Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1891-02-25
From the N. Y. Herald, Feb. 22nd]
SOUTHERN S0CIETY'S BOUNTEOUS
FEAST.


washfngtOn's birthday Anniversary
Celebrated with PatriO t1sm and
Eclat by our Brethren from
the South.
| BIG TURNOUT, AT WHICH MANY LADIES
GRACED THE oCCAsIoN-DIsTIN-
GUIsHED GUESTS.
It is better to be beforehand than behind
time.
| And SO the Southern Society celebrated
Washington's Birthday last night at its fifth
annual banquet rather than wait until to-
morrow, which Is the legal holiday in honor
of the patriotic anniversary. for. OF course, 1t
wouldn't have been decorous to have such
jolif1cation on Sunday night.
The celebration was a great success. 1t was
held in Madison Square Gardens pretty BAN
quet hall. Over four hundred members OF the
society and their guests enjoyed bounteous
feast. washed down by generous wines. listen.
ed to the music of string band, Joined in sing
| ing some of the we'll known Southern planta-
| ton ballads-such as. "Im Gwine Back TO
| Dixie" my Old Kentucky Home" and SO on,
heard some inspiring oratory OF the old fash
Toned Southern sort, while pretty women
looked on from the boxes in the balconies and
added the Inspiration of beauty to the occa-
| sion.
1T WAS JOLLY PARTY.
1t WAS very jolly party, and when the sing
ers sang Way Down Upon the Suwanee Riv-
err" Dixie" and followed this with my
Country. IT'S Of Tnee." everybody, The ladies
| included, Joined IN the choruses with such will
that the welkin-whatever that may be-rang
again, The decorations of the hall, appropri
| ately enough, were mainly in palmetto palms
and Southern flowers. There was q generous
| display, too, OF the Stars and Stripes, and the
| air was full of patriotism.
| Governor Hill. much to his regret, which he
| expressed in a telegram was kept at home by
| a severe cold, Senator Wade Hampton was al
| SO unable to be present, and Grover Cleveland
| had previous engagement. But there were
many notabilities present Notwithstanding,
among those at the tables being ex- secretary
Thomas F. Bayard, who sat on the right OF
Hugh r. Gordon, the president of the society
and the POSTMASTER Of the feast. Senator War
ner Miller, Daniel 8. Lamont, John n. Inman,
Alexander Meakim. Robert B, Roosevelt, Ar
thur Leary, Senator Engine s. Ives. Surrogate
Rastus s. Ransom ]. Edward Simmons, Geo.
J. Gould. ex-Judge Granville P. Halves. John
A. Stewart. James, l.. Gordon. OF Virginia,
Hugh G. Wallace. son-1n-law of Supreme court
Justice NJ, W. Fuller, Charles S. Smith. presi-
dent OF the Chamber of Commerce. Geo. 8. Coe
Judge ]. F. DAILY. W. L. Trenholm and Calvin
8. Brice.
GRACED BY THE FAIR.
Among many other spectators in the boxes
were Miss Winni Davis, Mrs. Marvin J. Yer.
derry. Mrs. Melville w. Fuller Mrs. Roosevelt,
Mr.. and Mrs. John Russell Young, Mrs. John
F, Block, Mrs. Francis F. Bayard, Mrs. John
c. Calhoun. Mrs. willard P. Ward. Mrs. John
h. Inman, IT., Miss Grady, Mrs. Daniel 8. La
mont and Mr.. and Mrs. Truro Robinson.
President Gordon began the oratorical fea-
ture of the feast by graceful reference to the
ladies present. He said:-
BRETHREN OF THE soUTH-Your banquet
hall is adorned with the presence OF fair wom-
ored custom of our fathers, than whom none
knew SO well where homage is first due. in
vite you to join in a health to those whose
presence is an inspiration, whose smile gra-
cious benediction. and in the light of whose
eyes we would live forever. TO the ladies.
Ofcourse everyb body drank this: toast. Then
Mr.. Gordon made speech erlogistic Of the
memory and achievements of General George
Washington, and concluded by offering a toast
ia the Father OF his Country. which of course
was drunk with enthusiastic cheers.
my Old Kentucky Home" was sung in a
whole-souled manner which made all hands
give out the chorus, after which President Cor
den gave the toast. 1.-THE South; a Pillar of
Strength to Our Republic" and called upon
James Lindsay Gordon, OF Virginia, to respond
which he did in spirited and patriotic speech.
some extracts from which are the following
MR.. GoRDoN's sPEEcH.
I'VE are not ever likely to forget that it was
Southern voice that moved the declaration
that these United Colonies are and of right
ought to be free aud independent States; that
1t was a Southern sword-even his whose ma
jestic memory we have met to honor tonight
that. bright at the head of the Continental ar
mics, made that immortal declar alton good;
that it was a Southern pen that fashioned the
the charter of our independence; that 1t was q
Southern brain whose influence in moulding
the Republics fundamental law gained for its
possessor the title of the Father of the Consti-
tuition: that it was Southern genius and eru-
dition that made clear that great instrument
and established the luminous landmarks Of
constitutional construction that it was South
ern craftsmanship that widened the bounda,
ries of the United States from the Gulf of Mex
leo and the Mississippi to the Pacific, and add
ed Texas, New Mexico and California to the
American domain; that it was Southern in
f1uence that secured for the Republic all that
vast territory northwest of the Ohio River now
embraced in the great commemorative of Ohio
Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan and Illinois;
that it was Southern courage and adventure
that pioneered the tracklIss regions beyond
the Mississippi and the Rocky Mountains;
that it was Southern eloquence thatstemmed
the tide of religious intolerance and swept
know nottingham from American soil, and
that it was a Southern generalship that added
New Orleans and Tippecanoe to the battle-roll
of the Republic and led Its triumphant armies
up the stormy heights OF Monterey and under
the flaming guns Of Chapuftepec.
From the formation of the federal pact the
South has been the home of the democratic
principle-that which holds to the independ-
ence of the citizen and the sovereignty of the
State Is the foundation stone fundamental and
essential, on which is builded the temple of
our liberties; and in her great Conservatism
and abiding faith in that principle. which is
identical and coeval with the faith of the IA
theirs. she is TO- day. and God grant may con-
tinue through ages yet to come. as you have
we'll described her in your toast,"a pillar of
strength to the Republic"
Democratic Orranizatlou