The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1875-04-28

raid was made upon the mammoth
dinner tent. Owing TO the lateness
of the hour at which the procession
disbanded, the tent was not thrown
open to ticketholders until thrcsP. NJ.
and even then so dense was the
crowd surrounding it on all sides
that all those entitled to admission did
not succeeded in eifecting an entrance
before four O'Clock. The programme
contemplated thiriy-four toasts, but
the lateness Of the hour and the very
chilly weather necessitated a serious
curtailment. The tables assigned to
the President aad other distinguish
ed guests, including members Of the
Cabinet, Generals Banks, Burnsidcs,
Benham, Governor CASTOR and staff
and others, to the number Of about
one hundred, were ranged along
the side Of the tent, upon a raised
dais. Hon. Thomas Merriam Stet-
son, President of the OCCASION, Oceu-
pied a seat in the centre and aunounc-
ed, in a brief speech, the expected
literary banquet
THE T0AsTs
as oiveE were: "The President Of
the United States'-responded to
by His Excelency.
"The dead Of Lexington"-rcs-
ponded to by General Banks.
The Ora;or ofthe Day''-Richard
II. Dana, Jr
The State Of South Carolina
never will Massachusetts forget the
proud response Of South Carolina the
very night she heard the war note
from Lexington Governor Cham
berlin may veto everything be wishes,
but be must not veto our earnest
respect for a voice from the Palmetto
State to the Pinc"-Gogeru0r Cham
berlin, who responded, was received
with much applause, rs were also
his sentiments Of earnest desire for
the comple.e and early restoration Of
true fraternal feelings between the
two great Commonwealths.
The Commonwealth Of Massa-
shusetts' Governor Castor believed
that on the l9th Of April, and on the
heroic grounds Of Concord and Lex
ington. Massachusetts, need none to
speak for her
England and the United States"
No regular response was given 70
the toast, but, in lieu, a letter was
read from the ex4Premiero. England,
Mr.. Gladstone, as follows:
LETTER FROM Mr.. GLADSTONE.
LONDON, March >, 1879.
Gentlemen: have the honor to
receive the letter in which YOU con-
rey to me very warm and courte-
1ns invitation to attend the banquet
which it is proposed to hold at Lex
ngton. in commemorali0n Of the at
.ainment of The independence Of the
United States Of America The cir
,umstances Of the war which yielded
hat result, the principles il illustrates
and the remarkable powers and char
leter OF the principal men who took
part, whether as soldiers or civilians,
IN the struggle, have always invest
ed it with a peculiar interest in my
eyes, quite independent Of the iuti-
nate concern Of the country in the
events themselves. On account Of
.hese features, that war and its
.cconpaniments seemed to me
o constitute one Of the most
instructive chapters Of Of mod
.rn history, and [ have repeatedly
recommended them to younger men
Is subjects Of special study. With
hesc views, need not say how far
am from regarding the approaching
celebration with Indifference 1t is
entirely beyond my power to cross
he seas, even with the present ad-
nirable communications, for the pur-
pose Of attendance. The present (
ime happens to be for me, even IN /
lepentIy Of my attendance in Parli- /
nent, one of very urgent occupations
which | an not at liberty TO put .
side; but l earnestly hope, and ! .
.annot doubt, that The celebration /
will be worthy Of the occasion. In
retrospective view Of the eventful
period. nv countrymen cannot con-
emplate its incidents with impartial
tY. | do not think they should
severely blame their ancestors, whose
.truggle 20 MAINTAIN the unity Of the
British Empire IS one that must, !
blink. after the late great war Of the
North and South, be viewed in
America with some sympathy and
indulgence. We can hardly be ex-
,ected to rate very b ghly the motives
,fthose other powers who threw
heir weight into the other scale. and
Who sensi6ly contributed toward ac-
not, indeed, towards /
issue Of the war. .
Tet, for one, I can most truely say Z
hat. whatever the motives and how
yer painful the process, they, while
eeking 10 do an injury, conferred up
u US a great benefit by releasing Us
rom efforts, the continuation Of
which would have been al unmixed
vii As regards the fathers Of the
american constitution themselves, | /.
elieve 8e can and do now coBtem-
late their great qualities aud achieve
ieats with an admiration as pure as
bat Of American citizens themselves,
nd can rejoice no less heartily that
D the council Of Providence they
-ere made the instruments Of pur-
ose most beneficial to the world
he circumstances under which the
-Dited States began their national .
and their unexampled "a
idity Of advance il wealth aud pop
lation, enterprise aRd power. have
imposed on their people al enormous
espoasibility. They VIII be tried,
; We shall. at the bar OF history, but
4 q greater scale. They will be
ompared with men, not only o. other