The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-12-30
TUESDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 80.

an unreliable guide. He made good speech
The tone and temper OF it were IN happy con-
trast with those cold, chilling, misanthroplc
articles which disfgured Harper's Weekly be-
fore the State election. There he demeaned
himself like soured, discontinued, dyspeptlc IN
dividual. who had worked himself up TO such
mitch Of distrust of all mankind that he couldn't
take cheerful view of any thing or any body.
Now he seems to have recovered his equanm-
ity and acts as if he really thought there might
he some honest we'll meaning men in the
world besides himself and the little set who re-
yolve around him and maintain the PROPOSE
ton that in order to keep party pure the mi
nority must govern
The subsequent speakers were Secretary
Sherman. who responded to the toast of "fhe
President: Chauncey NJ. Depew, who wears
the belt as the cleverest after dinner talker in
the metropolis, with nobody to dispute his
possession Of it; Rev. DR.. Storrs OF
BROOKLYN: that Incompatible wit and
story-teler, Gen. Horace Porter, who al
WAYS keeps his audience IN a roar; Gen. Sher-
man, bright earnest, sincere, direct and PLAIN
spoken, who always means what he says ana
saws what he means; Rev. DIR. Bellows, who
appeared as if he had taken seriously some OF
the Jokes that had been got off at the expense
of New England, and stood up for her as val
iantly as if he had the spirit of Miles Standish
within him; George Augustus Sala, who mani
tested his appreciation of a scene that must
have been a novelty to him, there is such
difference between the English and Americans
in the way of serving public dinners; genial,
handsome Rev. Robert Collyer, who read
capital poem in answer to the toast ''Saxon
Grit; and last not least, Joseph IL. Choate,
whom everybody staid to hear and who is al
WAYS listened to with the closest attention.
Mayor Cooper left early-before the foun-
tains of oratory were unsealed. Com. Nichol-
son asked to be excused from saying anything
about the Navy; the New England Governors
turned up missing, though three of them, GOV
Head of New Hampshire, Proctor OF Vermont
and Andrews of Connecticut, were advertised
and expected. In the reports Of some of the
morning papers OF the 23d they were mentioned
as having spoken at the dinner. 1t was SO
late when the time Of the sister societies came
that they were not called upon. They proba-
bly, had an understanding with the President
that they shouldn't be.
The ceremony Of transferring the emblem of
official rank from the outgoing to the lnc0n-
ing President was varied materially in conse-
SEQUENCE of the absence of Mr.. James U. Car
ter, who succeeds to the post. The gold badge
was simply handed to the first Vice President
at the conclusion Of the entertainment, In
somewhat informal way. AT 1 O'Clock the dis
persion began, but it was at least half an hour
later than that before they all got away.
Among the natives of Maine who were at the
dinner there were, beside the President, Mr..
Daniel F. Appleton, who came from Portland,
Hugh McCulloch, Ex-Secretary of the Treas
ury, native of York County, Seth NJ Mill
ken, well known in your city and in ours, Ed
ward F. Browne formerly Of Sebago, and Au-
gustus G. Paine, whose birthplace in in Oxford
County 1 dare say there were others from our
State that did not see. The gentlemen |
have mentioned were very crediiable represen-
tatives of Maine. The Ez-Secretary remarked
in the course of the evening that he didn't feel
quite as much incl ined TO boast of the State he
hailed from as he had in days gone by; but it
was suggested to him that perhaps by the day
after next September's election he might have
more reason than ever to be proud of her.
A prominent citizen OF Bangor, an old-fash-
toned Democrat who was here the other day,
upon being rallied by friend about the goings
on in Maine exclaimed, 'Oh don't lay that to
the Democrats! We've nothing to do with it!
The fellows who are doing the contingent
were brought up by you Republicans; they on
ly lately left your party; you mustn't hold us
responsible for their behavior; the Democrats
would be ashamed to practice such tricks"
The moral of which is that a renegade Re-
publican is infinitely worse than original
Democrat.
There has been some apprehension felt here
since the receipt of news of the occur
rences at Bangor Christmas Day, that serious
disturbances might occur before these affairs
were settled. But the latest idea is that the
difficulties will be adjusted through the discov
cry of some plan by which the Governor and
Council can extricate themselves from the I'M
pleasant dilemma into which they have
plunged. 1t is in that direction only that the
preservation of order can be made absolutely
sure, for however powerful the arguments for
moderation may be, an outraged people are
not always capable of such degree of self
control that they can be persuaded to submit
weakly and INTERESTINGLY to the intiction OF a
monstrous indignity. and wrong. There was
tea stepped in Boston harbor once by men of
the same blood on far less provocation.
YARMOUTH.