New-York tribune., 1885-07-19
THE FOURTH IN LONDON.
RECEPTION AT THE LEGATION-MR. CYRus
FIELDS DINNER.


| rRoM TIE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE ihihosA'
LONDON, July B.
The Fourth Of July saw large company Oh
| curious Brltons outside and larger company VI
| good Americans inside the house Of the American
| Minister IN Lowndes Square, Mr.. and Mrs. fheips
had issued general invitation TO their compa'io'S
| for Saturday afternoon from 10 D. iS was
| estimated that not less than five hundred guests
put in an appearance. Two floors OF tho mousse
which is q large one, were open 10 tnc asse'o'S'
refreshments were served in the dining-room'
| tho recention took place IN the drawing-rooms.
Some Englishmen came; among them Dir. ana
MIRA Cbilders Many more would have
been present if they had understood that English
men would be welcome Time when your tr'e
Briton was disposed to think an American ccleDfa-
tion of the Fourth Of July ia London slightly out
of place. He now rather wonders he Is not asked
to Join in il. Such is the change which mas come
over the feeling of Engishmcn to their American
cousins, or as Mr. Phelps says, brothers. All that
the Legation can do by way Of celebrating the day
is of social kind. Mr.. and Mrs. Phelps open their
house-which is after all. their own and not their
diplomatic home-as freely as the White House IL
SELF is open in Washington. People come ahd CO.
and stav as long rs they choose. The papers pun
lish the announcement. The whole stan OF tue
Legation shares in the duty of receiving guests. an
large number of pretty Americans did honor to the
| day and to the Legation.
| In the evening Mr.. Cyrus Field gave dinner IN
| honor of the day and the American Min-
| isfer at the Buckingham Palace Hotel.
Out of the thirty guests present not
| more. l think. than eight were Americans
| These included the American Minister. Mr. Henry
| White, Mr. Henry ". Stanley twhom we may still
| claim. hope). Senator Ydmunds of Vermont. and
the Consul General of the United States. Governor
| Waller. The Duke of Argyll sat on Mr.. Fields
| right Mr. Phelps on his left Mr.. bright. Mr.
| Forster Lord Roughton, Archdcacon Farrar, ana
| other notable persons were there not tho Ieast
| notable being Lord North grandson OF the LORD
North who was Prime Munster to George III.
| What would the grandfather have said could he
| have foraseen tho part his grandson would play!
The dining room was drapod in American and Eng
| lish flags. Dinner over. Mr.. Field proposed hrst
the health OF the President of the United States sec
ondly, the Queen. It's perhaps doubtful whether the
order might not have been reversed The relations
| between England and America are now friendly
enough to allow an American in England or an
| Englishman in America to waive strict prcce-
| dence in favor of courtesy This suggestion,
| ought to say, came from an American who was
| present not from an Englishman. The two healths
were drunk with impartial cordiaty.
| Tho toast of the evening was proposed by Mr.
| Field and responded TO first by the American Min
lister and then by the Duke of Argyll Mr. Phclps's
speech had the one fauli of being too brief All he
| SAID was to the points and was said with genuine
feeling and in good taste The Duke Of Argyll has
grown to be a venerable figure; the blonde locks
and whiskcrs grayish white but the eyes are as
| full of Scottish fcrvor ever. Nor has the voice
lost anything in volume The tone of intense SIN
| Ira Ia puch in
earnest in what be has to say 10 this small com
pany after dinner as when he thnn9cred IN tho ear
| of the House OF Lords his dcnunciaions Of Lord
| BoaconsGeld's rninous Afghan policy. or OF Mr.
| Gladstone's tamperng with the rights of property
| in the Irish Land Act. lie speaks tonight with
| depth Of regard for America and Americans which
| goes straight To every American heart. The best
| friends of his life, he tells u.s. have been Ameri-
cans: Prescott, Charles Sumner. Motley, Long
fellow, and his host Mr. Cyrus Field.
| He hes brought back vivid memories
Of his brief visit 20 America and pants for us
| one or two vivid pictures Of American scenery and
| American life He reoices our joy in our indie
pcndence; IN the triumph of the Union over the
Rebellion; in tho triumph we have since won here
IN England over English unfdcndliness. Aud he
SAYS truly that il is difficult now 10 find an Epg-
| lishman who is not convinced he was on our side
| all the time. If You read report Of the Dnkes
speech YOU will be struck by the number ot ideas
| he has managed TO pack in such small compass
every sentence terse. pregnant impressive.
Mr. Bright follows lie Is seldom heard IN those
days lie has long been out Of Office. To n certain
extent he is out Of touch with the prevailing feel
ing in his own party. In the French phrase he -
! no longer IN the m0vcmcnt-in the current, perhaps
we should say The Radicalism Of the moment is
not 10 his taste; no the foreign policy OF
| the Government ut The head Of which was the man
he most respects aud loves, Mr.. Gladstone. So. for
! tho most part this admirable AM venerable orator
is silent We came near losing his speech tonight.
| He had been Ill with violent cold and cough and
| almost excused himself from tho dinner. His
| affection for America prevailed over this
| bodily weakness. When he had spoken few
| sentences hc forgot all about his cold. Tho voice
grew clear; it was TO bo heard for some minutes
| in its old sweetness and fdlness If tone. The ges
| turc was animated and picturesque. The dignity
| the impression Of intellectual power. the sympa-
tletic and persuasive manner, the apostolic quail
| ity were all what have so often seen them in
years gone by. He gave us OF his bcst. He went
back TO the days of the Civil Wars when. as he
told us. and rs have heard him say oftoa, he used
TO spend The week in anxious expectation of the
news which the Saturday steamer was to bring OF
events in America. forget whether it was III this
speech or later in the evening that Mr. Bright do
scribed the emotion with which he received the