The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-05-01
THE BANQUET RE MARKABLE
BY Its Elegance and the Men Who
Were Present.

NEW YORK, April 30-The President was
welcomed at the entrance of the Metropoli-
tan Opera House as nearly as possible in the
same manner as last night, and at once es-
corted to his seat at the table Of honor, in
the centre of triangular group of 2S tables,
the whole numbers of guests being about
SOO The banquet room presented a magnif-
cent appearance, the superb floral and other
decorS lions having been rearranged and
freshened since the previous night with
many new and beautiful features added.
Mayor Grant presided. At the Presidents
table were Vice President Morton, ex-Presi-
dent Cleveland, Governor Hill, Senator
Evarts, Bishop Potter, Chief Justice Fuller,
Secretary Proctor. Admiral Porter, Major
General Schofeld, Judge Andrews, General
Sherman, j. X. Lowell, ex-President Hayes,
Speaker Cole, S. S. Cox, G. M. Bowen, and
Elbridge L. Gerry. After Bishop Potter, in
said grace, the pleasant task of disposing
OF the bounte0us feast began. The banquet
was the most remarkable one ever held in
America, or perhaps in the world, In point
chief steward, seated at a central point di-
rected every movement of his army of sub
0rdinates by means of electricity. At the
touch OF his bell every roast was carved,
every cork drawn, and every course served
simultaneously, thus avoiding any confusion
OF courses or wines and insuring perfect ac-
curacy Of every movement on the part of as
sistants The cost of the banquet is said to
have been $4,000. At 9 the appearance Of
Mrs. Harrison's party in thePresident's box,
followed by hundreds of other ladies in the
auditorium. gave the signal for the speaking
to begin.
Governor Hill made the address of well
come, including in his expressions of hospi-
present, paying tribute to Washington, the
government and the people of the United
States. Governor Hills address was follow
ed by the toast to George Washington, drunk
in silence.
sponded to by ex-President Cleveland
Governor Fitzhugh Lee of Virginia spoke
for "The States"
Chief Justice Fuller.
Chief Justice Fuller spoke as follows in
response to the toast
our Federal Constitution: The consummation
OF all former political wisdom; the trust of the
present; the guide for all coming nations
-lGeorge Bancroft.
''It was, indeed, a consummation, the re-
suit not simply of the particular exigency,
but OF that gradual growth which, baving its
roots in the past, develops into the product
that endures. The men of the convention
knew that the realization of ideals is the
work of time, and whatever speculative
views Of government or of freedom they en-
tertained, they did not attempt to carry
them in expression to their logical conclu-
sions. They had confidence that the gener al
principles they accepted as fundamental, be-
ing declared, might Esafely be relied on
They were familiar with the leagues, the
confederacies and the councils of the an
clients; the associations of communities of
more modern times; the great steps In the
progress of English liberty, from Magma
Charta to the Act of Settlement, and still
more thoroughly with the experience of the
colonies and of the States, of the New Eng
land confederation, the various Congresses,
and the confederation of the United States.
part of which they had been, while years
of keen discussion OF the sciencs of govern
ment and of ardent devotion to the cause of
liberty had stored their minds with doc
trines and fitted them for their great task.
"A union already existed based on common
origin and aims, but the ties that bound the
States together were too weak to compel
that subordination OF the supposed interests
Of one:portiod of the people TO line Of ac-
tion required by the actual interests of all.
The destiny OF the country was manifest. II
its parts could be welded into one, but the
problem to be solved was how to ac-
complish this without sacrificing
local independence, and so parting with
liberty in exchange for power In under
taking that solution they represented in
themselves every shade Of opinion from in
tense faith in the ultimate good sense Of the
people to large distrust of their capacity for
self-government, and they were acutely
alive to all the jealousies, the passions and
the conflicts Of the hour. The self-restraint
they practiced in their own action was the
self-restraint they sought to secure; and the
spirit of compromise which finally harmon
lied their deliberations was the spirit OF
compromise which Is of the essence of all
lasting human governments. To determine
form OF government by written funda-
mental law was no novelty to them. The
covenant of the Mayflower had set the ex-
ample, and all the States but two then had,
as all have now, constitutions defining the
respective rights and duties OF the citizen
and OF the authority over him. But to
fashion the instrument which was to create
nation out OF the people of free and indie
pendent States, and at the same time in
terms TO interpose barriers against the in
vaslon OF rights, and reserve TO the people
and the States, respectively, the powers
deemed essential to their preservation, with
out impairiDg the efficiency Of the central
authority, this demanded unequaled patience,
sagacity, moderation and wisdom. That
patience, that sagacity, that moderation,
that wisdom, signally exhibited in general,
was especially illustrated in his character
and conduct whose Inauguration we cele-
brate today, the swelling theme Of the
launching Of the great republic being well
nigh lost in the recollection and contempla-
tion of the virtues of its first and grandest
leader To Washingt0n's prophetic eye the
glories Of the. future had been un-
veiled, dependent for realization
upon the success Of craftsmanship In
the work of construction entered on at his
suggestion and carried to completion under
his direction. His full anticipations he was
not called upon to disclose. The equable
and steadfast tenor Of his mind was exempli-
fled in his we'll known exclamation: Let us
raise a standard to which the wise and honest
can repair; the event is in the hand of God"
Under such guidance, in that temper with
that reliance, the word meant forward TO It's
science. The great English statesman de-
clared it 'the most wonderful work ever