The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-12-31
BosToN's GUESTS.
The Congressional Delegation Enter
tanned by Merchants.
Sketch of the Banquet and the
Speeches Made.

BosToN, Dec. 30-The Congressional party
which had been invited to attend the Mer-
chants Association dinner This evening, ar
rived on a special train on the New York ana
New England railroad at o'clock this morn
ing. The members Of the party are Senators
Edmunds, Allison and Frye, Representatives
Tucker of Virginia, Butterworth of Ohio,
and Collins of Boston. They were received
at the station by a committee of the Associa-
ton, and were driven to the Hotel Vendome,
where the party was breakfasted After
breakfast the distinguished guests entered
carriages, and proceeded to the State house,
where, at IL o'clock they were received in the
executive chamber by Governor Robinson,
Senator Dawes, Ex-Congressman Morse.
Congressman Haydn and Ely Secretary OF
State Pierce, Treasurer Gleason, and Auditor
Ladd. After inspecting the State House, the
party, with the exception of Tucker and But
terworth, took its leave. They were driven
about the city this afternoon
The banquet given this evening was no
table event in the club history of Boston. 1t
was held in the spacious banquet hall OF the
Hotel Vendome, which was beautifully dec
Grated with bunting and flowers. Plates
were laid for over 800 and all the places were
filed At the head of the tables sat Presi-
dent Wood of the Merchants Association,
who acted as chairman. AT his right were
in the order named: Gov. Robinson, Sena-
tor Edmunds, Senator Allison and Senator
Dawes, Ex-Governor Rice of Massachusetts,
and Congressman J. Randolph Tucker of
Virginia On his left were Mayor 0'Brien
of Boston, Senators Evarts, Hoar and Frye,
Jonathan Chase Congressman Bntterworth
of Ohio, Hon. Oliver Ames and Hon.. John
j. Long. The other tables were filed with
Boston's representative business men with
copious sprinkling of professional. gentlemen
and others well known in national and State
political affairs and journalism, among whom
were Hons. Leopold Morse, Chas. Levi
Woodbury., w. w. Rice, P. A. Collins, J. w.
Gambler, H. G. Lowering, A. W. Beard, Hen
ry Cabot Lodge, Oakes Ames, E. w. Cous-
ems and D. Ely, Col. r. M. Pulsifer, Franklin
Haven, Jr., w. Aspinwall, Col. G. III. Tay-
lor, Col. E. L. Bowie, Messrs. Eben D. Jor-
dan, John G. Paige and r. w. Emerson.
The dinner itself which was masterpiece
of the culinary art, occupied some four hours
in discussion and the post prandial exer-
cises occupied four hours more. The invita-
tions issued to the guests who were expected
to speak nominally confined then to the lead
ing national issues of the day, but as the
night wore on there was more or less strag
Cling from the main points until near the end
some of the speakers ignored one or more of
the vital issues altogether and confined
themselves to what was evidently their
strongest point, and those who expected
straightforward expressions of remedies to
be applied to the existing disorder of things
were somewhat disappointed. The discus
sion partook largely of the nature of a con-
greSSl0nal debate.
The post-prandlan exercises were opened
by President w. B. Wood, who made a brief
address eulogistic of the integrity and ehari-
ty of Bostons business men. He then In
troduced Gov. Robinson, who was greeted
with three cheers and tiger, as indeed were
all the succeeding speakers
GOV. RoBINsoN's SPEECH.
He accepted this enthusiastic greeting as
rendered to the commonwealth, not himself,
and extended cordial welcome to the dis
tinguished visitors present who, though
they may not have been favored by birth
within the borders of Massachusetts, yet
cannot have lived in the United States of
America and not have known of Massachu-
sets and of Boston and her merchants.
