The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-01-01

tipped with fire. On that particular
night it flashed like a flaming sword for
freedom. He uttered to us all what
soon proved to be the real voice Of New
England, and he closed with that sublime
invocation which no man who heard it
can ever forget:
Oh, Thou holy one and Just,
Thou who vast the Pilgrims trust,
Thou, who watchest DER their dust
BY the moaning sea,
BY their conflicts. tolls and cares;
By their perlls and theirprayers,
By their ashes make them heirs,
True to them and thee,
loud cheers,
lin closing his speech, Mr.. ChOate made
sarcastic allusion to Mayor Grants
revival of the Puritan's small regard for
the lawyer in appointing as Police JUS
tice Patrick Diver, man utterly igno-
rant of the law. He made an eloquent
plea for still greater extension of re-
ligious liberty by the opening of such
public educators as museums on SUM-
days; and devoted his peoration to an
expression of the hope for the dawn of
day where there will be no unjust or
unequal laws, no legislation for special
interests, no enactments for partisan
supremacy, nothing in the shape of law
but what will really subserve the true
welfare of the whole people.
CHEERS FOR CHAUNcEY NJ. DEPEw.
Chauncey NJ. Depew was cheered again
and again from floor to gallery, when he
arose, after a brief introduction by Mr..
Morgan, to respond for "The State of
New York; the City of New York"
Mr.. Depow did not forget to give Mr..
ChOate a Roland for an Oliver. He
said:
Mr.. Chairman and Gentlemen: 1t has
been the good fortune of Brother Choate
and myself, he to respond to "Fore-
fathers Day" and to The State of
New York." every year for the last
twenty-five. He has frescoed me in
that lurid way that he has, with the
brightest vermillion Qaughter). and yet
as a eountryman and Dutchman along
the Hudson. studied him before l came
to New York, and followed his example
since. You behold, master, (Curning to
Mr.. Choate), here is the disciple. Great
laughter and cheering.)
The reporter called upon me for my
speech said: 81 have them all" as he
said to Choate. Said he: "Have you any
poetry in your speech?'
said |, "NO."
"Well," said he; Choate has it and
after reading it, l think Choate must
have written it himself" (Roars of
laughter.)
thought as l looked up and down this
platform noticing what seems to be my
chronic condition this winter, to be sur
rounded wholly by Democrats and Mug
wumps Qaughter), that at least had an
ally in Choate, but his peroration dashed
my hopes. Uaughter.)
1t has been my experience for nearly
every year of the last twenty-five to
speak to you on the subject of the State
and City of New York. But it remains
as fresh as the ever-f1Owing stream of
Yankees into the metropolis to seek
their fortunes, and as varied as the
kaleidoscope changes in the questions
and spirit of the times. This celebration
is the most widely read of our National
banquets, because of its broad liberty for
plain speaking as well as high thinking.
| (Cheers) 1t is the most significant of
New York's many festive gatherings, but
is seldom graced by the presence of
either the Governor or the Mayor. The
Governors of the Empire State, of either
party have rarely been in accord with
Puritan principles or Puritan practices.
Some of them have been emphatically
and ostentatiously hostile, because the
Puritan wants too much thoroughness in
legislation upon the liquor traffic and too
many safeguards about the ballot The
Pilgrim is in favor of Civil Service Re
form, of open party methods and honest
money. This makes him for others Of
our chief magistrates that most disturb
ing element in the harmony, the Sunday
school politician. Nevertheless the Yam
kee keeps on making trouble, and he al
ways will. daughter and cheers.) He
permits absolute quiet and rest neither
to the wicked sinner nor the weary saint.
He is the policeman of the Republic,
sternly ordering the lOafer in politics
and self-seeker in Office to move on"
(Cheers.) The history of our Governors
is one of the most interesting examples
of the theory of evolution. The first
Governor passed his term of office at the
front in command of the State soldiers
and fighting tine British. Then came a
line of constructive statesmen, building
the Commonwealth upon foundations
which would make her imperial among
her sisters.
MARTYR AND PRESIDENTIAL GOVERNORS.
Afterward, through the relgns of Mar
cey and Silas Wright, we had the era of
martyr Governors, who ran for Office to
carry by their personal strength New
York for the Presidential nominee of
their party, and now for several terms
we have had the Presidential Governors
who wanted to carry the State for them
selves. Uaughter) In this last stage
our Governors became famous athletes
and high jumpers. Our six millions of
people applaud their favorites as the
heralds cry: Governor and Ex-Governor
will leap for the prize!' Uaughter.)
The Puritan owns much property and
has great influence in this city, but he
cannot be its Mayor or an Alderman
The Irish, with higher genius for munich
pal government, beats him every time.
Laughter.)
But he is an exceedingly lively critic
of his rulers. He does not like Tammany
Hall, and is against Hall government
generally. (Cheers.) He has lofty ideals
for public office, and does not approve of
the appointment of Patrick Diver as
Judge. Great cheering and laughter.)
In season and out of season for the last
twenty-five years l have pleaded with the
Yankees to acknowledge the debt the
pilgrims owed to Holland. did not ask
for the payment of their twelve years
board bill, with 233 years interest, but
simply a general confession of Judgment
that nearly all the principles of civil and
religious liberty which they have embed
ded in our institutions and planted in
every new State were learned in Holland.
The day of truth is dawning. As New
Yorker of New Workers, the rivers of
Huguenot-Dutch blood in my veins call
exultingly to the Yankee current in the
same veins: "The sons of the Pilgrims
will rear munument of cOmmemoTation
and gratitude on the site at Delfthaven
from which their forefathers embarked
upon that perilOus voyage, so insignif-
cant with its little vessel and limited
company, but fraught with such tremen-
dOus consequences in civilization and
liberty" (Cheers.) This event demon
strates that, while the Yankee has been
charged with claiming everything worth
preserving in American freedom as hay
ing been contributed by himself, il you
will only give him time he will come out
all right in admitting the part which
other races have played in our National
drama. He is always slow in recognize
ing merit in others. But now the report !
that he never does is removed-and we |
know how long it takes-he rises frank.
ly and generously to the occasion, after
$50 years. Cheers - The world is full
of grand memorials. But most of them
are monuments of personal vanity or
National pride They teach no lesson
and prompt no inspiration. Grecian
temples tell us of religions which have
vanished, Egyptian pyramids and obe-
lisks of dynasties which are dead. Roman
remains Of empires dissolved. The Col
umn in Trafalgar Square, London. per