Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-01-25
HONORING MIR. PHELPS.
Notabilities of All Kinds Present at the
Lord Mayors BANQUET to Him.


Special Cable Dispatch to THE EVENING STAR
LONDON, Jan. 25.-Almost before the COM
pany was fairly seated at the Phelps banquet
yesterday, it had become a mere commonplace
to say that the gathering was one of the most
distinguished ever seen at the lord mayors
table. Never at any dinner before have the
entire bench of judges with two exceptions at
tended. The bar, too, was in strong force
Medicine was represented by the most dis
tipguished practitioners; art by almost the en-
tire body at royal academicians, and there
were also some of the most eminent preachers.
musicians, dramatists, actors, novelists and
journalists of the day. So many men of i'm
portance had claims to be present that. con-
trary to the usual custom, no ladies were in
vited. Yet practically
THE GOVERNMENT WAS UNREPREsENTEp,
not single minister of cabinet rank being
present. The observed of all observers after
Minister Phelps were Judges Hannen and Day,
of the Parnell commission The third COM
missioner, Judge Smith, was not there. Among
the American residents was Consul-General
Waller, who received congratulations the BAN
quet coinciding with his birthday Mr.. Phelps
speech, prepared beforehand. was in the hands
OF the newspapers before it was delivered. but
1t was delivered with all the appearance of
being impromptu. 1t was greatly admired
both for its matter and manner. His remark
about people who never made a mistake
GREATLY TIcKLED THE AUDIENCE.
The speaker could not proceed for fully half
a minute. Among those loudest in praise Of
MIR. Phelps speech was the war correspondent,
Bull Run" Russell, with his breast a perfect
blaze of decorations. His praises could be
heard all over the hall. Next to Russell sat
Edmund Yates, who, remembering the chief
Justices sentence upon HIM of four months
Imprisonment, looked particularly scornful
when the latter spoke in responding for the
bench of tempering justice with mercy
In an article on Bryce's Commonwealth, in
nGc'RiiIdn's Magazine, Goodwin Smith saws
that in his method of dealing with a vast sub
ject, Bryce is superior to De Tocqueville, and
more instructive.
By Associated Press.
Newspaper Comment.
LONDON, Jan. 25.-The Daily Chronicle. re-
ferring to the banquet given last evening by
the lord mayor in honor of Mr. Phelps, saws:
"If Lord Salisbury found it incompatible to
parade the virtue of turning his cheek to the
smiter, he sent Sir James Ferguson, under
secretary of state for foreign affairs, to do
duty for him. Nothing, therefore, was want
ing to complete the success of the demonstra-
tion OF England's generous good feeling. We
trust that the Americans will not take our God
speeu 10 MI. fhelps as an act OF Vlcarlous peni-
tence. Let further hope that the farce of
prolonging the tiff with Washington will be
withdrawn from the bill of tine diplomatic
playhouse"
"a COMMONPLACE DIPLOMAT"
The Pal Nal Gazette deprecates the feteing
of Mr.. Phelps. 1t says: "He is a commonplace
diplomat who has done average work, and we
will bid him goodbye without emotion or
regret"
Diplomats, the Gazette declares, attribute
Mr.. Phelps treatment to the fact that the
Americans are pulling John Bulls nose.