Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-11-14
ADIEU TO POLITICS
Judge Thurman Says Fare
 we'll to Public Life.
THANKFUL FOR PAST HoNoRs
Dramatic Scene at the Grand Banquet at
 Columbus.

The Ex-Senator Gave "Reminiscences oi His seventy-seven Years-Speeches by
 Ex-President Cleveland, Messrs. voOr-
 hees, Ewing. Brice, Dickinson, Carlisle,
 Breckinridse of Kentucky and Others. COLUMBUS, Ohio, Nov. 14.-The Thur man banquet was 8 magnificent affair. Nothing like it has ever before been at- tempted in the Buckeye State. The 14th Regiment Armory was transformed into fairyland. The rafters of it's ceiling and l its whitewashed walls were hidden from view by thousands of yards of bright colored bunting and silken flags and ban ners innumerable. Around the floor, rising tier above tier, were the choicest products of the hothouse, while above all lowered majestic palms and fragrant ex- l otics. The orchestra was hidden from | view in a mass of foliage, in turn sur | rounded with 8 curtain of smilax.
 At the southern end of the hall, upon platform heaped with palms and roses in bloom, were crayon portraiture statues of ex-President Cleveland and the especial I guest of the evening. The table of honor rested upon a platform running half the length of the hall. Longitudinal with
 
 commodation for 80 guests seated visa wis. Every chair had it's occupant, while there were hundreds more who, finding 1 it impossible to gain a place on the main | floor, were content to view the proceed | ings from the gallery.
 It was shortly after 8 o'clock when the 1 cheering from the large crowd which had | gathered on the outside announced the l arrival of the distinguished gnests, and xUhn hn of fn1s int 0r,T1o President John J. Lentz of the Thurman | Club, appeared upon the scene closely 1 followed by ex-President Cleveland and 1 Senator Joseph Mcdonald, the cheering was hearty and prolonged. MT. Thur man sat on the right of the President, I his son Allen w., being next to him, and 1 then in succession Senator Mcdonald, Don M. Dickinson, w. c. P. Breckenridge, l General Thomas Ewing, Governor Boyd l To the left of the chair were seated Gro yer Cleveland, General R. A. Harrison, l Bishop John A. Watterson, Daniel La l mont, and Governor Jackson. Nearly two hours were occupied in discussing the l elaborate menu.
 | It was after 10 o'clock when President | Lentz rapped for order and in few well chosen words, proposed the toast of ''Our | Guest" Mir. Thurman, on rising to re- l spond, was greeted with uproarious ap- | plause which lasted several moments. Silence having been restored, he spoke as follows:
 1T am not here tonight to make an elabo- rate speech. am here to express in few | sentences my heartfelt appreciation of the ] honor you have so kindly seen fit to do me; to l thank with my whole soul my neighbors, my l fellow citizens of Ohio and the distinguished | gentlemen from other States for the mark of friendship and esteem. am here at the age I of 77 to repeat my testimony, so often given, 1 of my confidence in the beneficial effects of 1 free institutions and my firm belief of their 1 duration on this continent and their gradual I but certain extension over other and larger | portions of the globe. I hope that it is not i presumptuous in me to say that I think that I have some of the necessary l qualifications of 8 witness on this | subject. Short as my life has been, in l comparison with the lives of nations, it has l been long enough for me to see my native land, l under free institutions, increase in population more than seven fold; in wealth in a far. very | far, greater degree; in extent of territory more than double it's area, in the general well being and prosperity of it's people, and in | their educational advantages and religious | privileges without a rival in the world, while | it's magnificent works of internal improve ment, its wonderful agriculture, it's great | mines and manufactures, and it's marvellous means of communication, the creations of | science and skill, surpass anything before i known by the human race"
 A Dramatic Scene.
 Toward the close of his address, de- 1 livered at times with considerable diffi- culty, and in a voice that could be heard but few yards distant, he suddenly gathered up his strength and throwing his shoulders backward, while his eyes swept the great throng that had gathered to do him honor, he spoke as follows:
 "My friends, let me say to you in all sincerity, and without the least mental reservation, that am not, nor shall be again, a candidate for office"
 The stiffness which for a couple of mo- | ments followed this declaration was in- tense. It seemed as though every one of the thousand or more upon whom the words han fallen felt that he had lost a friend. Then as with trembling tones the speaker went on to say that he felt that he had been sufficiently honored by | his party, there was a reversion of feel 1 ing, the vast audience could no longer
 restrain itself; every man arose to his
 feet and napkins were waved amid
 cheers. And amid the enthusiasm, the
 statesman who had practically said good
 bye, sank into his seat.
 The announcement of the next toast,
 "Citizenship in America" and the pre-
 sentation of ex-President Cleveland to
 respond was the signal of another out 1 burst of enthusiasm. Other toaStS were
 responded to by Senator Mcdonald Gen.
 eral Thomas Ewing, Hon. w. c. P. Breck-
 inridge, and Hon. Don M. Dickinson. The
 absence of Henry Watterson, who was to
 have responded to 8 toast, was due to
 the fact that the theme he selected con-
 f1icted with the one assigned MT. Dickin-
 son. He therefore withdrew his accept
 ance.
 l Congratulatory messages were received
 from Tammany Hall, the County Democ-
 racy, and, in fact, all the great Demo
 cratic Organizations of the country.