St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-04-16
DEMOCRATIC FEAST.
1t the Banquet Given Last
Evening by the Iroquois
Club.
Enthusiasm Developed by a Strik-
ingly Significant Letter From
Mr.. Tilden
Pointed Letter From Senator Bayard
and Fine Speech by Sena-
tor PendIetOn.
Sound Talk and Cheering Words From
Many Others Of the Party
Leaders.
A Brilliant Assembly in Which Minnesota
Is Well Represented.
Especial Telegram to the Globe. |

go undoubtedly takes rank as the leading and
most high-tOned Democratic political club i'll the
country. 1t was Incorporated under the laws Of
Illinois, and embraces among its active members
the leading citizens of Chicago Tonight the
the third annual banquet of the club was given at
the Palmer house, between 400 and 500 members
and invited guests being present. The assem-
blage was notable including it did many Of
the prominent men of the country, and calling
forth able and interesting letters from ex-Presi-
dent Tilden and other leaders Of the democracy.
st. Paul was quite well represented, Hon. P.
Il. Kelly, Mayor O'Brien, City Attorney Murray,
Hon. NJ. Doran, L. E. Reed, Ansel Oppenheim
and the GLoBE representative being present.
Walter Mattocks, Of the late Rev. John Mat
tocks, of st. Paul, is the recording secretary of
the club and c. Stewart Warren, also a former
resident of st. Paul, was chairman of the ban
quet committee. The st. Paul delegation was
accordingly well cared for at the banquet.
The spacious dining gha of the Palmer
tastefully decorated and the tables were fairly
loaded with the choicest of flowers, which made
the hall a bower of beauty. Erskine NJ. Phelps,
president of the club, presided in Il graceful
manner Shortly before 10 o'clock, the supper
having been duly discussed, Mr. Erskine opened
she formal ceremonies by neat but brief speech
and introduced the first speaker of the evening,
Col. w. c. P. Breckinridge, of Ken
lucky, who responded to the toast:
'tThe republican Indivisible Union of
Indestructibe States" Col. Breckenridge is
one of the finest orators of the country, and
oratorical Fort his speech was the finest of the
evening. When he arose he was greeted with a
perfect ovation and he was repeatedly Interrupt
ted by appasue of the most vociferous character.
COL. BHECKERiDGE.
After recounting at some length on the origin
of the republic, its early history and wonderful
growth, he concluded as follows: l want to
thank you for once more affording oppor-
tunity, in the most public manner and before
such an audience, of giving utteranc6 to my pas
sionate faith in the future of my country. 1t is
glorious language we speak; rich beyond
preston traditions; sublime have
been the conQuests of our blood;
and to-day this English tongue
is conquering the world, and its civilization is be-
coming dominant. Our destiny is to put our
selves at the head of the English speaking peo-
pie, and mold the civilization of the world with
thought 1t is within grasp. Happy
homes, contented labor, prosperous communi-
ties, solvent states, pure government are the
elements of national strength, and these will
tempt immigration, populate territories, open
mines, endow universities, accumulate
wealth and give every new year
Increased power and accumulated
labor of self reliant manhood, of equal chance
for all citizens of administered laws of Just and
light taxation, and an open Bibie-this would in
deed be powerful and irresistible republic
This is the Democratic republic. Here is the
true foundation. On these we must build.
When contemplate the continent which is to
be ours and its geographical position, and its re-
latiOn to the world; when | recall the
glories and the cOnquests of past
when | look around on Il generation whose yalOr
in and triumphs In peace have immortaized
this as an heroic age; when | try to realize the
power of the truths we believe and to estimate
the influence of noble thoughts, and look abroad
on other people and other institutions, | turn
with serene confidence to the future, and know
that we are in the early morning of our day. L
love my party because it is the party of the peo
ple-loving the liberty of the citizen, jealous of
the autonomy of the State and full OF hope for the
republic. The dominance of its principles make
certain the dreams of the fathers and will secure
the consummation of the hopes of the free.
Under the benign sway of its doctrines, the fed
eral government beloved by its citizenship be-
cause Of its exact justice and absolute
impartiality, under revered CON
stitution, will be invincibe in
the united strength of contented and prosperous
states; and the daily example of such people
will be the mighty power needed to convince the
world of the perfection of a republic of states
where the united power of all can be welded for
the defense of each, but where there exists
opportunity TO oppress or destroy"
His conclusion, which was simply grand as he
uttered it. was the signal of another ovation of
applause, lasting several minutes.
MIR. TULDEN's LETTER.
The event of the evening was the reading OF
Ex-President Tiden's letter, which followed Col.
Breckinridge's speech. The letter was read in a
distinct and clear manner by Mr.. Judd, and when
he stepped forward with the letter in his hand
4;
and waving of handkerchiefs showed that the
very name of Tilden creates more enthusiasm
khan that of any Democrat in the land.
The letter was as follows:
NEW YORK, April II, 16S4.-Gentlemen: I
have had the honor to receive your invitation to
the third annual banquet of the Iroquois club,
TO respond to the sentiment, 1.-THE Federal Con-
stitution.'' have also received private letters
asking a written response to the sentiment i'll
case | am prevented from attending. have
been for some time, and am still, exceptionally
engrossed with business, which have no power
to defer or abandon. | must therefore, com
municate with you in writing and my answer
must be brief.
On the formation of the federal constitution,
Governor Morris, who had been a conspicuous
member of the convention, being asked what
he thought of the constitution, replied: ''That
depends upon how it is Construed The Demo
cratic party originated in resistance by the more
advanced portion of the revolutionists to efforts
which were made to change the character of our
government by false construction of the consti-
4ution, imposing on the new system monarchial
hias Mr. Jefferson's election in 1900 rescued
our free institutions from the perils which sur
rounded them and secured sixty years admins
tration mainly in harmony with their designated
Rnd true character.
When an attempt was made to break up the
Union and to dismember the territorial integrity
q mnplip0 make
a choice between those caamitieS and the dan
gerous influences of civil war upon the character
of the government they patriotically and wisely
resolved to save the Union first and to repair the
damage which our political system might sns-
tain when the more imminent dangers had been
provided against. The first work was success
fully accomplished. But twenty years have
since elapsed and the work of restoring the gov
ernment to its original character is not yet ac-
eo,apshed Our wise ancestors had warn
ed us that if we fell into civil discords our free
system was liable to perish in the struggle by an
EDsensible change of its character Not only
have the best traditions of the patriots who won
independence and established freedom lost their
authority, but our cherished political system is
slowly losing its hold upon
Gife under fungus growths of
Galse constructions and corrupt practices The
government itself has become a menacing factor
40 elections.
AS long ago as 1876 expressed the opinion
tlaT the DppOSlllOu Iue DeSlnnlnR
of the canvass, two-thirds Of the voters to main
tain majority at election In this history re-
peats itself BY force or by fraud, even in the
Comparatively popular system of England, the
E.os1arch has, until lately, controlled a majority
of Parliament, and frequently decided elections
by court favors, jobs and money taken from the
yEublic treasury. This is hard saying but the
recent publication of papers of her deceased
statesman, leave no doubt upon the subject. In
our own country, the government, instead of
standing as an imperial arbiter amid the conflicts