New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-11-11
THE MERCANTILE LIBRARY.
DINNER OF THE OFFICERS UNION.

The annual dinner of the Officers Union OF
the Mercantile Library given at Delmonicos last
evening. While the invited guests were assembling
their hosts held meeting the election OF officers for
the ensuing year and the following were chosen;
President NJ. c. d. Borden President Henry l.:
Pi,rsop ir: Corresponding Secretary, George C. Lee
Recording Secretary, 5. Hastings Grant treasurer
&. H. Allen, Il. v . bess0n' ANUS r. E1o' a W onoi'
man, A. A. Raven.
when the business session was concluded, 10 was an
nounced that the dinner ready aud the officers and
their guests nearly 100 In ALL took their seats in the
dining hall. This has been during the last Summer
newly frescoed, with other Improvements, and was
rasteiully decorated with flags and the banner OF the
Mercantile Library Among the guests who were pres
et occupying seats the hight and left OF the Presi
dent NJ c. ID. Borden, the Rev Henry c. Potter,
the Hon VIM. f. Dodge, Wllke Collins. Erastus Brooks,
Chaunoey NJ. Depew, Whitelaw Reid. VIM. H. Guion,
Peter Cooper, Abram s. Hewitt, Gerald Massey Oliver
Hartman, Stewart l.. WoOdiord John Taylor Johnston
Jackson s. Schultz and Isaac II. Bailey.
Prayer was offered by the Rev. H. G. Potter. ID. ID.
After the cloth was removed. Mr.. Borden, IN short,
pleasant speech gave the first regular toast Inc
President Of the United States" lie said they had
confidently expected Gen. Grant but he could not be
here without becoming unconstitutional by parting
with his reserve He then introduced Gen. Stewart L.
WoOdford, who responded 10 tine toast as follows:
Mr.. CHAIRMAN AND GENTLEMEN or THE UNION; Your
toast tonight not the but in the better sense
the Office. Excited the political canvasses OF
this country. when they have closed and the balotbox
has pronounced your will, the candidate Of a conven
ton becomes the President OF the people. and all who
honor the land and proud Of their citizenship are glad
heartily unite in paying tribute, not Of personal at
tachment 10 personal leader, but of respect to that
high Office which Is the embodiment OF the Sovereignty
Of the People. IApplauseI There are sOme
tonight calls back personal memories and wakens
some personal enthusiasm. He who is permitted by the
ate OH of
permitted be tue leader OF your armies in that great
struggle which saved the nation, and assured
cons tutiouai government To TINS country Applause
He permitted when the struggle Of war was over 10
De first generosity to the conquered rs he mas been
first valOr against foes He permitted TO De
the champion OF the enforcement OF the law be was per
mted win higher honor the highest honor as II has
seemed 10 that has come TO the stalesmanshp
Of tins tme be was permitted to DC the exponent OF
cur people in that eflt SO successfully made 70 uDs
tute The civilization Of arbitration among nations Tor
70 nav no epeeiai tribute OF euiogy to our
Presiieut, but standing among those WHO are
the repre- sentatYes or the mercantile Glasses sdhulus
among the Younger men, 70 be the merchants or
President who amid the storm and clmor OF me
financial revolutions OF the last % days, has kept ms
head has sought obey the law, aud has furnished
that steady example or steady Conservatism Whlch II
needed 10 place financial affairs on a basis OF Sc,
curltv for the future. Applause. You ana recall
the time and the days When there swept through Tue
streets Of New YORK thar which Ike some Of the old
paniCs that knew IN the army OF the Potomac when
eyerv man. even wIsest and DraYes seemed TO have
Lis head. when The great meIeantIe ana hhdnciaI
interests OF Ne-Y0rk begged the President 20 lend tho
OF the credit Of tine New YORK banks
those might sustain the enterprises or the city ana
country. The appeal wa not unnatural The urgency
vas critical that the storm has passed IN part
there Is hardly mIn IN uhs CITY, core Iol
what partsanshp or his conviction, who is not pro
oundy grateful the common sense and the resolute
WILL OF tae President who said, u viii obey he law ana
Keep The reserve for It's legitimate use IN payment OF the
Indebtedness OF the Government" lApplausel There
would be manifest lndellcacS IN my eApitsslnE tle
slightest opinion favorable or untdvorabie as 10 the
right OF the Government TO reissue the S4eOJ0 or any
