Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1875-05-28

that our dignified pre- siding office
exhibited In parliamentary law added
greatly to our dispatch of business; ant
the disposition manifested by til,
members of the Press, representing
the diversity of interest that exist
between the East and West, by mem
bers representing these sections, wa:
ample proof that the general good O.
the whole State left 70 room in theil
hearts for sectional jealousy. This
much for ourselves Now, what shat
L say for the people of Wilmington
To those of the readers of the Argu.
who did not have the good fortune tC
be there, 1t would sound like fuI70mt
panegyrlc If L were to tell one half the
truth IA out their kindness and hospi
tallty, while to those of us who were
its recipients it is difficult to find Ian
guage lauditory to give expression tc
our thanks for the manner in which
we were treated. The Jews, n ex-
tending to the Co rveIition an invitation
to attend the lecture of Gov. Vance
on tho Scattered Nation" not only
gave An opportunity that many OF
us probably may never have again
OF listening to one Of the grandest eff
forts OF human genius; but also ex-
empnhed In characteristic manner
the noble vindication of the distin-
gulshed lecturer of prosecuted peo-
pie. L shall attempt no outline or
synopsis of the lecture. But this I
will say that he broke down and des-
troyed many of the prejudices that has
hitherto been entertained against this
peculiar people, and it would be a
benefit to both Christian nnd Jew if it
could be heard all over the land. We
thank you, Jew, for the compliment
you paid the "press gang"
| 10 the gentlemen composing the
Chamber of Commerce, Produce Ex-
change and other citizens of Whining
ton, the members of the Association
were indebted for an excursion down
the river that will long live in the
| memories as one of the most pleasing
incidents OF their lives, especially to
our western brethren. Under the es-
cort Of a committee we were marched
down to the steamship Raleigh, OF the
Baltimore and Southern Steamship
Company, Capt. Oliver, commanding,
and were received on board by those
merchant princes and accomplished
gentlemen, Messrs. +. w. Kerchner
and s. W. Wick, in whose hands th,.
steamer had been placed to dispense
her hospitalities. Swinging loose we
were saluted by the flash and boom
OF cannon by Capt. Cazaux, the agent
OF the steamship, and swiftly gliding
down the river, she carried on her
decks as happy a lot of brain raclled
editors, accompanied by number OF
prominent and distinguished gentle
men, as ever were crowded in the
same space before. Finally, Smith
vile was reached, and We were board
ed by Col. Pennington, L. S. A., and
his staff. We did not meet in bloody
embrace, but the blue and the gray
standing on the bridge that now spans
the bloody chasm, joined III festivities
with toast, speech snd repartee and
then their introduction to Vance, his
toast, 1.-The blue and the gray ; let
them remain separate, they can whip
each other, joil them together, they
can whip all creation, and IL part of
South Boston" and then the fun grew
fast and furious;" a1d then-but l
have not time to tell it,
We left Smithville. ont to sea, turn
ed back and then the
DINNER.
Col. DeRosset, President of the
feast, gave us u most graceful and
welcome speech. | shall not attempt
an outline; but it was eloquent and en-
tertalnlng, besides giving us some
valuable statistics IN reference to the
barbOr, Its capacity, etc, and only
asked the people of North Carolina to
have State pride enough to give tue
city of Wilmington the same terms as
they did other cities Then the tOasts,
which | shall have to omit; but some
of the quill drivers reciprocated the
lurid feelings of the city representa-
tives; another speech from Vance, and,
like postscript to IL lady's letter, the
last i" always the best. | must not
omit the mention of the remarks made
by Mr.. NnnBokkelen; but [ would sig
nally fail to do him Justice; but it
made fine impression on all present.
But L must hasten ON. l have been
compelled to omit n thousand things
that occurred to make the time pass
agreeably. The hearty desire on the
part OF the Wilmington gentlemen to
do everything Ill their power to make
the excursion complete success, nor
do / mean to be invidious when | say
that If it is ever my good fortune TO
fall In with such good hosts again, may
f. W. kerchner. with his whole-souled
manner, and the happy faculty he pos
sesses of anticipating lntuitlvely the
wants of his guests, be there, too, and
L shall ask no better fate.
We returned late in the afternoon to
the city, all enraptured with the trip.
One thing L omitted that occurred on
the excursion that was most CRAFTY ing
to all, but to which [ intend in fu-
ture communication to speak of more
particularly, was the presence of Capt.
j. N. Maffit, the Commander Of the
Confederate war steamer, Florida
His speech was eloquent and thrilling,
and his account of the history and
career of his gallant steamer sho~id
be put IN moro enduring from tina ii
newspaper article.
The ball was a most perfect success.
The beauty Of CarOlina's fair daugh-
ters, the elegance of their costumes
threw a halo of splendor over the
whole scene that my feeble pen falters
IL the attempt to describe. But the
Press was SO we'll represented in the
may whirl of waltz and dance, that [
an sure it will be mentioned by those
more competent than mys If, to do it
justice.
no OI tuo
change was accepted, and good cheer
and good words were heaped upon us,
literally to overfowtng. Our visit to
the guano works, through the courte-
Gus invitation OF Mr., d. McRae, Sec
retary, and the kindness of Col. FIRE.
mont was one of the most pleasurabIe
incidents of our whole visit. We were
conducted over the building by its ac-
tive and energ etic Superintendent. as
sisted by Messrs. McRae, F. W.
Kerchner and others, and there saw
for ourselves the whole process of
manufacture and manipulation, and
there was an universal surprise ex-
pressed by the Western men at the
magnitude of its operation. But as
this is one of the most important in
terests of North Carolina, l intend in
future communication to call the
attention of our people to it, suffice it
at present, that one visit will be pre-
ductive of mutual good to the coun-