There are times, even in Boston, when gov
ernor counts for something. but not on this
occasion; and it will be gratifying to hear
from these gentlemen out Of their large infor-
nation and experience, who have so kindly
come toiour chief city to speak freely upon
the great topics that they must, as public
men, be Immediately engaged in. There is
one subject upon which Boston merchants
are agreed, and that is the prompt passage of
a national bankrupt law; now that our flag
floats over every part of our territory. now
that in every part loyalty to the Union IS
recognized as never before, it is time this
great nation, disregarding the little limits of
boundary between the sections for this pur-
pose, shall have the benefit of a broad enact
ment that shall touch the great and almost
unlimited extent Of trade.
SENATOR EDMUNDs' SPEECH.
Senator Edmunds was the next speaker.
He opened by a facetious reference to New
England weather, Unexpectedly propitious
on this occasion. We are expected to say
something, he said, upon questions which
are agitating the minds of members of Con-
gress. In the invitations the tariff was men
toned, bankruptcy bill was mentioned
and the currency and silver coinage were
mentioned as subjects which your represent
alive men would like to hear discussed Yet
it rather struck me that it would be carry
ing Goals to Newcastle to talk to the mer-
chants of Boston of the benefits of national
bankruptcy law. You understand it as well
as we and rather suppose that among you
present there is not one who does net
believe such law is essential to the busl-
ness welfare of the nation. The funda-
mental idea of a bankrupt law is a fair
division of the assets. The constitution of
the United States which made us all citi-
zens of every State in which we chose to
take an abode, has given every citizen a
POSITIVE DOSlblOu dS Oh TlSIlb WueTONcI he
places his domicile. So as it respects
the relations Of citizen to citizen,
man to man, social indebtedness to
social indebtedness, there is no such
thing as separation. OF interests
There is one unity of American citizenship,
of American industry, American rights and
interests, that belongs to us all, and out of it
comes necessity of uniformity. Every
where in the republic there should be the
same relations of trust confidence and re-
sponsibility between the creditor and debtor.
There is one thing rather wider and more
worth thinking of. When we look at the
iealousies and discords that are threatening
society in all parts of the globe, we may be
assured that it grows out of fundamental
sentiment of intrinsic discomfort There is
no genuine discomfort in any considerable
part of the body of society that does not
have some small origin of justice and truth
standing, and the speaker urged the capital
lists among his hearers to closely investigate
these signs of dissatisfaction, with the end
that the causes therefor mgy be removed and
the relations between employers and en-
ployed be strengthened, upon basis OF JUS
tice ard right. He also urged honesty among
manufacturers and square dealing in all
trades, and said if it be crime for a man to
get possession of another mans money or
goods by any kind of concealment or
Misrepresentation, is it another thing for
man to sell to his neighbor, as some OF
our British friends very often do, a piece OF
cotton cloth that is represented TO nave SO
many ounces in the yard, but about half OF
which is made of chalk or glue? Now if we
couldl provide a bankruptcy system that
should enter into the morals of trade for
cash and should be inspired with the prin-
cipie that what is good between the bor-
rover and the lender is good between the
buyer and seller, the thing that you sell hay
ing to be the thing you sell yourself and the
thing you buy having to be always the
thing you expect to buy, then 1t would pc a
| good thing for the country 1t might be
good thing but it would not quite do for the
| sort of people here among us to mix up the
| question with new relation of buyer ana
borrower and lender. The principle is one
that enters into every business relation,
and that principle is square dealing,- ,-and
when you have that principle carried into
effect you will have made a great advance
| in the progress and order of society.
was going to speak about the tariff, but
as usual when get up to do anything | &C
into bankruptcy at once. cloud applause
during which the speaker took his seat)
MAYOR o'BRIEN's SPEECH.
Mayor O'Brien was the next speaker
After welcoming the guests in well chosen
words, and after expressing high sense Of
the honor in being allowed to take part in
the exercises of the evening, he came to the
point upon the silver coinage question,
stating his positive opinion that if vote
were taken today in this city Boston would