part because II has fallen 10 my lQ 20 De henDer OF
the National Legs that be called 20 pass upon
this question IL SHOULD De the duty or every Consen
tOus legislator 10 vote not iIoul pai'lStnsnP' gls
his CONSCIENTIOUS Of duty, aud Therefore frankly
say that tonight shall express no opnio4 10 70 lac
right OF that reissue, ana yetl II Du lustee
here IN NewYOrk, amid ne great financial Interests on
the State ana nation to recall that rom the nqlr men
that reserve was Withdrawn az reserve ~ INC Ids
urv Secretary Boutwell, the Presidehtfand secretary
richardson an connected with the Executive manage
mcnt Of the Treasury department., nau uuilollIi5
claimed the right reissue that reserve whenever
5 2e ds% tenn Sy P e tSs sses % tHe
~ ',h 60 fee sandtug here amid the throes this
nnaneia crisis that are much Indebted 10 the cam
common sense and tue res0iutc VIII when has not DeeL
ted mon tbe sea but has steadily kent is %
faciry 10 the law and obedience 10 the CONSERVATIVE
demands Of our financial interests. Let u8 Judge gener
ois' Ter ~ deal Justly We honor our Presdent for
what he has done honor him for victories IN the Held
we honor hm for that Christian statesmansLlp
which made us reach out the hand OF recon
ciii.tion ~ tie old Motheraud across the
We recognize that ne f. amenahe 70 te law as We are
ae nlbe 10 the law recognize tnat to-day, as IN al
time the highest boast OF our American citizenship IS
thar ruler nor subject stands above ths aH Dut
thar re lchiug over all controlling parties and reeuld
inc partisan discussion superior "a the ruler superior t0
the subject the common law OF our iauu 10 Ncb We
recorIze obedience aud ne honor the Executive as
he h me expOuent and executive Of that law. ZAP
pausel Gentlemen, thank y0u Tor this hhcA OF pa
tient listening, and bid you good nigAt
The second regular toast The state Of Newly ork,
met a response from the Hon Chauncey NJ. Depew. III
SAID II was easy 10 answer because he surrounded
by Sev-York on one side Of him tie oldest mer-
chant Peter "copper" the representative OF the men VINO
are gathered here tonight whose deeds speak them
selves as "a tribute what the merchants OF new YORK
can do IN the acquisition OF wealth. and then In the he
nefccnt distribution OF it, Tue toast appeals 70 every
sentiment the mercantile heart eyeryW uere We nave
founded ourselves. not manufactures, but on the
commercial supremacy OF tue land Tao geogiaplIcal
situation OF New-YOrk Is the merchants opportunity
and we can never fully pay our debt 90 those who
founded at mouth Of our noble river tue metropolis
Of our country. New YORK points WIN hoIor 20 me
Erie Canal TO the nrst steamboat 10 the nrst railroad
ANA man her son. VINO first invented the magnetic
telegraphlc
Erastus Brooks responded 70 THE, in place OF Mayor
Havemeyer who could not be present. Speaking Of the
present position country, he asked 10 became
country Ike ours with all it's advantages, 20 remain ~
the position 10 was now. The land remains the thrift
remains the man remains, but the heart y sex me
arms folded while Tue man wonderngly despalrs OF
what viii come next. The time has now come when
men should stand Dy cach o,uet; Iue ,Iy
OF Now-Y TX IS only the commercial center or the
New World, but ia troubles are felt every where IL Is
here, by maadmnisiraVn IN once, thit these great
commercial troubles have arisen In this disaster u
uncertainty OF the Government OF the law, ana
OF its interpretation WlGa cChtIlp,Iteu no -ttIe
itR eXteuf the law hut The administrators OF
that 50 Often mako disturbances IN Tue com
mercal community. Congress makes Law, and the
Secretsres OF the Treasury interpret that law tha at
times they spies into your counting houses
snafching your books from under your brow " have
seen TOO much OF this, and the time Is coming when
citizens Will instruct their rcprese natives that when
man s known BY experience for his integrity his good
name should be the password through the community
against the subOrdinRtes Of the Federal Government
Applause Mr. Brooks compared the present unfavor-
able aspect OF commerce with its former progressive
state and said that Baltimore and Boston had gained
relatively more than New-fOrk. one reason was that
New-KOrk had looked 700 much 10 foreign co nineree'
without giving due weight TO the advantage OF the in
land trade.
The next sentiment was Commerce ana Letters,
the bond which binds the Ola World and tho New. 3"