The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-12-24
PLYMOUTH ROCK.
MRET1NG OF THE NER ENGLAND
SOCIETY.

OF THE NHW
SOCIETY.
Flfty-Third Anniversary Celebration
The fity-third anniversary meeting and
celebration or the New England Society, O
Charleston, was held yesterday afternoon an6
evening at the Charleston Hotel. At the
business meeting of the society che following
officers were unanimously reelected to serve
for the ensuing year: Hon. J. B. Campbell
president; Messrs. James B. Belts and A.
TAFT, Independents; Mr.. Thaddeus Street
secretary and treasurer. The financial ex
hlbit' Of the society for the past year was also
submitted, and showed the society to be in
most fourIshing condition.
In the evening the members of the society,
with q large number of invited guests, were
entertained at IN elegant supper at the
Charleston Hotel, prepared under the direction
3. Read, J. B. Steele and 8. n. Brown. The
supper was spread Ia the room lately known
az the ladies' ordinary, which had been deco.
rated for the occasion with oil portraits Of the
former presidents ofthe society, Messrs. Joseph
Winthrop, Otis Mills, Doddridge Croker, Ma.
+hanisl Russell and A. G.. Wilmington. The
principal table ran across the south end of the
room, and this was supplemented by two
tables running lengthwlse Of the room from
either end of the main table. These tables,
were elegantly decorated with various orna-
mental designs in confectionery. comprising,
among others, q tall column Of candled fruits
hauked by q series Of columns OF cornucopl@,
an elaborate pillar, garnished with fruit 0lacs,
and q model of Bunker Hill Monument, sur.
mounted by the American colors.
The company was seated at about. seven
O'Clock, and.the two succeeding hours were
devoted to an emlnently satisfactory discus
sion OF the supper, which was served Ia the
best Of style by the attentive walters of the
hotel at the tap ofthe bell, while the most en-
joyable music was dlscoursed In an adjoining
apartment by the Post band. The members
Of the society were present In full force, and
among the Invited guests we're the Rev. Mr..
Adams, who offered the grace, General
vogdes and stan, Captain ThomssL Lockwood,
Of the steamer James Adger, Captain T. G.
Hubbard, Of the ship Richard III, and many
Others. Letters Of regret. were also read
from Nessrs. Jacob Small, president Of the
German Friendly Society; Charles b. Simon
ton, presidS2t Of the Fellowship Society; q.
P. Walker, president Of the st. Georges socIe-
ty; James simmons, president OF the Clncln-
natl Society; James Conner, president of the
Hlbernlsn Society; Wilmot g.: Desaussnre,
president of the st. Andrews Society; Samuel
Y.sTupper, president Of the Chamber Of Com
merce, and others, whose engagements pre-.
vented their attendance.
~ Upon the removal OF the cloth the feast of
reason and the flow OF soul was initiated by
the president, the Hon, J. B. Campbell, who,
in e most felicltous style announced as the
toast of The evening, 'sThe day we celebrate
and called upon Senator Sawyer for a reply.
The response, which was equally happy aud
was vociferously a%pplauded, will be published
In full in TIE NEWS of tomorrow. Senator
Sawyer then proposed as an appropriate toast
for the New England Society," 'sThe memory
Of Horace Greeley and in a brief speech. said
that although he had been one OF those. who
disagreed with his political course In later life,
he had been compelled 10 award him a HE
long admiration for his sterling independ-
ence, manliness, industry add truth. This
sentiment was, responded to by Colonel Rich
ard Lathers, who said:
Mf.. President I thank you>1or the COM
-pllment OF being selected TO respond 10 tnls
toast, and have only TO regret my Inability TO
do, Justice TO the life aud character Of the
great New Englander, whose untimely dealh
Ills us all with profound sorrow. 80 :
/ have known him personally nearly q
quarter of q century, and for many years we
occupied contiguous farms In westminster
County, while we were enjoying N our re-
spectiye vacations In New York the liberal
patronage Of that cosmopolitan city, the IN.
dnstrious and enterprlsing OF every part OF
our Union, claiming and receiving there a
commercial welcome and hearty support, re-
gardlessi OF; social, sectional, religious or po-
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..
IL seems, cir, but yesterday that enjoyed
cfeaKs nervous language In denuncial1on oil
the national corruption, Of their degrad-
ingicorruplion of the blacks; and his enc0ur-
eQ1pg hopes tor the future restoration OF that
. areat New England safeguard to liberty, local
self.government, directed by inteiligencei re-
ours TO me With q melancholy pleasure oe5ono
expression. I refrain on this festive occasion
from occupying the.tlme by any biographical
notice OF his varied and eVentful Lille, or the
notification Of his political career, wherein, IN
common with many OF you, have differed
widely, both In the theory and practice OF his
nolitical course. L have long SAGE ceased to
estimate men BY their political rr.ord. The
history of the past thirty years Is s0 hlled win
the records ofpolltical shipwrecks and eXplod:
ed theories, that few public men can be found
whose consistency with their early principles
in q distinguishing feature Of their declining
YEAR: those few are of all others the persons
have most signally failed to impress their
Views on public confidence.
Ours is Q new government. with novel ana
Comparatively untried features of polity, In
tensely complicated by, the federative system,
and the necessary variety OF sentiments and
habits to be conforlned to. We need, there
fore, not only that our Institutions and laws pc
wisely framed originally, but, 10 general, IN
sympathy with the habits and prejudlces OF
the people, and even conforming TO the
changes of the times and the varying forms
which our industrial pursuits may require.
Hence the doubtful utility of a too permanent
or comprehensive organic law. Mems theo-
ries often mislead them and Induce The more
earnest to practice acts OF Injustice towards
thetr political adverssrfes, but the auimus of
the honest man 30 misled is developed when
he caafronts the evils OF his own teachings by
defending his former adversary from the con-
sequences of their application. This, In my
Judgment, was the generous and manly con.
S.g-hI.h torpfpof,d rho noliItna1 parpar of