Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-26
THE PALMETTO STATE
Her Sons in Washington Entertain Distin.
guished Guests at Banquet.
Secretary Herbert, Senator Lodge and
Others Make Patriotic and
Eloquent Addresses.

The South Carolina Society Saturday
evening celebrated the anniversary of the
ratification OF the Constitution by the state
of South Carolina. A banquet Of hundred
covers was spread at the Ebbitt, and many
distinguished guests were present to do
honor to the occasion. The table was ar
ranged in the form of a rectangle, and dec
GRATED with cut flowers. Behind the chair
of ex-senator Butler, who served as toast
master. was a palmetto tree brought from
South Carolina. The banquet was the first
gwen by the society, which was organized
In March of this year, and 1t brought to-
gether many accomplished and distin-
guished men. Ex-senator Butler, in pro-
posing the toasts, explained that one of the
objects Of the association was to collect
and preserve the historical data relating to
the palmetto state
Secretary Herbert's Speech.
Hilary A. Herbert, Secretary Of the Navy,
responded to the toast, May %, 17SS-May
the Principles of the Constitution Live For
ever He said that IT seemed as if a guild
Ing Providence had inspired our Constitu-
ton to accomplish the liberty of man. "Our
government" he said, us not only the freest
that ever came forth from the hands of
man; it contains more and better safeguards
for the rights of property. for the sanctity
of contracts for the administration of JUS
tice between man and man, and for the pro-
lection of its citizens against the hand of
government itself, than any other upon the
face of the earth. The parliament of Great
Britain. unrestrained as it is by any writ
ten fundamental law, yielding to the pres
sure of the times, has already passed laws
regulating the relations between landlord
and tenant, that, If enacted by our Con-
gress, could never be enforced so long as
8" Cd In, n1Ar No. ~
gard their oathS to maintain the Constitu-
ton of the country. Behind that Constitu-
ton human liberty and the rights of prop
erty find their last entrenchment. When
that barrier Is broken down anarchy will
reign supreme
"Parentalism in government is Matching in
these modern days brood of pestilential
hereSies from the perils of which there ia
to be under republican forms no escape
except in the saving doctrine that written
constitution CT government shall remain
inviolate and inviolable. The great Ger
man author, Won Hoist, has pointed out
what he calls the disposition of Americans
to Worship the Constitution. Well would 1t
be for us II this spirit were universal AS
1t Is. the widespread feeling that our gov
eminent is the most perfect work of man
is the balance wheel of our institutions L.
was this sentiment, m&nifesting itself at
the ballot box, that lifted the reconstructed
states from the dust and restored to them
as coequals in the Union Under the Consti-
tuition the right of self-government
Deep down in the hearts of the American
people is q love Of those principles Of the
constitution. OF which I speak tonight,
that has heretofore been equal to every
emergency, and there sre signs around us
that the public mind is being made ready
to encounter the perils of the future in
Whatever guise they may come. Over the
school fCuses throughout the land the flag
which Is the emblem Of the power of the
government, is being hoisted Into those
school houses text books are being intro
duced that treat of the nature and author
lty or that government, and in nearly
every cole ge In the land the science of
government is row being carefully taught
Let this good work go on. Let a spirit Of
patriotism be cultivated; let us call to our
aid In this work all the arts of poetry and
oratory and music, and let the lesson be
everywhere taught that this country has
grown to be great and prosperous, and
that 1t has been able to tide over all the
dangers Of the past because Of the love
and veneration that the people have borne
In their hearts for the Constitution of their
country; and, further, that If future gen.
erations are to prosper. their fathers
did. they must look TO that same Consttu-
ton as the sheet anchor Of their liberties
and as, at the same time, the source Of
and limitation upon the authority and
power of govern ment.
Senator Lodges Happy Address.
At the conclusion of Secretary Herberts
address, which was received with great
enthusiasm. the orchestra played the Star
Spangled Banner" Senator Lodge of Mas
sachusetts was then introduced to respond
to the toast of South Carolina and Massa-
chusetts in the colonial and revolutionary
period. The suggestive unity of these two
states, the part each has played in the his
tory of the country side by side, or facing
as adversaries. gave particular point and
historical interest and loftiness of senti-
ment displayed in this address excited
great enthusiasm, and It's spirit pervaded
the company during the rest of the even
ing. He spoke of the growing interest in
the study of American and state history
once thought of SO little value. 1t was a
great aid to patriotism, to scholarship, and
to the fostering of all sentiments that were
the preservation of the states and the ma
ton.
In the beginning. he said, South Carolina
ard Massachusetts, fought together in the
common cause. He was sorry that New
England general was in command when
Charles ton capitulated to the British but
another New Englander, Greene, drove the
British out Of South Carolina and COM
pleted the work that Marion and Sumter
had begun. The first blood was shed in
Lexington, Mass, and the last at James
Island: s. C., by Major Wilmot. In the
rate struggle the first shot was by South
Carolina, and Massachusetts men were the
first to fall. The two states had been very
conspicuous in the history of their country.
1t was proud thing for South Carolinians
tudt II was Charles y. T1nCkney who said
Millions for defense, but not one cent for
tribute"
Other Responses.
The toast, THE Credit of the Govern
ment Should Be sacredly Maintained" was
responded to by Judge Lamareux, United
States land commissioner, whose patriotic
sentiments were applauded. Judge Lama
| reux spoke in the place Of Senator Villas
In the place Of Senator Gray, Judge Cole
responded, in very graceful and appro-
pirate speech to the toast. THE Union of
the States-Its Enemy is Sectionalism; Its
Friend the Cordial Fellowship Of the Peo-
pie" South Carolina in the American
Congress was responded to by Represen-
tative Stanyarne Wilson, South Carolina ::
The Women of South Carolina" by ex-
representative J. ]. Hemphill, and 1.-THE
People at Home" by Charles A. Douglass.
The Participants.
Among the guests were Secretary Her.
bert, Representative Wilson of South Caro-
lima, ex-Representative Hemphill, Nathan
lei Mckay, Gen. c. NJ. Shelby, Justice Cole,
Justice Bradley, Judge Lamoreux, Capt ".
E. McBee, W. H. Baldwin, IT., Colin Studs,
Solicitor FafssoD Con w D Cox