, 1888-09-25
A BRILLIANT BANQUET.
Chief Justice Fuller Royalty
Entertained in Chicago
And Bidden God Speed Amidst
Glorious Good Cheer.
The Address With Which He
Graced the Occasion.
A Glorious God Speed.

CHICAGO, Sept. 24.-Five hundred
friends of Melville w. Fuller, the new
chief justice of the United States supreme
court, comprising not only member of
the legal fraternity, but distinguished
representatives of the leading professions
and business interests of Chicago, met
here tonight at a grand banquet, previ-
GUS to his departure to assume his new
duties at Washington. The scene OF the
banquet was the grand dining room of the
Palmer house, it was tastefully, artistic
ally, and in some instances resplendently
decorated. The tables were almost hid
by hugh banks of flowers, this being par
t~lcularly the case at the main table, at the
center of which sat the guest of the even
ing. At his right hand sat Judge Walter
y. Gresham. When the chief Justice APP
peared in the magnifcently lighted ban
quet hall he was saluted with a round
hearty applause.
Alter the good things on the bill of fare
had been disposed OF Judge Drummond
raped the assemblage to order and made
a speech which evoked great applause.
At its conclusion all present rose to their
A1Nb ohb a ~ lhC Cdllh VI LII u ,
tice Fuller. After this demonstration
had subsidized the guest of the evening
began his speech. said: [ profoundly
appreciate the the manifestations of kind
lY feelings towards me personally which
accompanies this tribute to the exalted
Office to which [ have been called. | can
conceive no reward of human ~endeavor,
no qualification in the attainment of the
objects of human ambition, which can be
compared to the affectionate commenda-
ton of the friends, the associates and
fellow laborers of years.
Centuries ago friendship was declared
to be the only thing in regard to the ben
efts of which all men were agreed.
Many des pissed races; many spurned great
offices; many disregarded what most
thought worthy of admiration; but all
found friendship essential to endurable
existence, rendering adversely more sup
portable and prosperity more brilliant.
So at the close OF more than t%hirty-two
years professional e~xertion and daily com
panionship, this assurance of the regard
of my brethren and my people is mex
pressibly grateful. 1t Eliminates the re-
membrance of the past and brightens the
anticipation Of the future. In the thirty
two years, the circle charging as they
passed, has known many a loosened hand,
many a missing face, yet the ties of youth
and of advancing age remained in effect
unbroken, holding the past, the present
and the future in an indissoluble bond.
After the early days of the Chicago bar,
Chief Justice Fuller continued: And it
has come to pass that as the star of EN-
pire moving westward hangs fixed and
Respondent about the glorious valley of
the Mississippi, a member of that bar, a
citizen of Chicago, has been designated
to the hardship of the mightiest tribunal
upon earth. OF that tribunal, or the
grave and weighty responsibility of that
Office, 1t does not become me now TO
speak. nor could |, were it otherwise
appropriate, for l am oppressed with the
sadness inevitable where one, after long
years of battle, puts his armor off and re
tires from the ranks of his comrades.
Whatever the vicissitudes Of these thirty
two years, they have never been marred
by personal e~strangement from my
brethren and they have been happy
years-personally unambitious. | have
not thought myself selfish in indulging
my preference for the sweet habit of life
rather than the struggle involved in
prominent position.
Judge Walter Q. Gresham was greeted
with rousing cheers when he arose to
Uake his address, and his speech was
very warmly received.