The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-04-28
GRANT BIRTHDAY DINNER.
Middlesex Club of Boston Entertains
Distinguished Speakers.

Middlesex Club of Boston Entertains
Distinguished Speakers.
Gen. LonGstreet Speaks of Grant the Sol
| dier-Senator-eiect Foraker Greeted
With Great Enthusiasm-Speech of the
| Evening BY Senator Thurston.
Boston, April 27.-The 18th anniversary
OF tho birth of General Grant was cele-
rated by the Middlesex club this evening
by dinner at the Hotel Brunswick
More than $50 members and guests are
In attendance. The guests of the evening
are Senator John NJ. Thurston of Me-
braska, Lieut.. Gen. James Longst rect of
Georgia, Senator-eleot j. B. Foraker of
Ohio, Hon. James n. Hoyt of Ohio,
Acting Governor Wolcott and ex-Gov.
Boutwell, of Massachusetts. Ex. Governor
Braokett, the president of the club, occu-
pied the chair.
| Dinner was served at 6. 30 after brief
reception to the guests in the parlors. 1t
was nearly nine when ex-Gov. Brackett
rose amid ringing cheers and raped tor
order. In the opening speaking, he re-
ferred to the fact that General Grant was
once guest Of the club, and afterwards
became member. He introduced Act
ing Governor Wolcott, who was enthu-
siastically received. He welcomed the
guests in a brief speech.
4 The remaining speakers had been asked
| to discuss the different phases of Gen.
Grants character.
Gen. Longstreet was first. His subject
was "Grant tho Soldier" The ex-Con-
federate was received with repeated
cheers, and frequently and loudly ap-
plauded throughout his address. He
glowingly eulogized Grants military
ability. and said that after the war his
heavy blows were changed to pleasant
salutations.
The next speaker was Senator Foraker,
who spoke upon Grant the Republican
The Senator was greeted with cheers and
unlimited enthusiasm. His address was
warmly received throughout. Reference
to Reed as possible Presidential candi-
date was the signal for q wild demonstra-
ton of enthusiasm. When moment
later he mentioned the name of McKin-
ley, the audience expressed its respect for
the speakers preference by second
demonstration, almost as enthusiastic as
Grant was a Republican in the best
sense. He believed our Constitution was
the organic law of the whole people, and
the government by 1t was supreme over
the states and people alike. He believed
no country could be prosperous and inde-
| pendent, that did not develop its own re-
| sources, employ it's own labor invest its
own capital, supply its own wants; that
made him the unqualified advocate of the
protective tariff.
He believed it impossible to have sound
| business conditions, without having an
absolutely sound currency. He was pre-
eminently a stalwart Of stalwarts
The message that comes to us from him
tonight is that when the Republicans
party comes back into power, It will be
it's duty at once SO to revise our revenue
laws, that we will stop those deficits, put
an end to bond sales, bond syndicates
and bond scandals.
think I hear him saying to us not to
be afraid Of enough protection to protect.
| He would tell us to restore and develop
the policy of reciprocity. He would tell
us that, while standing for bi-metalism,
there can be no free coinage of silver ex-
| oept only by international agreement.
He would approve the plank in the Re-
publican platform which provides that the
only way to the restoration Of the mer-
| chant marine Is to resort to discriminate
1
the time had come for the United States
to build the Nicaragua canal.
The president read q letter and tele.
gram Of deolination from Gov. ". o..
Bradley of Kentucky, and Congressman
Charles e. Smith.
Senator Thurston made the speech of
the evening, and the enthusiasm of the
audience reached it's height, when he
leaned forward and extended the hand of
fellowship to Gen. Longstreet, while the
air rang with the cheers of the whole
assembly. The Senator's subject was
"Grant the Patriot F"
He spoke in substance as follows !:
"There is no section of the United States
from sea to sea, in which Repub bIioanism
Is ST. stalwart and will be so victorious as
in the states lying between the two great
chains of mountains, the Alleghenies and
the Rockies. Gen. Grant was not only
the foremost soldier of his age, but In my
judgement one of the foremost statesmen
of his age. Impartial history has already
attested to his true, sincere, honest,
patriotic character, without belmish OF
stain.
"Grant was leader, not for his own
promotion. From the time that the hand
of Providence pointed him out at the
tanners bench in Galena, until he stood
extending the generosity of the gallant
victor to the vanquished foe, Gen. Grant
at all times led his armies and won his
victories, not for himself but for his
country, not for the glory, but for the
IcivilizatiOn that Is to come. Grant will
live in the hearts of the people whose
BATTLES he won, when even the names OF
Caesar and Napoleon are forgotten by the
nations of the earth. His Is one OF the
immortal names not born to die."
The last speaker of the evening was
Hon. James H. Hoyt of Ohio. who spoke
of Grant as one OF the three great Ameri-
can, Washington. Lincoln and Grant He
said: Washington signed the first tariff
law. Lincoln and Grant both believed in
preserving national credit. Washington
| founded the nation; Lincoln saved it;
Grant protected 1t.
The gathering broke up about 1O.30
| Old Fellows At Rockland Celebrate.
| ROckland, April 27.-The body of Geo,