The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-11-12
BRILLIANT
Banquet to
Gen. Miles.
A NOTABLE EVENT.
Address Made by the Gen
eral and Gov. Wolcott.

New York, Nov 1.-THE compliment
airy banquet given to Maj. Gen. Nelson
A. Miles, commanding the United
army at the Waldorf Astoria tonight,
in point of numbers, extensive prepara-
ton and brilliancy, rivalled the great
banquet given last year in honor of
President Mckinley by the merchants
and manufacturers of the country.
Seven hundred and fifty guests were
present, including many of the leading
professional, military and business men
of the country.
The banquet hall itself was a marvel
of beauty The galleries and balconies
were artistically draped with the ma.
| tional colors in silk. The decorations
over the table at which sat the guests
of honor, were superb
AT $50 o'clock Joseph II. Choate,
POSTMASTER, took Gen. Miles by the
arm, and after a brief levee in the AS
tor gallery, headed the long line TO the
banquet room.
Just after the oysters We're served. a.
commotion was heard on the north side
of the main banquet hall Soon at
| forwards cheers were heard and Gov.
elect Roosevelt appeared opposite the
guests table. There was much cheer
ing, every one rising to his feet. He
was escorted to the place made va
cant by the illness of Gen. Shafrer, who
sent regrets at the last moment Col
Roosevelt shook hands with Gen. Miles
and this was the occasion for more
cheering
Among those who sat at the guests
table presided over by Joseph H.
Choate, were Maj. Gen. Nelson A.
Miles, at his right, and Rear Admiral
Henry Erben at his left, Gov. Roger
| Wolcott of Massachusetts. Gov. -eIect
Theodore Roosevelt, Gov. Asa Bushnell
of Ohio, Maj. Gen. Daniel e. Sickles.
David Q. Watkins, Acting Gov. of New
Jersey Benjanfin F. Tracy, Command
er Francis j. Higginson, Addison
Brown, ex-Gov. Levi p Morton. Rev.
Dr. A. ID. Kittredge, Capt Arthur Pa
get, r. N, Rev. DR.. J. 0. Wilson, Gov.
Daniel Fl. Hastings of Pennsylvania.
Maj. Gen. 0. o. Howard, w j. Wal
| lace, Seth Low, Rev. Henry Van DYKE
Charles Fl. Van Brunt, Roswell P.
Flower, Chauncey NJ. Depew, United
States Senator William J. Sewen. Gov.
| Lloyd LoWndes of Maryland and Rev.
DR.. G. r. Van De Water
| A unique feature of the banquet was
| the manner of serving the ice cream.
A drum and fife corps, playing Yankee
| Doodle, preceded two score of walters.
who marched into the banquet hall,
| carrying aloft huge plates of ice
cream, in the centre of each one being
a miniature statue of Washington
Jackson Jefferson or some other great
hero or statesman. The corps marched
to Gen. Miles seat and placed a large
statue Of Gen. Washington in front Of
him.
After a brief speech by Mr. Choate
| in which he warmly eulogized the
guest of the evening, Gen Miles was
given an ovation. He smilingly bowed
his acknowledgements of the excited
applause and said:
Such a generous reception has been
extended to me tonight as few are per-
nitted to enjoy, and I should be want
ing in gratitude did I not appreciate
the sentiment expressed in this cordial
greeting. I should be vain, indeed, to
ascribe it to myself, or for a moment
accept it solely as a personal tribute.
AS an expression of appreciation of the
gallant troops which I have the honor
to command, it is accepted in behalf of
the living and for them I thank you,
as well as for those whose lips are
forever silent, and whose heroism and
sacrifice 1 know is here remembered
and revered.
This reception is to be doubly graft
flying, for I am delighted to return once
more to the shores of the great republic
and also to be welcomed by the men of
the great Empire state and those asso-
ciated with them in this entertainment.
For many years New York has seemed
like home to me- Passing down Broad
way in 1861, at the age of Il, a lieuten-
ant in a regiment from my native
state; eight months later I was hon
ored by that great patriot and states
man, Gov. Morgan, with a commission
as lieutenant colonel in one of the New
York regiments. From that time dur
ing the great civil war I was largely
identified with New York troops. Many
of my comrades in the field We're from
New York; many of my strongest
friends are New Workers, and l am
honored tonight by such greeting as
would make the heart of any soldier
proud
This last war was in the interests
of humanity and in behalf of a heroic
people who for many years have been
struggling against cruel atrocities of
oppression and the despotism of de-
cayine monarchy. 1T has been most
remarkable in many respects. 1t has
presented one series of victories with
out a single disaster or a single defeat.
The American soldiers and sailors have
been true to the principles and tradi-
lions OF their aldlutIS, etlN AiAehiAAAebiAiSb
the honor and glory of the American
arms.
zone great blessing to the country
in this brief but decisive war, has been
to firmly unite in bonds Of imperisha-
HE union all sections of the United
States 1t has also given US reason
and opportunity to appreciate our obli-
CATION to the mother. country for the
dignified and powerful influence of the
British empire and maintenance of our
principles and rights. The future opens
the doors to greater responsibilities,
and I trust to greater progress and
prosperity.
eve can no longer confine ourselves
to the narrow limits that governed us
us in the past. The graver response
bilities of the nation are too great to
be contaminated by personal, partisan
or sectional interests. We are getting
to that time when we will require not
only the ablest men, but many Of them
in every department. to protect and
administer the affairs of the nation.
1.-THE important questions that had
to be met and that have been decided
during the last few months, have had
a broadening influence upon the great
mass Of our people. We have been en-
abled to give freedom to millions of the
oppressed, and l believe that we will
be able to extend to them the hand of
support and secure for them @ full