The San Francisco call., 1897-02-24
~Oratory GIcwed Over a Board
Laden With Choicest
DelicacieS.
THE GUESTS ELI QUENT AND
TELLING REMARKS.
Prominent Citiz rs Vie With One
Another to Pay Tribute to the
Distinguished Judge.


Nsnd from all parts of orthern California,
Assem- bled at the Palace Hotel last night
10 tender q farewell banquet 10 Hon.
Joseph McKenna, who is soon to depart
for Washington to accept a Cabinet posi-.
tion.
The menu was elaborate and the toasts
were many and eloquent. Colonel }. P
Jackson was toastmastcr. To his left sal
Governor Budd, to his right the guest o.
honor. and by his side Hon. James D.
b, Phelan, Mayor
Colonel Jackson's Introductory speech
was happy effort and, like nearly every
T. speech that followed. was applauded with
:.yigor. He said it was a matter of con
: .gratulation that the time had arrived
when party names in California had los
their meaning.
sit is seldom given to any man." ht
said, ito succeed in the three branches O.
Government. but our honored guest ha!
been splendid legislator, a good Judge
and now his time comes 10 show that ht
can succeed IN the executive branch o
government. Judge McKenna assumed
. the woolsack pure man ard he viii leave
the ermine unstained." TGreat applause.
:. There were then loud cries for Judge
.MCkenna and lie arose and made q sim pie
and eloquent speech which brought great
and prolonged applause. Among other
things he said:
Mr.. President and Gentlemen: I dc
mot know what to say. In our meager
language a simple Thank you is about
81 that is left. How 10 make a fitting re-
.iurn for this tribute, this assem blage OF
representative men, 90 not know | agree.
however, with a brother Judge who wrote
me a mplimentary letter recently that
if my friends have anything to say they
ought to say it while l live. Yet, stand
ing here, confounded by your excessive
. kindness, I am inclined 10 think the dead
man has some advantages. Laughter
The dead man may blush unseen ana he
% is uotexpected to respond.
/. Il take this, however, as tribute to
your repre- sentative rather than to the in
dividual. In hat sense can accept the
honor without q feeling of unworthiness.
Strictly speaking, however. a Cabinet off,
GER is not representative OF a State,
though his appointment may be an honor
TO q State. Setting aside my own con-
in that sense rejoice that a
Californian is in the Cabinet. II
the right man has been selected, he ought
10 give some tone and direction to affairs
by reason of his coming out of the West.
I say this because 1 love my State and l
dare to compare it with anything.
II love California in its sheer physical
beauty and genial climate; l love il in its
higher sensibility, in its birth, its life and
action.
The State was born full grown, having
no territorial history. / love lis legends,
its romances and its history ana love
its example of noble sacrifice, great
achievement and energy, dashing pio-
neer spirit that subdued the wilderness
and made it hum with the glories of a new
and splendid civilization.
Il shall go into the Cabinet Califor-
nian Cheersl, and that shall be my high
est tile; l shall go as the first Califor-
nlan, that my admonltion. | shall be sue
c. eIed by ADLER me1, but by none who go
with better intentions to do what is right. l
shall say farewell in sadness although it
be but for "A lime and does not sever rela-
tlons, | leave with the assurance that this
ghts Kindness shall never be forgotten,
and in the hope that my services in the
new field will justify and deserve the Kind
ness you have bestowed"
. at the conclusion of the speech Gov
ernor Budd arose and proposed three
cheers for the pride of California, and they
were given with vim.
Chief Justice Beatty responded briefly
q: to toast on the judiciary, stating that
the relations OF the Supreme Court with
Judge McKenna had always been pleas
ant ne IL ought 10
please Caiifornians beyond measure
fhas so fine and able a man had been Sc
kiected 10 the Cabinet. "He will be found
Heonest, faithful and always equal to the
Nischarge Of duties and the solution of
.d!hculties," said the Judge amid tumult
of applause.
Thomas ]. Clunie was down for re.
.sponse to toast named "The President
of the United States" He gracefully de-
clined to speak of Cleveland, but devoted
ten minutes to review OF Judge Nc
Kenna's career as he knew it.
~ have known him for nearly
quarter of century," he said, "and he
has always been leader. 1t was nearly
twenty-five years ago that l found him
leader of his party in the Assem-
bly, of this State, and when I
served with him in Congress many
years later l found him recognized IS a
thinker and worker by such men as Blaine
and Mckinley. AS a Democrat l con-
gratuate Mckinley on his selection from
this State, and il ought to be the hope of
all honest citizens that the incoming ad-
ministration will be a success"
Hon. NJ. NJ. Estee spoke briefly, follow.
ing Mr.. Clunie. He said he thought the
new President had begun exceedingly we'll
by appointing Judge McKenna. There
were about thousand candidates for the
POSITION" he said, "but Mckinley ap-
-
the President and the appointee our con-
fdence and the hope that the administra-
ton viii be a success"
The State OF California" was to have
been res ponded TO by Governor Bndd, but
De pleaded that pressing business had
prevented due preparation, so George a.
Knight responded. He spoke of the fer
1lliy and extent of the Stale, and hoped
Sat Judge McKenna's accession to the
Jablnet was but the beginning OF a
GLORIOUS Part to be played in National his
tory by Californians.
Attorney-Generai Fl zgerald followed in
an eloquent tribute TO the judiciary and
the guest OF the evening. He said: "It
is the judges who declare what the law is
and clearly define it. All honor to them
and TO our guest of honor, who has helped
to keep the ermine pure. We congratu-
late President-elect Mckinley because he
has selected representative citizen from