The herald., 1898-02-23

crafty opportunist. He was man of few
words, but of mighty deeds. He was a
| broad-mnded, iron-willed man of affairs.
| who fought his battles with the sword, not
| with the tongue, and wrought out with his
own hands the problems of a free govern
| ment, while the dreamers nodded in their
study chairs
| Washington lived for his country-not
on it. He placed the honest discharge of
public duty above the advantages of private
gain. 1t is inspiring to think back upon
| this great-Souled patriot who in the hour
| of his country's need not only gave gener-
ously of his substance to her necessities,
| but for eight long, awful years. through
hunger and cold and disease, led her armies,
| fought her battles and shared her suffer
| ings without one dollar of pay.
AS president of the republic he shaped
| his course by his own wisdom and integ-
rity. H took his stand on principle and
stayed there when it cost the alienation
of an entire party. Ninety-nne years age
| he fell asleep No costly marble storied
with words of splendid deeds of butchery
| and conquest keeps watch above his ashes
| He needs no massive crypt to mark his
| resting place. America has forever shrined
him in her heart, and so long as this land
| is inhabited by free and happy people
| 50 long will his monument endure
MY countrymen!" concluded the speak
| err "in remembrance of the mighty dead
let us break the bread and drink the cur
| that gives us fellowship in their glory and
| in their sacrifice. Let us live and love and
| labor that the prophecy of him who, alone
as redeemer of the Union, is worthy tC
share the honors of the founder of it, may
| be fulfilled-'that this nation, under God
| shall have a new birth of freedom and that
government of the people, by the people
and for the people shall not perish from the
earth -
HIGHWAYS OF COMMERCE
"Highways of Commerce. was the theme
which had been chosen for Senator S. M
Whites toast. The senator's name wa!
greeted with unending applause.
| He said that it was ordinarily unfair Il
make a recent arrival speak at feast o
reason, and he was hardly prepared to re
spond, as he had only arrived the day be
fore He understood that it was his bust
ness to speak upon the Highways of Com
merce," and not upon the highwaymen Of
commerce. If there were any presen
they might rest easy. Little did the father
of his country, when he was laying the
cornerstone of this great country, thinl
of the improvements that the present day
witnesses-the railroads, the shipping OF
the lakes and on the Mississippi. We have
in our experience seen the most startling
cndHSeS. Are we pttpdIeu W otdle any
thing about the possibilities of fast COM
munication within a few years? AS the
facilities for transportation develop, so dc
all the other branches of commerce. The
speaker would not particularize, as other
wise he would encroach upon the subjects
of the remaining speakers. Standing here
this evening, looking back upon the his
tory of our great commonwealth, we can.
not think without gratitude of the father
OF our country, but also upon the Father
who gave up ALL May we, in the great
struggle for advancement, stand together
| for betterment and the accomplishment. OF
a heroic ambition.
THE NICARAGUA CANAL
1.-THE Nicaragua Canal' was the toast tc
which Hon. Thomas Fitch responded AS
might have been expected, his address was
brilliant and witty. When it was ascer.
| tained, he said, that western way to the
east was barred by continents, the navi.
gatorsiand engineers of the world began tc
search for spot suitable for the excava
| ton of a ship canal. 1t was found IL
Nicaragua, where the hills are sloped Il