Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-03-18

THE NEW YORK SENATOR SPEAKS AT
THE ST. PATRlcKs-DAY BANQUET.
Hts Utterauces witty, Wise, ana Pafri-
otic-Hs IL Heartily Appiauded-he
Visits Augusta To-Day.
[By telegraph to the Dispstch.I

lby telegraph 70 tno Dispa'hi
SAVANNAH. Ga, March 17.-At o'clock
this evening Senator Hill and his party
were the guests OF the Hibernian Society
of Savannah at the st. Patrick's-Day ban
quet at the Opera. House. The interior OF
the building was beautifully decorated
with the American flag, the Irish colors,
and the banner Of Scotland. One hundred
and fifty people were seated at the pau
quet-table, and 500 people were admitted
to the galleries at the beginning OF the
speaking. Hon. p. w. Meldrim, presidtnt
OF the Hibernian Society. presided, ana at
his right was seated Senator Hill, ana at
his left Mayor McDonough.
Letters Of regret were read from ex-Pre.
sident Cleveland, Governor Pattison, OF
Pennsylvania Governor Northen, OF
Georgia; General Henry :. Jackson. e1-
Minister to Mexico; Congressman Lester,
Governor Russell of Massachusetts, ana
Hon. Z. q. DuBgnon, a prominent Demo-
cratic leader of Georgia. The last-named,
whose position on the presidential question
has been somewhat i'll doubt. highly lauded
Senator Hill, and his letter was wildly
cheered.
COMPLIMENT THAT COUNTS.
Few men," said tho letter. have
labored with more zeal, with greater
courage, or with greater success Tor the
supremacy and maintenance of the tunda-
mental principles of American liberty. the
whole genius and spirit of which is home
rule, than has David B. Hill" Letters OF
regret were also read from many otner
prominent men of the nation.
At 9:i5 y. n. the president called t1e
banqueters to order. and after few WORDS
on the history and patriotic and charitable
purposes Of the Hibernisn Society, nitro
duced Hor. Patrick Calhoun, OF Atlanta,
Ca. who IN an eloquent speech responded
to the toast Of "St. Patrick's Day." lie
alluded to the necessity of good organiza,;
ton among Irishmen and characterized
Senator Hill as "an organizer who had
never been defeated" lApplause.I
Our Sister Societies" was responded TO
by Colonel G.. A. Mercer. of Savannah;
Savannah" by ". G.. Charlton, OF THIS
city, and Georgia." by Judge W. ID. Har-
den, of Savannah.
THE SENATOR INTRODUCED.
"Our Federal Union" was the toast to
which the distinguished guest OF the eve
ming, Senator Hill, WAS to respond. Intro
ducing HIM. the Chairman said:
"1he Irish have been criticised Tor the active
part they have taken In the politics OF this
country. But every man who loves his country
and her institutions should be an active part
ner in its government tApplausel. The lrlsh
love the United States and her institutions. They
believe that they can host servo ireland
by serving America. They believe that the bet
| ter Americans they are, the better irishInen
| they become tCheers.) Tonight We DO homage
| to the great republic Words OF introduction are
| useless. for who does not know him who Is now
| 30 speak? Words OF compliment are idle, for
| his own great state has awarded 20 hin the
! highest honors-Senator Hill" lGreat ap-
| plause.l ,,
Prolonged cheers greeted Senator Hill
| as he arose and faced the audience.
THE SENATOR'S REMARKS.
When quiet finally reigned he spoke as
| follows:
Gentlemen Of the Hlbernian Society OF
Sayannah,-When you invited mo TO JON win
| you on 81. Patrlcks day In celebrating the
| eightieth anniversary OF your excellent ana
| patriotic society perhaps you did not know h0N
| numerous are my disqualiications Tor sharing
In your estiyity, or how little deserve an hOhor
| for which, nevertheless, beg you 20 accept my
| cordial and most grateful Acknowledgements.
| My disqualihcations are OF every sort. lhey are
| physical and they are mental ana they are
| moral OF course, It IS possible that YOU ga
| know them beforehand. or course, IL may De
that that Is Just The reeson why you asked me
| TO come-a Hibernian reason. lLaughter.l
| Such things do happen.
