The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1896-12-23
ANCESTORS DAY.
Landing Of the Pilgrims Cele-
brated In New York.
Eminent Men present and TOasts
Responded To-.
Secretary Of the Navy Herbert Pays a High
Tribute to Naval Heroes.

England society of this city The ban
quet room was prettily decorated with
holly and banners bearing the arms OF
the New England states.
A novel and humorous feature Of the
banquet was the costumes of the wait
ers, which were made to represent New
England farmhands. They were at
tired in blue jean overalls, checkered
Jumpers and broad brimmed straw hats.
Covers were laid for 500. AT the main
table were Henry +. Rowland, first vice
president, who presided, because of the
sickness and consequent absence of
President Charles c. Beaman; Edward
j. Phelps, ex-minister to England; Sec
retary of the Navy Hilary A. Herbert.
General Nelson A. Miles, General Horace
Porter. General Thomas Ruger, j. p.
Morgan. Cornelius n. Bliss, Horace
White, Edward King. j. Kennedy Todd,
Commander Montgomery Sicard, u. S.
N; Hamilton w. Mabie, Stewart L.
Woodford. Mayor Strong, Elihu Root.
Rev. DR.. Minot J. Savage and IL. l..
Eurnett.
Toastmaster Rowland opened the
postprandial exercises by proposing
toast to President Cleveland, which was
drunk standing. and then introduced
Mr.. Phelps. Mr.. Howland's reference
TO the ex-minister to England evoked
storm of applause. Mr.. Phelps paid
high tribute to the patriotism Of the
men of New England blood.
The following toasts were responded
to: "Forefathers' Day" by r. J. Phelps;
Our Debt to the Pilgrim Fathers, Rev.
DIR. M. j. Savage; "Some New England
ers in Georgia" Colonel r. NJ. Johnson
Of Baltimore; New England Litera-
ture" III. w. Mabie; THE Results of
Puritan Influence, General Horace Por-
ter; The Navy" Secretary Herbert;
The Army" General Miles; THE Civil
Compact and the Church Covenant of
England" Arthur Lord, president OF the
Pilgrim society of Plymouth; The City
of New York." Mayor Strong. and Our
Sister Societies." j. Kennedy Todd,
president Of st. Andrews society.
Secretary of the Navy Herbert made
the principal speech Of the occasion. In
opening he referred to the fact that he
served in tht Confederate army, and was
proud of the heroism Of his countrymer
on both sides. America Is now unsepar-
| ably united and moving on toward 9
| glorious future. He then said:
This occasion Mr. chairman, and ih,
|
| that IL the first blood Of the resolution
was shed. on New England Soil, so also
did New Englanders shed the first blood
at sea. 1t took The news of the battle OF
Lexington tIree weeks to travel to Ma
chias, Se. Almost Immediately volun'
te1rs seized upon sloop, armed hirr, g 81, - 3
after bloody struggle captured an
armed English schooner. the Mar
garatta. that was lying of the port
This battle was an outburst of the spirit
of liberty and an omen of the glorious
future that awaited American seamen
Our little continental navy, during the
first two years of the Revolutionary
war, destroyed 79l British sail, and
throughout the whole of that long strug-
gle the new flag that had appeared upon
the ocean was carried with untarnished
honor through every combat. New Eng
land furnished large proportion Of the
sailors and her due share of the officers
that made this glorious record.
During the revolution we had few
vessels that could contend in equal com
bat with the ships of Great Britain. In
the war of 1872 we were in little better
condition. but In the battles Of Lake
Erie and Lake Champlain, and i'm the
famous duels at sea that took place be-
tween British and American vessels,
our little navy made a record that has
kindled the fires of patriotism I'm the
hearts Of millions of American people
from that day to this. To that war New
England gave, among others. Isaac
Chauncey, David Porten. Oliver Hazard
Perry and Isaac Hull"
Mr. Herbert referred to the fact that
- 80 - n
F'arraguts flagship. the Hartford. pre-
served. but that the famous old Con
st!tution was rotting at Portsmouth
He appealed to the society to secure the
preservation of the Constitution. that
coming generations might draw patriot
ism from her old spars and ensign.
Our new navy was begotten In the
throes OF the Civil War The Merrmac
and the Monitor were the creations
both. of American genius The famous
battle between these two vessels put
the shipyards Of Europe to work on new
designs and modern nayiss resulted
other natiops had made wonderful
forward strides. when, II years ago. we
began to reconstruct our navy. and now
We have In commission AZ ships. with an
aggregate displacement OF 137, 900 tons
| vessels. and ship for ship and gun for
sun we may proudly challenge compar-
son with the world"
In conclusion the secretary recounted
the work OF the navies OF the Union and
the Confederacy during the Civil War
and said:
THE historian OF the future will not
fail to dwell with admiration upon the
achievements Of the armies OF the
Union, but when he comes 10 look for
results and TO trace those to their cause.
In my opinion, after recounting and
Weighing the effects OF the many VIC
tories won under both flags. he will rec
ord that II was the sword OF the navy
thrown into the wavering balance that
turned the scale In favor OF the Union.
"In conclusion. let me say that trust
We are not yet done with building our
new navy-that the program began a
dozen OF years ago II to be carried on
until we snail have q navy worthy I'm the
number OF Its ships. az II Ia In the char
acter Of those we already possess. of the
great people II representa- people who.
| during the first 20 years of their ex-