Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-11-17

Trmpla1s, sitter trsversing for hours The inhos-
pitsL!o cobbc-stoncd streets OF Alexandra Ihat
stretch out before the weary pilgrim iihe lay
rough and rugged roads over which passed tho
children Of Israel from Babylon to Jerusalem.
On behalf Of the onmandery to which oelonH
! now BID you welcome-an earnest, heHty
courteous welcome. Eat, drink and DO merry
Tonight the heart of each mem5er OF va Oo",
inion CUmmsndery beats high with pleasure ~
The opportunity Of extending its hospitality 70
is iraicrs FROM the beautiful! city across tae
water, and from tho sea shore, the plains anu
the mountains Of Virginia. Rest assured, oir
Knights that if wo can but know that Whenyou
return to your homes and frcsidos there VIII
lhger in your bosoms even slight sense OF sat-
;sfacton with your visit TO Belle uaron, thon,
indeed shall we feel that wo have not la5orod
in vain nor spent OUR strength FOR rsnght
A blessing was then invoked by Rev. Hecrse
w. Dame, of DanviIIe, Grand Prelatc OF lir
einia, a!ter which all present commenced The
onslaught on the good things which we're spread
| before them, but as vigorous as was the charge
| it was more than met and the gutst5 were at
last fam to giQa up and confess themselves van
cuisbed, During the repns, Donch's, kessnich' 3
and the Petersburg Artillery bsnds Which we're
stationed in the gallery, gave firth sweet strains
| of music Provision for the comfort ard re-
| treatment CT tho musicians Wa a!so made 10
the gallery.
At the cud OF the rcpas:, Eminent tOnman
der Reed arose and spo!ogIzed for the non.
preparation of regular toas!s, saying that the
! Sir Knights 10 whom that duty had been as
signed, had been uoabie Oh account olthe pres.
sure al ether business 10 fulfill it. lie then
proposcd as the first toast, The Right Emf.
Lent Glaud Ccmmandery Of Virginia and
called upon Grand Commander Wlthers 70 re-
sponJ. The toast having been dIuok standing
and with loud applause. Senator Withels re-
turned the thanks OF the Grand Commandery
aud euIosixsd The magnificent and hCSpltable
manner in Which U.d Dominion Commepdery
had received It's visitors. That Commandery
he said although enc Of the youngest 10 the
State, was making rapid strides TO the head OF
the line, and the only fault hn had TO lind With
,hcm was disobcdencs of his orders directing
.hat only plain tara be provided for the Grand
| Commaudcry. lie thought that it was exceed.
| innly fortunate that invitations Tor the next
meeting OF the GraGd CvMmandcry had al
ready hccu received and accepted, before the
yi-i,ipg brctheru saw this hall tonight, Tor
otherwise thoy would all be afraid to attempt
to riya! suc!! magnificent display, decidedly
the most magnificent they lad ever seen. The
remarks 81 The Senator we're received with ap'
plausa.
The next toast was to "Wasbiogtou Com
nanlely, Of Washington, and was responded
TO by Past Grand Commander, {. L. SALISBURY
Of that Commentary in very tellcitous and
complimentary manpcr. lie landed the sl'!en.
dor Ct the entertainment, aua 5sIi thar he had
heard people talk about Alexandra being dead,
but i, Only needed 10 como here and look, 10
cooQncc any enc 'ha there IS lite Ia Ike OLD
land yet.
Commani.r hcri thsu gave Columbia
Commandery of Wash, .:gtcn, the mother of
U,d Dominion C0mrnandeiy, whioh was re-
spouded 10 Eg Eminent Commander j. II.
Thompson. who ack aowlsdgc the compliment
aud said that Coiumtia Commandesy was
rT0nd o 't5 child.
Grand Commander Wlth.ts alluded II thc
beautiful NUS, st htouat ' erGon en- Weis5
day, and gave as toast The Masonic Choir
Of Washington, sod called upon them to le'
spond, which t!ioy did by Staging The ar
Song hy Abt both oil which wa!e 5rIaai.G:y
rendered.
1o2s.s 10 Dahlaiay t'0mmanssrry aud iioto
mac Ecmnande1y, ci Washington, were Of
tered, ard were responded to by Eminent Com,
nlandcrs Ozark a1d Hardy, Of those Com
Inanderies.
Eminent Commander Reed then offered q
toast 10 THE Knights TempIars of Phiatel-
phia' which was responded 30 hy Sir Knight
DIXON, OF ST. Johns Commanderg, Philadcl.
pha, who said thrt while coming down this
way, he had met The pickets Of the Tenn lsrS,
who had taken hin by surprise. and he had
to surrender at discretion. lie returned thanks
Tor tie con plinlcnt pad to the Philadelphia
'i'cmplals, aud said that, although by no means
novice in the bat4ucting business, never 10
his life had lie seen more magnificent and
pieutln. leraa! spread than that Of last night.
lie invited all present to visit his Com audery
Whenever ir Philadelphia, and assured them
Of hearty welcome.
The ucyt toast vas 10 "ltchu!oud CClnmau-
jc1y," and was responded TO in humorous
and very interesting manner by Past COM
mapder Scott, who, among o!har things. Fn.
giIed Sir knight Dixon to raise the cry Of
"Dn 10 Richmond" assuring hin that the
Tcmplars there wou.d give him a hearty vel:
coma and a better reception than on The hrst
occasion, %hcn that cry Was raised This hlt
gave liao to IeaIs Of laughter and applause.
In concluding, Commander Ssott gave, -,
''The Ladies o! Alexandria" which toast was
drunk amidst great enthusiasm, aud was re.
.ponded to hy Eminent Commander Rcei, in
q few c!laste aud appropriate remarks, at the
| CUDtiES!!u Vi HH.C'i nc plC5CGl-i u -Appo-
saa.tox Conmandery, Of Petersburg. beau
tiluI ioraI tribute. or Tie part Of two Of tie
ladies Of AIesapdr!G,
! This presentation gave rise t. on o. the
most agreeable incidents Of the evening :.n1
inent Commander }. b, Blanks, Of Appomat.
! tox Commanlery, after receiving the horal
t,b-tc, and returning lis thanks 10 most
beautiful a5,lI! appropriate speech, turned TO
EmneD: Commander Reed. OF Old Dominion
Coumandery, Of this city, and presented hi;..
With handsomely engraved aod framed'ce
tiicate o! honorary membership in Appomal-
tox Commaudery, as q testimonial Of The
! high regard 10 which the latter Command
cry he'd Sir knight Reed The certificate is
signed by al! Of The officers and members OF
ApDomattcx Commaudery, and in presenting
it Commander Blanks paid most exalted
| tribute to Commander Reed, highly eu'ogizing
his uaGy virtues aud good traits.
Commander lteed responded, returning his
thank in an AnprJrr;ate manner but nrotnst-