New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-04-01
MR.. CHO4TE And THE IRTSHMEN.

| The most successful aiiel-dnner speech Of
the season now drawing 10 a close was that
made by Mr.. Joseph ii. Choac at the dinner
of the Friendly Sons Of 81. Patrick. on the
evening of the 9TH Of March. Even the inn
perfect report of it in the daily newspapers was
the talk of the clubs for several days, and such
Of the guests at the table as "c0ud take
Joke went wild over the brilance of its
rhetoric. and the stirring eloquence Of the
rounded periods with which he piqued the
patriotism. sOotbed the self-conscousneSs. ami
mated the pride and kindled the susceptibilites
of his audience. Ii has been more or less the
tall, of the town ever since. That there was Il
vein Of subtle satire running through il and n
suggestion Of what the English speaking world
call Iaillery or chaif hardly need be laid. What
successful afer-dinner speech is without II !?
What would New England Society dinner be
without more or less god -natnred joking at
the expense of the solemn old fellows who
came over here to establish liberty for every
body to agree with them? Or what a st.
Nicholas Society dinner without some occa-
sonal playfuness al the expense Of the stolid
old Dutch burghers who settled on this island
and stayed here from sheer heavincss, dulncss
anu pnN liidDillN W move AVA! W Hat
the dinner Of the 1t. Georges Society without
perfect freedom on the part of the speech
making guests to tweak the British Lions tail
or what the st. Andrews Society festivities
without illusions TO that proverbia Scotch
thrift that goes so near to stinginess or 10 the
thickness Of skull which requires 4 surgical
operation to admit Joke? Where indeed
would be sour Chauncey," and Choatc. and
Horace Porter and Judge Rowland, and Charles
A. Dana, and Charles e. Beaman, and EIihd
Root and others whose names are familiar as
ministers to the general JOY on festive coca
siOns, il there were to be any restrictions put
upon the wit and humor, the satire and the
sarcasm the raillery and the chaif with which
they are accustomed to set the tables in a
roar? All these have by common consent as
large a charter as the wind-to blow on whom
they like And who would have it otherwise
TO restrain them would be to eclipse the gayety
Of nations
At tho dinner OF the Friendly Sons OF st.
Patrick Mr. Choatc was at his best, and that
is saying a great deal, for no one of all the
merry makers yields with such SIX and re-
source, such scope of fanCs and elegance Of
diction, the shining blade of English speech.
But we observe that our esteemed cOntempo-
rary, "The Irish Worldr takes exception to
the tone of banter with which Mr.. Choate con-
Guided his culOgy Of the Irish race. In its last
issue it devotes two columns to the scvercst
sort of denunciatOn of the orator for what it
calls his outrageous speech" and "wantOn
insult to the Irish race and an outrage on hos
pitality." Its anger seems to have been ex-
cited because the orator, after paying a glow
ing tribute to the virtues of the Irish race, and
especially to their devotion to their native land
az illustrated in their advocacy of the doctrine
of Home Rule, turned suddenly with an ora
torical climax, which brought burst OF laugh.
ter from all Of his audience who have that
keen appreciation OF humor-the Irishman's
peculiar gift-whch can take joke even at
ones own expense-by asking them why they
did not go back to Ireland and establish Home
Rule there. "WhO would be free" he said
themselves must strike the blow" Taking
this seriously, instead of receiving it as good
natured chaff, "The Irish World" has made it
the occasion for saying good many hard
things not only about Mr.. Choate, but about
Now England and the Ncw-England people,
among whom it mentions James Russell Lowell
as deserving special animadversion. It's con-
clusion is that Irishmen have as good right
here as anybody. if not better, and that they
propose to stay. Meantime, it advises Mr..
Choate and other "disgrunted Anglomen"
themselves to emigrate and "leave the
'blarsted country to the people who are sat
listed with it,
All of which seems really childish and i'll
natured. We cannot think that our contempo-
rary accurately represents in this outburst of
feeling the majority Of citizens of Irish birth
1t is contrary to the universal belief concern
ing the characteristics of tile Irish people,
That they are fond of ilatteIy is well enough
known, but with it they have the reputation
of infinite good huinor and readiness to take
Jokes as well as make them. The assumption
of our friend and contemporary that the
Friendly Sons of st. Patrick, after applaud
ing enthusiastically Mr.. Choate's eloquent
eulogy of Irish heroes and the Irish race, were
ready to take offence 1t q little good-natured
chat On top Of it we do not believe to be war