Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-12-03
SCOTLAND"
A Toast Responded TO by MajOr
liz Maeeabe on Saint An
dreW's Day.

ufeM society
The toast just drank is compre-
hensive one. IL suggests a wide and
varied field Of thought, but on an &C.
casion like this, where the moments |
fall softly between good fellowship |
and good cheer, must needs claim
brief attention. The theme is Scot |
land" In geographical extent
Scotland is but a mere
handful. 1t is not, however,
extent Of territorial surface that gives
luster to national reputation. When
Sir William Jones asked: What con
stitutes a State? ?" and answered,
MEN, high minded men,
Men WHO their duties know;
But know their rights, and knowing dare
maintain"
be took no thought Of mere physical
boundaries, but rightly looked at the
manhood Of the people as the STANDARD
Of national greatness. The glory OF
ancient Greece was in the brain and
nerve power Of her children, not 10
extent OF territory. We find it 10 the
songs OF Homer the sculpture of
Phidias, the wisdom Of a Pericles, in
the valor of a Leonidas. Marathon,
Thermopyle and Salamus arc not he
less illustrious because the bOund'ri
OF Greece we're confined to a nall
row section of the Ionian sea. And
as it was with the country of Homer,
so it is with the country Of Burns
the deeds Of her heroes, the songs OF
her poets, have commanded the sdmi
ration oil the civilized world. She is
part OF Great Britain and we all
claim kin, more or less, with
the British isles, and outside
the pale CT politics, we are all proud
Of our kinship. Sometimes we may
be disposed to 60d iault with Britain,
but tonight, surrounded as we are by
the kindly influences of St. Andrew,
we have no quarrel with governments
or constitutions, and hail our ances>
tral islands purely as seats Of learning
and as the classic ground Of a grand
and progressive civilization. Yet, as a
portion Of the people Of Grea. Britain
are in trouble, let Us. st least for to-
night, cherish the belief that what a
distinguished statesman called 1.-THE
English principles Of federation, the
English respect for personal liberty,
the English doctrine that ell power il
a trust for the public good, aud, lei
me add, the American doctrine Of
local self-government, will at last be
firmly established throughout the
British dominiOns, even to the salts.
faction Of our friends, the Irish Ma
tionalists and Land Leaguers. Ihav,
said that we are all proud Of the land
Of our ancestors. And have we Fol
cauieI The substratum Of our Amer
lean civilization comes from beyond
the seas. What a cheering voice tht
world has heard from the British
Isles What melody of civiliziug vir
tue, what potential energy for good
has gone out to all the world from tt a
little group Of islands 10 the far At,
laniic ocean, And how distinctly in
toned, how sWeetly pure and resonant
the voice of Scotland i
heard in the grand symphoniou
trio sung by the British isles
There come out of the past and doWI
from her historic mountains, echoe
If Ter ancient patriotism and chivalrl
chat tone with the glamour and fas
cination Of romance, the strong, clea
voice Of modern Scotlsnd. We hes
in that voice the harps of her Celtic
bards, the pibrock OF her Highlan,
clans, the songs of her crusaders, tn
. hymns OF her covenanters, mournlu
notes from Flodden and Culloden. AM
the clash Of victorious arms at Ban
nockburn. These martial and min
/ strel strains miogle their varyinI
memories with, and impart their riel
, color r., the voice with which IN
Scotlan. Of the nineteenth centur
, speaks from her crowded cities, he
veil titled fields, her busy factories
her ship-yards, schools aud colleges
But 1t is not for US, on this conviYis
aight, TO go into details and enlarg
upon the theme as to how and by Wha
men and means Scotland won tn
place she deseryedly occupies in tn
estimation OF the enlightened world
Before the SOUS Of st. Andrew aDI
their intel igent guests, such work
At any time, would be superfuous
Every cultivated man, even if the mu
SIC OF Scotch blood Is not IN his veins
Is iamiilar with Scottish history. Tn
italwart manhood Of her people in tn
many and desperate struggles witt
England, for national independence
has fired the hearts Of the nstions wit
noble patriotism, wherever the stor
lt the Scottish chiefs ha, been told
These have afforded material to Scot
sish literature which the genius Of be
sons has used with powerful infuenc
ln moulding public sentiment 10 iavo
Of the traditions and moral tendeneio
)f Scottish life. But the
Land Of brOvn 10 ,tb and shaggy sood,
L.nd o. the noaa'a'a and tie Hood.
lives in all our hearts net only as th
region o. medieval romance, not alon
$ the place OF old time, knightly dar
ing aud adventure, Of iOust aud tour
9smen' where the smile OF beauty va
Ire suihelentreEar OF ehivalrie deeds
but as land where manly principl
persaded the whole people, aud whole
some morals guarded every home. W
remember that the land Of Wlllac
and Bruce is also the land Of SEQ,
and Burns, OF Knox, Of Hume, O
iacaulsy, Of Carlyle, and OF hos
j other lllustrious names who's
Fo:ks richly contributed 10 III
Feal,h OF general literature, TO the ad
gAncement Of the arts and sciences
add 70 the elevation OF the manner
I'D morals Of mankind. There is n
department 10 the republic Of letter
I shat does not bear evidence OF Scot
! lish genius. Her historians, poet
ilrists. diviBes, philosophers and nc
ehinielans, have taken high ran
amid the foremost minds a the az,
aud her soDs are found Is teachers 40
leaders Of men. wherever the Englis
= language is spoken. A gay and sum
minded people, the Scotch are a