-25
TIE NEW ENGLAND DINNER.

OF Senator Sawyer TO tue
Principal Toast OF the Evening.
The following Is a verbatim report of the
speech Of Senator Sawyer at the dinner Of the
New England Society last Monday evening, In
response to the toast, ssThe day we celebrate
which was unavoidably omitted from the &C.
couut of the celebration In The NEWS If yes.
terday morning, on account of the pressure OIL
advertisements and other matters OF impor'
lance:
Mr. President and. Gendemen-I regret e1.
tremely that the task OF replying 70 the toasl
which mas been announced sneuld nave fallen
to my lot. i commiserate the gentlemen as.
sem6led here that the physical condition OF
our honored president ia such that he has
been induced to ask me to I'LL q place the
duties of which he would have so much bet
ter performed himself. I must crave your In
diligence for the Inadequate manner IN which
I shall be able TO respond to the standard
toast, 1.-THE day we celebrate"
Though / have for EVE years been q mem
ber. OF the New England Society of Charles
ton, this, I believe, is the second occasion on
whic$it has been my privilege to be present at
its annual festivities. I say privilege, for /
consider 1t such to be one OF an assemolage
ofmen born In New England, having found
their hon les In other chimes, who yet turn
their eyes back with fond affection to the
mother that bore them, and are met to COM
memorate not only the virtues which cnarac.
terized those men and women who, on the I'D
day Of December, 1920, landed at Plymouth
Rock, but those traits OF character which have
made their descendants 80 powerful and indu-
entIslin every community towards which they
hsve turned their steps:
While I deprecate, and shall always depre-
cate the disposition TO attribute to one State
or any group Of States all that there Is OF good
in our country, while I recognize in every
State some OF those elements which nave
made the name Of the United States liiustrl-
Gus throughout the civilized world; while
every Impartial observer is compelled to sd-
nit that the trophies of arms, the triumphs OF
art. the achievements of learning, the wis.
dom of ststesmanship, which have illustrated
the. annals Ofour country. have been MADE up
of contributions from, the North and the
be q sacred duty for q son of any State to Keep
bright the links of that chain which binds him
TO IFS native soil. Criticisms Of The acts OF
the people among whom he was born may be-
come q duty; out py q son notdegenerate, that
criticism viii be the criticism OF kindred and
friends, and net Of strangers and enc
mieeI.It may be positive and aecio,
observed, bat they will be held In the shadow
Of the virtues upon which he loves to dwell.
Recreant, Indeed, to the home of his child
hood must that man be, who, without pain,
lissenn to usaultsupon the fair anne OF the
pSops ssaong whom that home existed.
sME6tfng> ID generous, flial affection must
he Indeed be, who fails to take pleasure N
considering the virtues which characterize
tho beopleOf hiGnative State however, ready
hemayhe toa ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS possessed by
the people among whom his maturer years
have been spent. No true son Of South Car
OlIna, Sesldent in another State, will ever
c~rfticiksher with the harshpess which may
wall mark the comments OF strangers. Ne
thus SON Of Massachusetts, however he may
differ with the opinions entertained Dy ner
people. will forget that she Is his mother, and
,thatine Is to exercise towards her the for
bearance and tenderness OF a son. .
II ts in this spirit, I trust, the sons Of New
Erulsnd are gathered here tonight. We are
Rot met to discuss political differences; to,
egeravate political bitterness, but TO call TO
mind the Virtnesof oMskindred, renew and
strengthen the ties Of sentiment and affection
which bind ustothe oEf>iand IN Whose oosom
our ancestors and many OF our. kindred lie
buried. GToone; who, IKE MYSELF has never
love the home OF his youth, who has
never ceased to revere and admire the heroic
men and women who founded the New Eng
land colonies; who remembered the virtues