The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-02-02
Masonic Courtesies.

The reception to the Boston committe e,
at Richmond, Virginia, took place in the
masonic lodge room at St. Adams hall, in
the presence of a large crowd of ladies and
gentlemen of Richmond. Eminent Com
inander A. 5. Lee of Richmond command
cry, called the assemblage to order, and in
troduced Gov. Kemper, who extended, on
the part of the Old Dominion,a hearty vel
come to the Boston guests, whose presence
recalled the time when Virginia and Mas
sachusetts struggled side by side tor con-
stitutional liberty Virginia had never
slackened her endeavOrs and was as loyal
now in trying to establish equal rights and
laws to ali.
HON. A. NJ. KELLEY,
mayor of Richmond, next addressed the
visitors in his most felcitous and eloquent
terms, and said that while it was Hibern-
ionsm to welcome the people who were
about to depart, he nevertheless did well
come them most cordially. He touched
with good taste for moment upon the po-
litical situation and remembered that when
son of one of the eastern states had so
bitterly assailed the south, a son of Massa-
chusetts (alluding to MIR. Banks) had raised
his voice in her defence.
Gen. Wm. b. Talaferro, grand master
of masons Of Virginia, as representative to
that ancient organization, extended most
fraternal greeting to their guests. He made
pleasing reference to the joint part taken
by Virginia and Massachusetts in
THE STRUGGLE FOR LIBERTY
a hundred years ago, and mentioned CRATE
fully the compliment to Virginia by Mas
sachusetts in sending from her chief port
the gallant bark Stonewall jackson.
At this point the banner of "Fraternity
and Peace" was unfurled, amid loud ap-
plause, and was formally presented by Dr.
Robert White, jr., chairman of the Boston
committee. In the course of his remarks
he gave sketch OF the origin of the COM
mission, and said the presence at Bunker
Hill of Virginia's people had given the
most pleasure in Boston and, further that
no better assurance was needed of the kind
ly feeling existing in the south than the
manner of their own reception, and that it
only needed kind words to bring forth re-
cprocal feelings.
Eminent Commander Lee, in the name
of Richmond cOmmandery, thanked the
committee for the beautiful and.emblem-
attic souvenir.
HON. JOHN G. PARK OF BOSTON,
being introduced, spoke eloQuently of the
character of their mission and the pleasing
incidents connected wherewith. After
briefly alludlng to the federal constitution
as the most perfect ever framel, and no.
ticing the great extension of our country,
he spoke of the feeling In both sections,
that after the war there was no bitterness
at the north but only sorrow. He had
heard the late debate in congress on the
amnesty, and but for fear of the sergeant
alarms would have Kissed. The speaker
further said that if every man in New Eng
land could only read the words the Virginia
speakers had used tonight, no earthly pow
er could divide the two sections again.
TIE SOUVENIRS
were then dist ributed to all the members
OF the commandery, after which the assem-
blage proceeded to the dining hall, where
an elegant banquet was served. The ban
quet over, the tables were quickly cleared
away, and dancing was commenced and
kept up till late hour.