Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-01-19

rived, and the Judgment which l haso
| formed, / know that we will all agree
in the desire that this question shall
be discussed by Americans in frater-
nal spirit, and an enlightened public
| Judgment formed upon it unobscured
by tho shadows of partisan rancor; that
we will summon all the Amoricanism,
all the nationsl pride and national
conscience which must enter into every
decision that will be worthy of our
selves and our country.
At the conclusion of the Senator's
great effort the audience arose and gave
him three hearty cheers.
The reading by Secretary Daniel W.
Taylor of regrets from invited guests
who were unable to attend proved q very
interesting part of the occasion, for
the letters showed the appreciation by
prominent men OF Senator Gray's abil-
titles. President ,McKinley's letter is
given in the early part Of this article.
Following are other letters which were
| read:
LETTERS FROM LEADING MEN.
From Vice President Hobart, after
! expressing his regrets Senator Gray
| has served his country with great ability
OF his own State, but the people of the
country are under profound obligations
to him for what he has done to secure
| to our nation an honorable peace. l
beg to join in this way with the peo-
| pie of Delaware in their celebration in
| honor of Senator Gray.
From Secretary of State John Hay,
Washington: | received this morning
| the formal invitation which you prom
ised me yesterday, and very greatly re-
greet that l find it out of my power to
attend the dinner to be given to the
| Honorable George Gray by the Will
| minston Board of Trade on Saturday
next. 1t would have been great
| pleasure to join with you in this tri-
| butte of respect to so eminent a citizen
of Delaware who has Just returned
from u mission, which, in my opinion.
has achieved Q great diplomatic sue
cess, and in which his wisdom, legal
learning and soundness of judgment
were constantly of the greatest service
| to the commission and advantage to
| the country.
From Secretary Of the Navy John d.
Long: Regret exceedingly previous,
engagement prevents my acceptance of
your kind invitation for dinner to-
morrow in honor of Senator Gray.
From United States Senator William
Z. Frye; Please accept thanks for your
invitation to a dinner in. honor of Sen
ator Gray and my regrets that ,preyi-
Gus engagement prevents, my accep-
tance. You do well to honor the Senator.
From United States Senator G. X.
Davis: 1t is a matter of more than
ordinary regret TO me that another en-
gagement from which cannot,release
| myself, prevents my acceptance of the
invitation to, attend dinner to be
given by the Board of Trade to Hon.
George Gray at Wilmington on Satur-
day, january 14th. ~
This regret is deepened by the fact
that consider it a positive loss of
| privilege to be thus unahle to. do honor
| to a gentleman with whom | have
served in the Senate of the United
States for nearly IL years and with
whom j was associated as member of
| the Peace Commission. We differ most
radically upon the great political ques-
! tions which have divided our country,
impartial Judge of my eminent friend.
deem this proper occasion to say
that, in my opinion, for sincerity of
conviction, unalloyed patriotism, legal
ability and requirements, and staunch
devotion to principle. have known no
man among my eminent colleagues
whom | consider his superior.
From Hon. Whitelaw Reid: Ii would
afford me great pleasure to accept the
invitation from tho Wilmington Board
of Trade, which you were kind enough
to give me the other day in Washing
ton, and to unite IN the deserved tri-
butte its members propose to pay to
their townsman, Senator Gray, for his
patriotic service on the Peace Commits
sion iE Paris. | should be particularly
glad to testify to the conscientious at
tention which the Senator gave to that
work, and.to the high sense, which /
am sure all of his colleagues entertain
of the weight of the dispassionate and
judicial opinions which he contributed
at every turn in the protacted negotia-
tions. / sincerely regret that u previous
enga cement here must prevent my at
tendance.
From T. II. Burton, House of Repre-
sentatives, chairman of river and har-
bor committec: very much regret
that q press Of official engagements here
will prevent my acceptance OF your in
vitation to attend u dinner given to
the Honorable George Gray, on the
14th inst.
From f. Il. Chadwick, u. IS. New
York; i much regret that / am unable
to accept the kind invitation of the
Wilmington Board of Trade to the din
ner in honor of Senator Gray on the
18th. The Senator is man whom I
particularly honor and esteem, and il
is a special disappointment to mo that
an engagement of some standing will
prevent my taking part in the occasion,
From Hon. George V. Massey, Phila-
delphia: | greatly regat that am SO
held in bondage by severe attack Of
neuralgia as to be denied tho privilege
of accpeting your very kind and cour-
teous invitation TO be present at tho
dinner to be given to Honorable George
Gray of the Spanish-American Peace
Commission, and by my presence att
testing in u measure my appreciation
and estimate of the personal and rep
resentative character as we'll as the
eminent services of Mr.. Gray.
With duo appreciation Of your cour-
tesy of extending me tho invitation,
and begging You to accept my thanks
therefor.
From ,TohnJ. Monaghan, Bishop of
Wilmington: beg TO thank you for
the honor of an invitation to tae din
nor 70 ln rtirnn tn thn Innnrnbln