Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-03-27
HONOR ST. PATRICK.
SPLENDID BANQUET At MURPHY'S
HOTEL LAST NIGHT.
The Governor and the Mayor Hespond 10
Toasts-Many Other speecbes-An
Evening Of Enjoyment.

The Governor and the Mayor Uespond To
Toasts-Many Other speccbes-An
Evening Of Enjoyment.
AS n rule st. Patrlck's and Easter
Monday are not celebrated on the same
day.
out of respect 70 Holy Week the usual
banquet In honor OF Ircland's Saint was
postponed until last night. But the fates
were kind. and the weather was In fuli
keeping with the occasion. and the snow
wind. and shine, which came In turn
yesterday. was very much like the genu'
inc nth.
Eight o'clock last night and Murphys
Hotel were the time and place set ior
holding the annual banquet About that
hour the guests began TO gather. ana
when. about Q, they repaired to the
dining-hall the assemblage was rep
resentative one. embracing large num-
bers Of leading Irish and other
citizens. The omnipresent candidate was
not absent, the Moody-Sankey agreement
saying nothing about the eschewing OF
banquets.
The table was loaded with everything
good. and each item. from oysters 70
cigars, was attended TO in turn.
A LITTLE OUT OF DATE.
Grace by Father OReilly was the signal
for the attack. and full justice 'was done
10 the excellent menu. When the wants
hgA Is4nn
Mr.. r. j. Reilly raped for silence ana
responded to the first toast, THE Day
We Celebrate" ,.,-
Mr.. Reilly said that. though niue
out OF date the celebration was none the
less genuine, and its postponement was
a credit TO the Irish people, who always
have TIE greatest reverence for the ast
week In Lent. The love OF the gehial
Irishman for his country could not De
understood by those Of colder teihperd-
ment. on the day they celebrated an
true freshmen visit the land Of their birth
in spirit and once again breathe the
health-inspiring air And the son VINO had
amassed wealth beyond expectation would
give it all 10 once again visit the Hreeh
Isle" with the shamrock and hawthor
THE GOVERNOR OF VIRGINIA.
At the conclusion Of Mr.. Reilly's ad-
dress which was puncUated with ap-
plause. he introduced Governor - ftrIai,
who responded to the toast virginia.
his Excelleney was SociierouSly sr'e'e''
and said:
Mr.. Chairman and Gentemen.-l am
glad TO be with you, and while wouii
much prefer TO remain silent ana hs'eh
10 the glowing words Of others, must
thank You most heartily, Mr.. Chairman
for the honor YOU have done me III the
selection of the toast 10 when am t"
respond | fear, however my poor worms
viii fan dead upon the ears accus'oi'Su
only To hear the dulcet tones OF the ora
tor and the eloquent strains Of the
rhetorician drawn forth by th4Insplrdtlo.,n
Of the subject assigned to me; but while
my words may be plain, and my SEN
fences unadorned. my tribute will al
least have the merit Of sincerity, Tor l
trust | am filed with "A faithful son
love-a nlial love SO fcrvid as To enable
me to cNclaim from the recesses 81 my
heart: ,,.,-
perish. my poor name perish my little
fame. perish my all, but let Virginia
live.
The toast TO which I am to respond
consists Of only one word. but that one
word embraces all that is great, grand
and glorious, strong, sublime anu sacred
Applause)
HER SONS AND DAUGHTERS.
VIRGINIA is great in her men. Her his
tory is replete with their deeds. ana every
page is bright with their achievements.
From the time Sir Water EalelHh re-
ceived his patent from Queen Eizap.th
for the territory which she called IT
cinia. q race of men has been bred with
boundaries a. that EItf lIi
never cxcellcd. If cqualled. since the day-
dawn Of civilization upon the western
Continent; a race without its Counterpart
with characteristics peculiar To itself
race which has ever cast its eye upward,
not downward, which has ever Iookeu
forward. not backward, a face brave ana
lion-hearted yet tender gentle. ana com
passiOnatc: race that has ever beeh
loyal to country, stcadiast 10 pIihclPle'
firm i'm purpose. race winch mas ever
imbuei every conner from whatsoever
cline with its own indomitable spirit ana
taught him 70 respect right, practice
virtue. uphold purity, and honor religion
such is the character Of Nirginids sons
such is true Nrginianism.
Virginia IS grand in her women. In an
the annals Of recorded time there Is not
a leaf nlumincd moro with woman
herolsm. devotion. self-sacriice upon the
shrine Of duty, and immolation upon the
altar of patriotism, than the myriad pages
upon which the historian, as WIN ms
pen Of steel. has written the deeds oil
Nirginia's daughters from Colonial days
down. and many of US now present are
living. breathing witnesses OF the scenes
and trials Of thirty years ago. when the
rstrons and maidens Of this idolzed OLD
State carved their names upon memory
tablet. and encasei their images IN our
hearts. CApplause)
GLORIOUS IN HER TRADITIONS.
Virginia is glorious in her traditions.
Her mountains echo them her forests
sound them. her torrents sing them; her
riyulets nurmur them: her 1reezcs whis-
Der them. and her storm winds proclaim
them. Her every spot has connected with
il some story of glory handed down from
century 10 century and from generation
To generation, az the Code Of Laws has
come down 10 US from Mount Sinai. We
believe these stories and cherish them,
and with them Wreathe garlands about
the queenly brow Of our old mother STATE.
Virginia is strong in her material
wealth. and sublime in her physical
beauty. Her valleys teemlng with their
rlch products. and resembling with the
lowing Of herds; her peaks from their
treasures. her gorges sending upward
their columns of smoke from their fur
naces. FORCES. and rollins-mils. her water
falls humming with machinery and her
thousands of Industries. showing TO the
world that neither the hOof OF war nor
the sword OF conquest, nor the baptism Of
blood nor the gloom of defeat can CON
qucr or subdue the proud and hIughty
spirit Of this old Dominion land. Her
verdant and blooming fields IN srring-
time, her golden dales and hillsides in
harvcst-tlme, her regal gOrgeOusncss Of
scar and yellow-leafed autumn. and her
white, iicecy landscapes of dreary winter
give a beauty and grandeur Of scenery
which invites the painters brush and in
spires the poets soul.
Virginia is sacred ir her relies. land
marks tombs. and graves. She has her
treasures OF Colonial, Revolutionary, and
Confederate times. ''The pearls were
split; some were lost some were stolen,
and some as relics kept" She has her
jamestown. Yorktown, Manassas. Seven
Pines. the Wilderness Cold Harbor. NAL
vern Hin. Charlottesville. Fredericks-
burg. Petersburg. Cross Keys, Port Re-
public. Winchester. and. alas, Appomat-
toy She has her Mount Vernon Month