National Republican., 1880-11-22
THE L0T0S CLUB DINNER.
A Brilliant Entertainment in K0n0r Of
General Grant.
hour First Soldier and Our First Citizen"--
General Grants I,esponso
to the Tonst.
A plonsnot Occasion Saturday Night.

New YoRK, Now 20.-Tho Lotos club enter
tained General Grant at dinner tonight ahd q
reception was given In his honor aiterword.
Among the prominent gentlemen present were
Governors Cornell and Mccormack Mayor Cooper,
Chauncey NJ. Depew, Colonel Thomas W. Knox,
Colonel II. Latham, Richard o'Gorman, Judge r.
q. Gedney, Dr. William A. Hammond and william
r. Webb. whitclaw Rcid presided, the guest Of
the evening being on his right and Governor Cor
nell on his left. After dinner Mr.. Reid, on behalf
Of the club, welcomed It's guest. He rected incl
dents of the civil war and Grants services to his
country aud Its Indebtedness to him. He asked
what was to be done with him and inquired fthe
country could afford TO say she hnd no further use
for his services lie maintained for General Grant
and for other retiring presidents that the country
should say to them, "nenceGorlh we wish your od.
vice and your knowledge of our ailairs in our
highest council, the senate OF the United states"
lie then proposed the toast Of "Hcalth to our frat
soldier aud our FIRST citizen"
General Grant, who was choered for several sec
onds as he rose. responded briefly as follows:
Mn PRESIDENT AND GRSrLEMEN OF TuG LoroS
CLuB; Ivory much embarrassed IN making any
response TO the complimentary romnrks Of your
president, do not know what IN the world have
got 10 say. lLeughtorl / do not want 70 say that
they are not deserved lleughterl and do not
want to convince you that they arc not. lRenewed
loughter.l But &c stand hero five minutes shall
prove TO you that one of the remarks at least Of
your president IL untrue, without any effort on my
part, aud that Is when he charges mc with being
able to make speech. tLnughter.l l have no
doubt that all Of you will be convinced Of the fact
That missatemont was then made before sit
down. (Renewed laughtcr.l Now, In regard to
the future of myself which has been alluded TO
here, am enllIey satisfied us em to-day. lGreat
applausc1 am not one OF those who
cry out against republics and charge them with
being ungr0teful Applause ! am sure that Us
yegnrds the American people az nation uud as
individuals have every reason under the SUM- If
any person really has, ~ be satisfied with thoir
treatment Of me. Loud applause | hope to have
many years yet Of life. believe that l am In
quite vigorous health-forty-eight years Of age
and have been Tor the last ten years [laughtcrl,
and # can render my country any service in any
way should certainly be very happy 10 do IT,,
IApplause.J But as l am Of the Ogo OF fory-elght
years, Os say, am beyond the period of yolun.
teerlng; and II nm ever wanted in any way |
shall have to be pressed into the service.
Laughter and applause But, not being
obstinate ut all Igreat laughterl l shall have
to submit to those who have experience In getting
me anywhere that will DO entirely comfortable to
myself. LApplauseI Now. gentlemen, thank
this club, one and ALL for tho courtesics OF the
evening. i am sorry that am hoarSc and have q
bad cold and cannot talk longer and thoroughly
convince you that what your president has said is
not so. A voice, 1T could be worse" and loud
applause.l wish to make one other remark.
have been sitting by tho side of your president and
have heard messages coming to him from persons
around the board saying that they wanted to
speak. l have about fifteen minutes of my own
time left and will consent to give 1t to these vol
unteers. [Great applause and laughter
Governor Cornell said II would take thousand
tongues TO express the respect the people OF the
state bore for their hero, and no thanked the club
for the opportunity given him OF personally pay
ing his.
Mayor Cooper said the city was not backward iu
recognizing General Grants services in closing the
Rebellion and his services as president.
Speeches were also made by Chauncey NJ. De
pew Colonel Thomas N Knox, Colonel Horace
Porter, A. L. Burbank and others.