For instance, have suspected that a certain ex'
| Governor who Is rather intimate - fluaintance
| OF mine 1--WE have often eaten at one table and
| slept in the same bed was invited TO the chat
! OF a great chief magistracy because OF the I'm
| mense variety OF his disqnalihcatOns, aud wa
| reelected by large majority for Just the same
abundant reasons. ILaugh,er.l can bring yot
| plenty o. Nugwump and Republican newspa
| pcrs which daily confirm ME in TINS suspicion
| iIaughterl am sure that have known OF Z
| pers0n being invited to take up his residence II
| the White House because he had no business q
| be there. lLaughter.l That. to be sure, was q.
| long ago as fifteen years and two WeeAs. ana
| - hfpLx Gil hannah AGAIN In llf(
| time.
Its perfectly certain that the highest honol
4 ever touched by man OF my profession IN
! Great Brtain-I mean the woolsack-was once
! at least bestowed for no better reason than Do
| Cause OF disqualincations like those which may
| have been your truly Hiberpian reason for H.
yitng me. suppose you know the man mean
| IL was not the Lord Chancellor who was writinl
| the lives Of the departed English LORD Chancel
lors and made all the still living ex-Lord Chan
| cellors feel that he had added a new terror e
death. No, II was not Lord Campbell; II wa'
| Lord Brougham, and / don't mean to recits
as among his disqualincatons the oil
story that II he had known lttl'
law he would have known something
Of everything [Laughterl Ills disqualified
tions for the invitation he got, Ike mine, had q
| broader scope than that. They were set down
az large In an old novel, which some OK YOU may
have read. called 1.-The Bachelor Ofthe Albany
and was once an Albany bachelor. Laughter
| The novel written IN New Orlodn5 ny
| Englishman who was British Consul there, and
| this Is how ho explained Lord Brougham scominl
TO the uoolsack. SAID he: Lord BroughaH
| was a man OF splendid incapacity, vast ana va
rious msiniormation, and immense inorai 10,
quirements." Now, | can make an anldaylt ina
the Hiberuian Society OF Savannah would nave
asked that man to 4 dinner and treated HIN
| with mag gnifcont hospitality. lApplause. hore-
| over he could get drunk, ana, except Win colu
| water or coffee, am Just as rretchedly incspa
| HE Of that vice as II it were a virtue. Laugh
| teri
But these physical disqualifcations are no
thing to my mental disqualncations. for t%hen %
| can only beg you to accept tue excuse OF Dirll
and residence. | am sure every HlDerniaf
present will feel for me when / explain TO yoI
the conduct OF my ancestors, ana tel you ina
can wisdom, and my American wisdom para
lyzes my irish wit. lLaughter.l
HOW 1T Is IN GOTHAM.
| Then there ia one more disqualification. III
| New York nobody makes after-dlnner rpeeche
| except two classes Of persons-nrst, those wh'
| want to be governors, presidents, senators, ans
| the like, which explains why have never prac
ticed the art OF after-duner speaking and form
| ed myself on our great models, ana second, thos'
who have nothing TO say and are perfect MASTER
In the nne art Of saying II. There Is YER
witty young gentleman In New fori
who always eats his dinner quietly aud never
says anything Afterwsrd, 80 Tar as L know
for lack the pleasure OF bis personal acquaint
| ance. lie Is nephew, pehe'o, VI Nno loe'
Bishop Brownell, Of Connecticut and critic o
the pure breed, like Sainte Beuye or Henri
James. tie has been at the New England so
clety and ST. Nicholas dinners and heard al
those stupendous orators whose names 1 nave
| not mentioned aud Mr.. Brownell says that II
New York after-dinncr speaking came In wheI
negro minstrelsy went out.
The last and greatest OF my Disqualification
which shall submit to account for ana 70 e1
tenuate your cordial hospitality Is this: After
get through with this unpractlced and most Try
| ing ordeal OF making all after-dinner speech
| subsequent TO hearing down South Few speci
mems OF real negro minstrelsy, which happil
never has died out in this lovely lard, not on
human beng IN all our northern land will say o
YOU Georgans OF the southern empire Stat
| what somebody In New YORK said TO fpen'
| who told him that he had Just been making
| speech In Boston: "Pm delighted 10 know it.
delighted; l always hated those Bosfonians.
[Great laughter.l
I raE HEALING HAND or TINE