The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1873-04-03
A BRILLIANT RECEPTION.
Observation-Disclosures TO NORTH:
ERN VISITORS.

SOUTHERN RNHOSPITALIIIESI 10 NCHla-
ERN VISITORS.
A Welcome to Ex-Governor Seymour
and William Cullen Bryant, at the
Lather's Mansion.
One OF the most notable social events of the
Charleston season was the brilliant party given
last evening at the mansion Of Colonel Rich
ard Lathers, on the South Battery, In honor OF
the Hon. Horatlo Seymour, Ex-Governor oi
New York. and the Hon. William Cullen Bryant,
the venerable editor of the New York Eve
ming Post, but better known and more en-.
deared to the people OF America as theirloVed
"Poet OF the Woods" The cards OF invitation
10 this "At Home" of Colonel and Mrs. La
theirs had been Issued for some days, and the
party assembled In response was most select
and fashion able assemblage, Including the
most prominent gentlemen of the city, with
their ladies. as we'll as number of military
guests from the garrison at the Citadel.
The earlier hours of the evening we're occu-
pied with a delightful conversations In the
elegant drawlDg-room of the mansion, and at
about eleven o'clock an invitation from the
host summoned the party to the parlorf,
where supper had been prepared. After this
repast, Colonel Lather5 introduced Mr.. 8. Y.
Upper, president of the Chamber of Com
mercp, who gracefully extended formal vel
come to the principal guests OF the evening,
and expressed the obligations Of the whole
Southern people 10 the venerated poet who had
embalmed In the amber of poetry the daring
deeds of "Marlon's Men," a song which
had been sungin many Southern blvouac,
and had warmed The hearts of soldiere at
many Confederate campfire. He concluded
with the sentiment which would be echoed
by every guest and by every true heart OF the
American people, that the noble author Of
Thanatopsis might, "when his summons came
to Join the lnnumerable caravan" of pilgrims
from this world to The world of epirits, de-
part ''like one who wraps the dTapery OF his
couch about him, and lies down 10 pleasant
Dreams"
Mr.. Bryant responded In brief bat beanti-
full and touching address. He modestly waived
the compliments that had been addressed 10
him, and thanked the preceding speaker,
and, through him, the assembled guests, for
the kind and cordial welcome extended to
hlm. Turning from that subject, however;
he said that In his walks through
Charleston he had not failed to note
how, by the silent processes Of Nature, the
wrecks and devastalions Of the war were
being covered and efficed by rrowths of the
fresh spring time, and he could not help hop
ing and believing that in the same way and by
similar inscrua5le and divine evolulions OF
the will OF Providence, the moral wounds OF
the war would be healed and greened over
with new, healthy-givlng growths OF moral
sentiments and impulses, which would make
the picture farer even than 1t was before the
rude shocks of war had marred its beauty. he
trusted and believed that the chivalrous.
knightly, generous race which had made
Southern society what it was In happier days
before the war, preserved even In lts over.
throw the vitality which would produce from
the fallen trunk new shoots of life and vlgor,
which would restore, in more than pristine
beauty, the fair fabric Of the Southern Com
mouwealths.
The host next called upon the Hon. J. B.
Campbell for sentiment, and he responded
10 graceful past-cenltal address, proposing
the health of the Hon. Huratio Seymour,
whose public services he enumerated, and
whose presence In Charleston be warmly vel.
coined.
Governor Seymour responded TO the ap.
plause OF this sentiment by thanking the
ladies aud gentlemen for their kind welcome,
and he made graceful, appropriate and elo'
onent address, in which he alluded to the
evident signs OF returning material prosperity
observed throughout the Southern States
and nowhere In more marked degree thar
ln Charleston, and gratefully mention
ed the warm welcome and kindly ex-
presslons of esteem which had been
given not only to himself, but to the
hundreds Of Northern people who had been
soiourners in the South during the past few
y.are. The South, he said, had now passed
through, and was rapidly emerging from, the
difficulties and embarrassments which had
lOllOWeQ " lUe Wdhc VI Wali ooN aSA Ae'eA>
promised to be bright and glorious, and 1t re-
mained to be seen whether the South had
not, In the long run, come better out OF the
conflict than the North. There, there had
been less of material disaster Immediately
following the war, but its events had
enklndled a spirit of gigantic specu-
la,Ions. unsafe ventures and perver-
sion of business principles to the spirit Of
gambling on tremendous scale, 80 that It
was painful 10 contemplate the possible re-
suit in The next few years. On the whole, be
heartily congratulated the gentlemen OF the
South, and especially those of the City by the
Sea, upon the energy which they had display
ed. under The most dlsadvanlageous circum'
stances and the evidences of their returning
material prosperity, which were everywhere
apparent.
Colonei Lathers next proposed the health
Of Ex-Governor W. D. Porter, who responded
in an elegant and finished address, iuli OF
dignity and reverence for the traditions and
memories OF the past and hopeful auguries
for the future of the State.
The remainder OF the evening was pleasantly
spent by the guests In the interchange oi
social courtesies, and the party repaired to
LaeIr carriages and their homes at late nour,