Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-01-01
A BANQUET IN BOSTON.
THE MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION HAVE
A MEETING AT THE VENDOME.
A Most Elaborate ATair-The Feast and
Post-prandial Exercises Occupy Eight
Hours-Senator Edmunds Present
and Makes II speech.

which several distinguished United States
Senators and Representatives were hon
ored guests was Il notable event in the
club history of Boston. 1t was held in the
spacious banquet hall of the Hotel Ven
dome. There were over 300 plates. At
the head of the tables sat President Wood,
who acted as chairman; at his right were
in the order named Governor Robinson,
Senators Edmunds, Allison and Dawes,
eX.Gov. Rice, Congressman j. Randolph
Tucker of Virginia on his left, Mayor
O'Bren of Boston, senators Evarts, lIoar
and Frye The other tables We're filed
with representative business and profess
sional gentlemen, among whom were
Hons. Leopold Morse, Chas. Levi Wood
bury, Henry Cabot Lodge, Col. Il NJ.
Pulsifer and others.
The dinner, a masterpiece of culinary
art occupied some four hours and the
stprandlal exercises four hours more.
The invitations issued to the guests who
were expected to speak, confined them
to the leading national issues of the day"
The poStprandial exercises were opened
by President NJ. b. Wood, who made a
address eulOgistic of the integrity and
charity of Boston business men, and in
troduccd GOV. Robinson. He accepted
the enthusiastic greeting as rendered to
the commonwealth, not himself, and eN-
tended Il cordial welcome to the distin-
tnguished visitors present.
SENATOR EDMuNDs's REMARKS.
The President next introduced Hon.
George f. Edmunds, who was loudly
cheered. senator Edmuuds said MIR.
President, | thank the gentlemen Of the
Merchants association that this is Indian
summer. laughter | see my long
loved friend Dawes Qaughter) and if that
does not make an Indian summer, redOlent
of peace and purity and fragrance, | do
not know what does. Loud laughter |
have often been told in that sweet latitude
where was born, that on our rock bound
coast of Massachusetts bay, where our
| fOreiathers landed Il little before tins time
! of the year, just while ago was II rather
| rude and bOisterOus place, and 50 when
/ coming up to have the pleasure of attend
| ing this gatherings | felt that | was com
| Ing to Il stormy, cold, chilly east Wndish
| place, laughter and yet, as You all have
/ seen the skies have smiled and the stars
| have ehone; and even pleasanter than your
skies and your stars and your shores l.
/ this representative strength of the not
only material force of this chief common
wealth, and this chief city of New Eng
| land But far better and more impressive
| II may tell you Is the moral and spiritual
/ force applause that goes out into every
quarter OF tins continental republic,
| as from Il constant fountain that gives
which your banks sometimes cannot do.
| Laughter The benecent stream of
those fundamental ideas, as my good
| friend your governor said, knits the
| Brotherhood Of man together and also that
which is the material question in these
late days, when you think of it. the unit Y
ot capital of intelligence, OF labor, the
man of affairs, the politician, statesman,
ChurChman and workman. all who work
together for the common improvement
and welfare Of the United States APP
| plauSe to SUch Il state and to such Il CAPT
tai am bound to pay my respects lap
| plause
Now we We're expected to say some
thing on the bankruptcy laws. silver and
1 currency questions Yet it struck me that 1t
/ would he carrying Goals to \ ew Castle to
/ talk to BOStun'S merchants III regard to
/ the benefit of national bankruptcy law.
50 tersely stated by your honored
| chict magistrate. You understand it as
well rs | do, and | rather suppose
that among the gentlemen who are here
| present from Washington representatives,
but also the representatives, Of others,
| there is probably not one who does not
| bcIlrN" rs do, that it is es>en.t;l to the
| business welfare of the nation tntt in its
| commerce with itself and Ill its inter
course and its citizenship with itself is the
very best structure of its society and its
| growth, Applause.
Indeed it would not be wise far me to
undertake. to philosophiZe upon the ius-
| tiCe of dividing the assets of failing
! business man family aronp those who had
contributed TO the stock which made up
those assets. Now we have been always
taught that every mans duty is in larger
or less degree, to give ont of what he has
left in case of misfortune, equal propor-
tions To those who have contribnted his
( stock. That is the fundamental idea of
| the bankruptcv law. i'm its business sense
! But this topic has been dealt with bv
! GOV. Robinson who ALWAYS eyhnusts
everything he touches It;ov Robinson
mo- The constitution made MS MI eli.
Zens OF every State in which we choos, to
take up our abode Iapplause. II
gives to every citizen of every
State. positive possession. wherever
he places his domicile. so that as regards
the relations of citizen to citizen. of man
to man there is no such thing AS separa-
ton or difference Of Interest as there is
but one solidarity of American citizenship.
of intercourse belonging to ms All An
plause1 Out of that comes the necessity
Tor thnt uniforn,itv uhinh ON. for,f,tLa,..'.