National Republican., 1876-09-04
THE PUBLIC PRINTER.
complimentary Dinner to Hon. Almon n.
Clamp.

lHS-uOuSt, u luc VI duDuG elgnJN, IdSI
Saturday evening paid the compliment of
banquet to their honored chief. At O'Clock
the company began to assemble in the Pome-
roy Parlors of the Arlington hotel, and it was
not many minutes later when the guests were
marshaled into the capacious dining-hall and
seated at the tables, which were arranged in
the form of a cross and highly ornamented
with confectionery and floral decorations.
Among the invited guests were ex-Gov.
Shepherd, Gen. S. C. Boynton, Maj. Ben.
Perley Poore, Father Gobright, of the Asso-
ciated Press, and representatives of the Star
and NATIONAL REPUBLICAN.
THE COMPANY
was one of more than ordinary intellectual ca
pacity in appearance, and the entertainment
was remarkable for its quiet and unostenta-
tious character. There was no boisterous and
unseemly outbursts of conviviality, but q gen.
ersl prevalence of cheerful discussion, both of
the viands, provided in great abundance by
mine host, and of those subjects which ordi-
narily employ the minds of men who are intent
on being happy themselves and couferring
happiness on those around them. The coun-
tenance of the guest of the evening beamed
with joy.
THE DINNER
was of many courses of the most delicate edi-
bles of the season, and was garnished with
claret, sherry and champagne, of the best
brands and choicest vintage, and the whole
was served in the complete and impressive
style which obtains at the Arlington.
THE FEAST OF REASON.
About IL O'Clock, when the inner man had
been very carefully lined, Mr.. Francis U. SGitt,
the president of the evening, called the atten-
of ba IN tho fact of ha
deputed to make a little friendly communica-
tiOn to the gentleman who sat upon his right,
(the honored guest, Hon. A. NJ. Clapp,) and
as he had no doubt they would all gladly join
him in his talk, he would ask them to suspend
other business for a few moments and lend him
their countenance.
Address of Mr.. Stitt.
Mr.. CLAPP The few words with which, on
behalf Of these assembled friends, greet you
tonight as our honored guest, are words of
friendship and love. speak for the whole
Government printing office; for numerous
company outside for the best people of all
parties and creeds, when tender to you sin
cere congratulations on your vindication.
The sympathy of every honest man accom-
panied you in the trials you have endured and
which are now happily oyerpast, and your no.
bic defense, and your ultimate triumph over
personal persecution by those who had their
own ends to subserve, and those who were the
unthinking instruments of perverted public
clamor, should make every American citizen
glad that the sober sense of public justice al
ways outweighs ultimately the iercest onset
of private passion.
We are glad that the President, unswayed
by faction, has given you his high regard. We
are glad that the Senate have set the seal of
their approval to your Vindication. We are
!, 81, q
the fierce Democracy, not even the smell of |
the fame is on your garments. There might |
be many words multiplied on this occasion; |
there might be much outpourinG of honest in |
dienation for what we feel has been unjust |
persecution; but 1 believe that tonight we |
should rise higher than personal invective IN |
answering personal attack. And so, knowing |
the large vindication of you, sir, by the arbit- |
rament Of the President and the Senate of the |
United States, we rest in the full confidence
that the country indorsed the nomination by |
the one and the confirmation by the other.
There are around me here tonight repre-
sentatives from each branch of the great bee
hive of industry-the Government printing
office. l am the mouthpiece of these gentle
men, who are the delegated exponents of the |
brain and Drawn of this establishment, who |
are the skilled workmen and the skilled |
thinkers of the art preserVative of arts, and |
this makes our present dinner not an en-
ployees' dinner, but a friends dinner-a |
spontaneous tribute to a man who is entitled |
to something more than respect, merely for
the admirable administration of his functions |
as public printer. And that something more
the warm wishes for his good and the warm |
congratulations of personal respect and love- |
am deputed to present to you, which l now |
do on behalf of our friends here assembled, |
and may you live long and prosper.
This sentiment was received with loud |
oh. IL
drank with that fervent spirit for which the |
typos are distinguished.
When the applause had subsided calls were
made for Mr.. Clapp, who appeared deeply |
touched by the sentiments of the address. He |
responded as follows:
Speech of Mr.. Clapp.
GENTLEMEN: There are times and occasions
and circumstances under which the gift of |
speech proves inadequate to express the emo
tions of the heart, and the present hour be- |
trays such delinquency in an eminent de- |
gree. Your very kind, fraterRal and generous
welcome-your warm and hearty greeting, so
and yet so genial-all combine to |
impress me so profoundly that 1 would far |
sooner remain silent than attempt to recog-
nize in proper terms my appreciation of these |
testimonials of sympathy and respect have |
been unused during the past eight months to |
demonstrations of marked kindness and friend |
ship; hence friendly words and genial smiles |
are hailed as the harbingers of spring after the /
rigors of stern winter have passed, and the |
season Of flowers sId fragrance is to inter |
vene. fApplause.I
Gentlemen, l cap only thank you for
TIE WORDS OF WELCOME
to YOUR hospitable cheer, while my whole |
.ha of
and respect with which am greet |
ed This board, to which you have welcomed |
me with such hearty salutation, has literally |
groaned beneath q load of delicious viands, |
hut it has performed its grateful mission, and, |
like all ephemera, the glories thereof have |
faded away. But in their stead comes "the |
feast of reason and the flow of SOUL" In this, |
my friends, find my chief joy. The notes of |
friendship are now peculiarly grateful to my |
ear, and challenge the emotions of sYmpa- |
thetic heart. Applause.
In looking over the array of familiar faces |
that grace this genial company can only re- |
gard this as a family gathering, where heart |
beats to heart as face answers to face in the |
water. In such an hour and upon such an |
occasion the conventionalities and formalities |
of more public meetings should be laid aside. |
We meet as co-laborers, friends and brothers |
who are linked together BY a common interest, |
q common vocation, and who are actuated by |
a community of feeling and purpose.
cannot regard this friendly demonstration |
as the outgrowth of the business relations |
which have existed between us for so many |
years. l accept them as the emanatiou of |
higher and holier feeling. None of you, gen. |
tlemep, are under any special obligation to do |
me homage as the head of the great temple Of |
industry over which preside because of the |
positions which you hold within its walls. |
You enjoy them for the reason that you merit |
tlnr,, R,,, fha tact IF ell nd fGao ion
Were it otherwise, your relations would no
doubt have been severed long ago. Loud ap-
plause.l
THE TRUSTS HELD BY ALL OF YOU
are of a high and responsible order. You,
gentlemen, holl the key to the reputation of
the topographic art in the great national print
ing house of the American Republic, and, for
that matter, of the world. The character of
the printed matter that issues from the Gov
eminent printing office, so far as good taste
and accuracy are concerned, is largely depend
ont IIr1OO vour skill and fidelity The nnmpOs