Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-12-31
BOSTON'S BIG BANQUET.
SILVER AND BANKRUPTCY UN-
DER DISCUSSION.

munds Places the Germ of LGbOr's
DiscOnteRt In the Aggrandizement of
Capital.
BOSTON, Dec. 30.-The banquet given
to-day by the Boston Merchants Associ-
alton, at which several distinguished Sen
ators and Representatives OF the United
States were guests, was notable event
in the club history Of Boston. 1t was
held in the spacious banquet hall OF the
Hotel Vendome, which was beautifully
decorated with bunting and flowers.
Plates were laid for over 800. At the head
of the table sat President Wood, of the
Merchants Association, who acted
as chairman. On his right were Gov.
Robinson, Senators Edmunds, Allison
and Dawes, eX-GOv. Rice, of Massachu-
sets, and Congressman j, Randolph
Tucker. of Virginia. On his left were
Mayor VBrien, OF Boston; Senators
Evarts, Hoar and Frye, Jonathan Chace,
Congressman Benjamin Butterworth, of
Ohio; Oliver Ames and John ID. Long.
LOCAL LIGHTS.
The other tables were filled with Bos-
toms representative business men, with
cOpioIs sprinkling of professional gentle
men and others we'll known IN national
and State politics and journalism. Among
these were Leopold Morse, Charles Levi
Woodbury., w. w. Rice, p. A. Collins, j.
w. Gambler, H. G. Lowering, A. W.
Beard, Henry Cabot Lodge, Oakes Ames,
E. W. Converse. +. d. Ely, Col. X. NJ.
Pulsifer, Franklin Haven, Jr., William
Aspinwall, Col. G. ii. Taylor, Col. E. I.
Bouve, Eben d. Jordan, John G. Paige
and r. W. Emerson.
The dinner itself, which was master
piece of culinary art, occupied some four
hours, and the post prandial exercises
four hours more.
LIMITING THE SPEAKERS.
The invitations issued to the guests
who were expected to speak n0minally
confined them to leading national issues
of the day, but as the night wore on there
was more or less struggling from the
main points, until near the end some OF
the speakers ignored one or two of the
vital issues altogether, and confined
themselves to what was evidently their
strongest point. Those who expected
from the most eminent gentlemen present
a straightforward expression of the
remedies to be applied to the existing
disorder of things were somewhat disap-
pointed.
The discussion partook largely of the
nature OF a Congressional debate, each
man pressing his own opinions torcibly
enough, but without common agreement
upon measures for the amelioration OF the
evils inyeighed against.
INCLINED TO BE HUMOROUS.
A vein of humor ran through all of the
speeches, aud It was evident most OF the
distinguished orators die not consider the
occasion as one upon which decisive
measures could be agreed upon. When
4 hcAn
tuaI resources were opened by President
w. b. Wood, who made brief address
eulOgistic of the integrity and charity of
BOstOn's business men. He then intro
duced Gov. Robinson. who was greeted
with three cheers and "tiger," as indeed
were all the succeeding speakers. The
Governor extended a cordial welcome
TO the distinguished visitors present,
who. though they may not have been IA
yored by birth within the borders Of Mas
sachusetts, yet cannot have lived in the
United States OF America and not have
known OF Massachusetts and OF Boston
and her merchants.
THE SILVER QUESTION.
There are times even in Boston when
the Governor counts for something. but
not on this occasion; and Ii will be grati-
tying to hear from these gentlemen out OF
their large information and experience
who have so kindly come to our chief city
to speak freely upon the great topics that
they must, as public men, be Immediately
engaged in. For me it might he said,
s'Silence is golden" and "speech is sllver.n
AS the discussion il TO turn somewhat
upon questions of currency, and as we
have sill the Old-fashioned idea that the
gold dollar worth 100 cents is better than
a silver dollar worth only 50 cents, we
| shall of course follow out the description
and set great deal more bY silence
than we do by aspeech from the Governor.
NEED OF BANKRUPTCY LAW.
There is one subject upon which Boston
merchants are agreed, and that is the
prompt passage OF national bankrupt
law. Now that the flag floats over every
part of our territory, now that in every
part loyalty to the union is recognized as
never before, 10 is time that this great ma
tion, disregarding the little limits Of
boundaries between States for this pur.
pose, shall have the benefit of broad en-
actment that shall touch the great and
almost unlimited extent Of trade.
Senator Edmunds opened his speech by
a faceti0us reference TO New England
weather, Unexpectedly propitious on this
occasion. Hesaid:
FUNDAMENTAL IDEA OF THE LAW.
| fair division OF asseis. The constitution Of
| the United states which made us all citizens
| of every state IN which we chose 10 take our
| abode. has given every citizen positive posi-
| ton as OF right wherever he places his dOml-
| Gle so az it respects the relations OF citizen 70
| citizen, man to man, social institui ions TO 90
cial institutions, there ie no such thing - sep
| aratiOn OF interest. There Is one unity Of
| American citizenship,s OF American indus
| tries American rights and iuterosis-that he .
longs 20 us all. Ont OF u comes the necessity
of uniformity. Everywhere In the republic
there should be the same relations, trust,
! confidence and resuonsibility between cred l.
\ itor and debtor There is one thing rather
wider and more worth thinking Of.
THE GERM OF DIscoNTENT.
When we look at the jeblousies and dscords
/ that seem 10 be threatening society 10 all
/ paris OF the globe. we may be assured that IL
crows out of the Fundamental sentiment Of in
| irinaic disconicut. There ~ no genuine dis
! content n any considerable part Of the body
| Of society that does not have some email origin
/ OF Justice and truth 70 stand upon. and the
| speaker urged the capitalists among his hear
ers io closely invesiiante these signs OF diasat-
| jsfaction, with the end that the causes there
\ for may I've removed, and that thc relations
/ between employer and employed be- strength.
ened upon the bass OF justice and right.
HONESTY AND SQUARE, DEALING.
Mr.. Edmunds also urged honesty among
manufacturers and square dealing IN all
trades, and said
| Ifitbem crime ,or % man 10 R8t Doesossi0n
| OF another mass money 0r gdD4s Uy any kind
/ OF cancnalni .ut or nisfrIF.s. nlltion, ia %
/ another thing .nf a. iuHu iu aflI 60 nlf neigh.
/ Tor. ~ InNit ~ ~ lttiH fft1 w