New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-04-05
WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT's ADDRESS.

WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANTS ADDRESS.
GENTLEMEN Few appointments to Oh
flee have the good fortune to obtain 80 mah'
combinations that OF our eminent Ieho"
citizen to whom this banquet Is given
First IT was confirmed by the general voice of all witt
heard OF It. Next or rather at the same moment IL wal
confirmed by the press, which approved 1t with sur
prsing unanimty Then IL was confirmed by the senat
of the United States Lastly, 1t was confirmed by sun
dry receptions and breakfasts and Dinners OF when th
is one-and the last confirmation can make SURF
the possession OF public Office our friend has 1t by an IN
deeasbe titlefor the whole Nation has confirmed th'
senates confirmation over and over. We applaud wha
the Senate has done; but what If it had rejected t'
nomination instead Of ratymg i'll We should nave mac
q universal expression Of disappointment ana uls
pleasure-a hiss from the pitt boxes and gallery OF the
great theatre OF the Republic Do you recoiect pas
sage in Millions Paradise Lost in which Satan having
tricked our first parents out Of their innocence,
went back to Pandemonium, related his success ana
looked round him for applause His ears were salnteo
with quite another sound w91Gn tongues
A, dismal. I universal hiss the '0uno
srcb onld have been the way in which the rejection OF
our friends appointment would have been received.
But must not conceal what nave heaId 10 we usau
vantage of our friend II has been objected tat ne IL
poet-a poet my friends. poet; own IL A. Is pJi
fectly that he is poet-but then he cod not elP
the doctors call congenita like the case OF one VINO
born with one arm shorter than Il1 9theIi J o 90
the world poet and poet he VIII Ill ali PROBABILITY 30
Rnt LET rs consider this matter little closely
I the ease as bad as ii seems at first sight, 1t mis-
fortune. admit, TO be poet put dOesl que @
man from acting In q diplomatic capacity Let us Try
the anestion by referring to examples There is inc
case OF Matthew Pror-Dan Prior, Pope called mn
who was for years employed 10 III nnat from whose
graceful shorter poems the Irish poet Moore So
art of versfeation There is the case OF CarHa m ne
author of the Latin poem entitled AhuLuceuusS' h b
which he claimed to have reued the Goe'fIe hot he
OH ar NOlIalIe
united in his person the poet and the philosopher, VIZ
Gil and Plato aud that he was heavens enSeI anu 'uo
yanquisher Of Lucretius.
"Vengeur du ciel OF vainqueur de Lucrece"
But pass by these in order TO come to more
ilustrious example, that OF Hugo Grolus ms gIeat
man. while his country men, the adventures from MOI
land were engaged in planting the little colony wSh
has grown into this principal mart OF the western world
writing his famous WORK on the Law Vi Val anu
Peace" which has been translated INTO every language
of the civilized world and is vet an authority III nS G
cusson OF International law lie was an attdeho ., s
Dutch Embassy TO the court of France at fifteen years
age and doctor OF laws before ne was seventeen. ito
he was a pOet-and a born poet. for he Wrote
good Latin at the age OF eight years ne
composed verses in Dutch Tor young peopie, anu
his transatOns from the Greek anthology INTO LSt arg
charming compositions Yet, poet as ne was, o"euen
employed hum for years as her 70 the GonI
from his tomb at Delft in which ne has lain for two cen
turtles and the third part OF another still nstrucs man
KIND has the rulers OF the earth or MS pupils ana uc
taes law to the great sisterhood OF nations. ~
We may therefore pretty confidently conclude that to
be poet does not wholly ineapacitate one Tor the duties
OF an ambassador Indeed am not sure that the poet-
cal character OF our friend mas lot cauSeu nis hppO-
ment to be greeted with more enthusiastic welcome,
such favorite author mi ht well receive Here IS
who has rendered any service as partisan
and who expected TO render any, ana yet ne mas
been appointed by our Government to one OF It's most I'M
he mas accomplished whatever be has undertaken. The
country has long been familiar with his name as the
name Of who is of talent as well as man OF
genustwo Characters not often united in the per-
son. The prejudice begins to run in favor OF hig1 e
leetual culture, capacity aud emnenee, WhOesoihe
prejudice, which this evening assembled to ac-
knowledge and, as far as We are able, encourage
ADDRESS OF BAYAKD TAYLOR.
Mr.. CHAIRMAN AND GENTLEMEN: You
will pardon me for saying that the magni-
tude of the honor you confer upon Inc H.
creases, in the same proportion, the test of
my capacity deserve it, am confronted before eaY
ing home by the most difficult Of all diplomatic tasks
II should try express what feel being thus &C
cepted as member of that iustriOus company, which
begins with Homer and counts Bryant among its
noble masters, 1 might displease the p0lit.
clans; If / dwell too much on the official
honor which you all welcome, tonight, L may
fail TO satisfy my literary brethren can only say that
the beam level because each scale is filed and heaped
with all that it hold. But you too frank and
generous for diplomacy and dare not the dialect Of
diplomacy in responding Let me be equally frank,
and declare how more than hOnored, how glad and
happy am, that this Godspeed comes not from any
party special class Of but from the united acv
ity and enterprise and intelligence the scientific arts
Wv
not go abroad the representative of party but of
the Government and the entire people OF the United
States shall not ask OF any one who comes 10 me for
such assistance information as may be able to rem
der, more than the simple question: caro- you an
American citizen 2" SO far the duties of my position
concerned hope to d scharge them faithfully and
satisfactorily 1 accredited ito a Court with which
our Government has never bad other than friendly
relations and cannot anticipate any other and if an
important question should arise. requiring the decision
OF wiser judgment than mine am able to eonmuDl-
cate instantly with the Head OF the Department OF state
who, than any other living statesman has abored
to substitute peaceful arbitration for in settling dis
due estimation of self look forward calmly and conf
IDENTIFY TO my coming duties.
feel that may also claim the right, this evening, TO
magnify mine office. cannot agree with those OF our
legislators who willing TO TO the practices
Of semicivzed races In the earlier ages of the world
and abolish all permanent diplomatic representation
abroad. prefer TO recognize tho increased and ever
increasing importance given to such posts, by the
growth and nearer intercourse of all nations. II
is mistake to suppose that Minister is merely pc
utca representative, whose duties when he ha
negotiated treaty OF commerce, defended the tech
hical rights his countrymen. Our age requires OF hin
larger services than these He ought also TO be per
nanent agent for the interchange OF reciprocal and be
nefcent knowledge, making nations and races
TO present the intelligence, the invention, the
progress energy Of each land TO the other-al
dIces, and 10 knit bonds OF sympathy. Finally as
guest privileged by the Government which receives
him. because chosen by that which sends him, he
forget that every of his feOwctzens is hon
ored dshcnored, Justly unjustly judged, by the
action Of him who represents the country!
III you think my conception OF the position q worthy
one you tighten somewhat the burden OF my gratitude
to you for shall do my utmost TO mako that cOnoep
ton reality. Let also believe that there is real
strength conferred by friendship that there 10 help in
congratulation, and good omen IN good will You have
given farewell cup Drumming over with unmingled
cheer aud sparkle The only bitter drop i'll II comes
I'M a A nau 4
true and nOblebearted friends.
SPEECH OF MAYOR ELY.
1t is only natural that we Newly Workers
should be grated and grateful the President Of the
United for having selected from midst dis
tineuished NewYorker Bayard Taylor represent
Anna r,frr,