The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1878-04-25
TWAIN TALKS AGAIN.
Mnrh's Speech nj tho banquet Given
Baynrd Tny Ior al sew York.

Mnrh's Speech AT tho banquet Given
Baynrd Tny ior al Rev York.
Mr.. Chairman: | had intended u
make an address of some length here
tonight, and in fact wrote out an i'm
promptu speech Laughter -, but have
had no time to memorize it, ! cannot
make a speech on the moment, and there
fore being unprcpared ! am silent and
undone. However, will say this much
for the speech | had written out-that
it was very good one, and | gave il
away, rs had no further use for 1t and
saw that | could not deliver it, There.
fore | will ask the indulgence OF the
company here TO let me retire without
speaking. | will make my compliments
to our honored friend, Mr.. Taylor, but |
will make them on toard ship, where |
shall be fellow passenger,
Here follows the speech which Mr.
Clemens wrote out.
have been warned, as no doubt have
all among you that are experienced, that
dinner to our ambassador is an occa-
sion which demands, even requires, a
peculiar caution and deicacy in the
handling of the dangerous weapon Of
speech | have been warned to avoid
all mention of international politics, and
all criticism, however mild, of. countTi =
with which we are at peace, lest such ut
teranCcs embarras5 our minister and our
government in their dealings with
foreign states. In Il word, have been
cautioned to talk, but be careful not II
say anything. | do not consider this a
difficult task.
Now, it has often occurred to me that
the conditions under which we live at
the present day, with the revelations OF
geology all about us, viewing, upon the
one hand, the majestic contigurations OF
the silurian, ooOlilic, old red sandstone
periods, and, upon the other, the aiiilia-
tions, and qualifications, and ramiica-
tions of the prehistoric, we are stricken
dumb with amazed surprise, and can
only lit our hands and say with that
wise but 0dious FrCnchman: "lt was a
slip OF the ton ne, rir, aud wholly un-
intentional, entirely uuintentiOnal. IL
would i'll become me, upon an occasion
like this, purposely to speak slightly of a
citizen of country with which we are
at peace, and especially great and gra-
cious France, whom, God preserve The
subject. however, is q delicate one, and
| will not pursue it.
But-as | was about to remark cast
your eye abroad, sir, for one pregnant
moment over the vista which looms be-
fore you in the mighty domain of intel
lectual progression, and contemplate the
awe. compelling theory of the descent
of man! Development, sir Develop.
ment Natural selection !! Correlation OF
the sexesi Spontaneous combustion -
what gulis and whirlwinds of intellect.
ual stimulus these magic words fling
upon the burning canvassof the material
universe OF the soul ! Across the chasm
of the ages we take the oyster by the
hand and call him brother; and back,
and still further back, we go, and breathe
the germ we cannot see, and know in
him our truer A lam Aud as we stand,
dazed, transfxed, exalted, and gaze down
the long procession of lite, marking how
steadily, how symmetrically we have
ascended, step by step, TO our sublime
estate and dignity of humanity--out of
one lowly form into little higher and a
little higher form--a -adding grace after
grace, and function after function, with
each and every change-developing from
tadpoles into frogs, frogs into fishes,
fishes into birds, birds into reptiles,
reptiles into Rus.ians-I beg million
pardous, sir and gentlemen it was Il
wholly innocent slip of the tongue, and
due only to the excitement of debate--
.or, far be it from me, upon such an
occasion ~ this, to cast seeming slur
upon a great nation with whom we are
at peace-a great and noble and Chris.
tian nation whom God expand.
But, as | was about to remark, i n ain
tain, and nothing can ever drive me
from that position, that the contribu.
tions of the nineteenth century to sci.
ence and industrial arts are--are--
but, of course they are. There is no
need to dwell upon that. You look at it
yourself. Look at steam Look at the
steamboat, look at the railway, look at
the steamship! Look at the telegraph
which enables you to fash your thoughts
from world to world, ignoring interven.
ing seas. Look at the telephone, which
enables you to speak into sfflction'r re-
mote ear the word that cheers, and into
the ear Of the foe the opinion which you
ought not to risk at shorter range.
Look at the sewing machine, look at the
fog.horn, look at the bell punch, look at
the book agent. And, more than all
theusand times, look at the lsst and
greatest. the #rophone, which will enable
Meod y and Sankey to stand on the talless
summit Of the Rocky mountains and
dsl;ver their messsge TO listening Amer
ics and necessarily it will annul and
do do away with the pernicious custom of
taking up collection: Look at all these
things, sir, and say il it is not a far
prouder and more precious boon to have
been born in the nineteenth century than