The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-10-14
THE FINAL BANQUET.
Last Act in New York's Colum,
bus Celebration.
SPEECHES OF FOSTER AND MORTON.

10 tne ADSence Oh Its SnleI ana
lsecretary Foster Responds to "1'he
United Stakeholder Toasts.
New YORK, Oct. 14.-As if to Justify
Sidney Smiths witticism that every
event, even an earthquake, must be Gel
ebrated by the Anglo-Saxcn race by
banquet, even if they had to hunt place
amid the ruins on which to dine, New
York's celebration of the discovery Of
America was closed by a banquet last
night which was in measure as sue
eessful as the ceremonials which had
preceded 1t.
1t is no light task to seat comfortably
and dine over 800 guests, but this was
accomplished by the celebration in a
satisfactory manner. The auditorium
OF the Lenox Lyceum, Fifty ninth street
and Madison avenue, where the feast
was held, is an ideal banquet hall. Well
proportioned and lofty. its natural ad-
vantages were enhanced by decorations
and wonderfully artistic electric lighting
70 point of exceeding beauty.
The guests of honor dined on the stage,
which was so draped as to resemble an
alcove OF the main banqueting hall, and
lumbus encircled by the flags of Italy,
Spain and the United States.
Mayor Grant presided supported on
the right by Vice President Morton, Sec
retary OF State Foster, ex-President
Cleveland, Mr.. Arnold, president of the
board of aldermen, Baron Fava, Italian
minister, and Mr. G.. +. Wahle, Jr.; on
the left by Governor Flower, ex-Presi-
dent Hayes, General Horace Porter and
Bishop Potter.
The boxes were assigned, amongst
others, to the Spanish minister and suite,
Secretary Foster, of the treasury Secre-
tary Rusk, the French charge d'atfaires,
hr. Fairchild, Commodore Erben, the
Spanish admiral, Hon. Benjamin Wood,
the Italian admiral and Mr.. and Mrs.
Cleveland. The 800 guests included the
governors of Massachusetts, Connecticut,
Pennsylvania New Jersey, and North
and South Carolina, General Schofield
and many others of eminence. Chauncey
M Depew, who was to have acted as
toastmaster. was absent.
At the close of the dinner Mayor Grant
arose to propose the toasts. The mayor,
after thanking all who had contributed
to make the Columbian celebration a
success, briefly proposed: "The presi-
dent of the United States"
Vice President Morton, who was re-
ceived with cheers, spoke as follows:
Vice President Morton's Speech.
MR. MAYOR AND GENTLEMEN: The reason
for the presldents absence from these COM
memorative celebrations is known to you all,
and to the whole country. He is standing in
great shadow, awaiting the issues of life or
death, and the eager Importantly with which
ths words brought by wire from Washington
aro scanned testifes to the hopeful sympathy
of all our people. l lament the necessity Of
taking his place even momentHrily.
We have added new holiday to the Amer
Scan calendar. The ETH of October will here
after be marked with white. We have insti-
tuted tho Columbian festival, to be repeated
at the expiration of each one hundred years,
TO the furthermost limit of time, by actors
who will not have been witnesses of the pre-
csding celebration. The opening pageant has
boon worthy of the great pilot and the great
discoverer. 1t has been applauded by a count
less audience of millions of intelligent people,
M. vat that NO athsr atty of the now world,
its care and protection.
Our houses of worship testified for two days
20 the deep impression called forth by the oc-
casion; the army OF children from the public
schools, equipped only with the weapons of
education put in evidence our confident hope
In the future, and the professions on land and
wGtor by day and night gave constant proof
OF the patriotism of all our people.
There were transported to our DOORS with
speed and comfort, vast numbers of men and
women and children, exceeding the population
of most Of the capitals of tho world, by scien-
titic methods of which Columbus never
dreamed; and during the watches of the mig hit
this cosmopolitan city, with it's streets and
avenues its squares and arches, its dwellings
and monuments, was illuminated by electric
inventions which are the products of the land
which Columbus discovered.
On behalf of the president / am here to
especially thank the ministers of Spain and
Italy and France for their frateFnal assist
@nce, and the representatives of other powers
for their kindly appreciation.
Mr.. Mayor, with thanks TO you and to this
distinguished audience, l now turn over the
toast proposed, Tho United States of Amer
icA" to the presidents principal adviser, the
secretary of state.
Secretary of State Foster Immediately
atterward arose and said:
Secretary Fosters Speech.
To make the United States the subject of an
after dinner speech reminds one of the despair
of the great philosopher, Kant, when the YER
Batile and would be omniscient Madame De
Stuel demanded of him an explanation of his
philosophy at an evening reception, and how
his despair WAS turned to disgust when, after
patiently hearing liim for ten minutes, she in
terrupted him by sayiug: "rhat will do; that
will do. | understand 1t all now" | fear
may not have such thoroughly satisfied audi
tors the great philosopher when my ten
minutes have expired.
However, venture the thought that the full
fruits Of the great achievement which we cele-
brate In this banquet are mos conspicuously
embodied in that which is signified by tho
sentiment Just announced - "Fhe United
6tAtesn-and 1t must be a source of sincere re-
gret to you all that he to whom the duty was
assigned should not be able to be present To
make fitting response. No words of mine can
add interest or lmpressveness to thnt great
act of faith and courage which, since the nd-
vent of the founder oil the Christian religion,
stands unparalleled in its Importance and
usefulness TO mankind. By means of it the
hu "a has )
destiny which was not possible in the old
world. How well and how fully that destiny
has been attained in the past four centuries
may be most favorably tested by an examina-
hon of the social conditions and tho physical
accomplishments of the states united in the
predominating nation of the hemisphere re-
vealed by Columbus.
Religion and Education.
It is not easy to separate from each other
and to discriminate between the influences
which operate In the old and the world
But without attempting this task, there are
some features which characterize the use Ia
which on this occasion we may point with
Just pride In no other nation of the world ID
the religious faith, which so efficiently con.
tributed TO the success of the first voyage ol
the great disooverer, SO potent in controlling So
ciety, enriching its charities and elevating the
race II was In the United States that civil
and religious liberty experienced Its new
birth, has its most perfect application, and
WHOSE reflex influence Gas been the most per
manent factor In tho past hundred years In
reconstruoting society ana government in Eu
rope. In no otaor nation is education sc
munincently fostered and intellisenc so gen.
O-klly difused throughout all classeB. In no
other nation are the masses fully supplied
with good homes, so comfortably clothed and
80 well fed.
When we turn from the social conditions to
the physical accomplishments of the United
States we find the contrast equally mark ed.
The colonists, who followed the high Say
marked out by Columbus. found tho territory
now embraced by the United States wilder
ness or desert, rich only In the undeveloped
resources of nature Today this 6j,u00.1G0 OF
people who inhabit this land possess an aggre-
gate wealth far greater than any other nation
Ii Ill