New-York tribune., 1875-12-23
ADDRESS OF JOSEPH II. CHoATE.

/ hardly know, Mr.. President, to what owe
it that have been selected to respond this memorial
toast which was always wont to be assigned to
learned theologan statesman. Possibly it is to the
fact that now for 81 successive years have faithfully
paraken OF the fare Of the Pilgrims prepared
here at Delmoncos elsewhere. Certainly majority
so fairly earned might have a worse reward Shake
speare speaks Of men who have been at feast OF
languages and stolen the scraps, and assure you
that the crumbs thus pered from your table all
that you will get from tonight Seriously Mr. Presl-
dent, these pious banques Of ours afford field
for the study Of human nature. No man in
tho county can claim TO have completed his
education till he has attended a NewEngland
dinner Laughter and applause.l II s doubtless this
consideration that has led hitler tonight august foot
steps Of the President Of the United states Loud APP
pausel IL Is not enough for him TO have led grand
armies and achieved magnificent vctories have first
saved and then governed this nation OF 100000 OF
people unless he could come here and kEcel among tho
Pilgrims and study tie art OF with Niles Standish.
will benefit him. Laughter Possibly ho may find here
that which viii suggest the wisdom OF revising cor
laughter and applause In pressing upon the attention
Of the country the urgent necessity OF speedy return to
and constant champion loud applause and cheesl he
OF unmiIed evils TO the people of the United states,
and that there Is no health and no happiness
in it, But he has only to look before himself front
q striking argument 10 the contrary laughtel and TO
great company OF 200 or 800 OF tie representative
men OF this great commercial metropolis who have been
forced process M q a5b IN s Of an caS they aro
rs happy and healthy the lot of humanity will
init (aughterl These we,lroundcd forms, Mr.. Prssi-
dent, belong % set OF pronounced and uuconpromsng
inatiOnsts for the time being, who wOd Rave secuted
and resisted attempt at contraction While sitting at
these tables Then, too nc has lost opportunity to
declare that rredeemablC currency IL inconsistent
with true financial credit and prosperity. Bat here be-
fore him Is great company composed mostly OF mer-
OF DclmOnicO, which is certainly Tcdccmabe, and who
can doubt their credit or their prosporityi
But gentlemen, must adhere TO The grave sentiment
assigned me, which is commemorative Of nothing less
than Plymouth Rock-that far.reacling bOwder trans
be the seppne-stone OF the Pilgrims II glory Historic
rocks few In number, and they seem 10 me To have
very much the same general physlOgucmy. Rome had
her Tarpeian Rock; Englaud, her atcless Gibraltar
Ireland, who must always have something, has her
sham-rocks long laugher and we OF NewEngland have
the imperishaDle stone about which, In Imagination.
gather tonight. think the comparison Is obvious be-
tween old stone aud each of theirs Tins dear old
OF IN every part far more precious than the
Plymouth Rock came up by the root gnl was trans
ported Into the square IN the center Of the village New
ENGLAND & has hurled 1t bodily toward whoever
armed himself with q chip OF 1t against all who
his saiuy wrath But whether dashed pieces
az the foot of Tarpeian, or crushed beneath a
Plymouth, II makes no difference. Then Gibratar-that
darling Of the British heart AGAINST which all the enc
mics OF En- gland in tan have butted their heads in
and ended by sut'ae ~ ia honor-whst
more modest rock against which the preiudices
hatred OF all the hostile interests OF the country have
arrayed themseves until at last al have Joined hands
| appaadng it, aud cherish 1t IN Jealous hearts
national treasure They used TO talk OF Shutting Id
out In the cold but now You see men noeking 10
celebrate II on every succeeding twenty of De
cember. Aud then the shamrock Is there a possibls
comparison with thatl Now that we are all here alone
gentem9ti and NO reporters arc present, may not
shade OF sham In Plymouth Rockt tLaughterl Now
that school Is out We don't mind owning that can
game OF brag, and beat them at their own terms Hugh