The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-03-17
AMBASSADOR CROAIE.
His First Public Appear.
ance in London.
The GUEST OF HONOR

/ United kfngdOm-He Replies to the
; Toast ssOur Guests',-Hfs H Reference TO
| the American Eagle and the British
. Lion and the Friendly Relations Bes
= tween the Two
| London, March 15-Joseph H. Choate,
| the United States ambassador to the
| court of st. James, made his first pub
| lie appearance in England at the ban
| quet of the association of chambers
| of commerce of the United Kingdom,
| which was held at the Metropole hotel
| this evening. There was a brilliant and
| distinguished gathering, about go
persons having been invited to meet the
! ambassador, including the lord chief
| justice of England, Baron Russell, Of
! Killowen; the Hon. Sir Henry Stafford
| Northcote, the president of the asso-
| citation; the prime minister the mar
| quis of Salisbury; the earl of Jersey,
| the earl Of Dartmouth, Lord Reay,
| Rear Admiral Lord Charles Beresford,
| the Rt. Hon. G. 7. Ritchie, president
| of the board of trade; James r. Carter,
| embassy, and many members of par
| lament
Mr.. Choate. who on arriving, was
| heartily welcomed by the chairman
! and officials of the assembly, sat in
| the place Of honor, on the right of the
| chairman.
! President Harper submitted the toast
! of Our Guests" coupled with the
| names of Mr.. Choate and Baron Rus
| sell of Killowen. He expressed his keen
| pleasure at the advent of Mr.. Choate
| at a time when there is every dispo-
| sition to tighten the bonds of the An
| glo-SaXon race, whose only objects are
peace, prosperity, freedom Of trade and
| progress"
, THE toast was received with loud
+; cheers, the company standing and
| shouting the name of Mr.. Choate Who
/ was thrice cheered. Mr.. Choate, on ris-
! ing to respond, received an ovation.
! The United States ambassador began
! jokingly, protesting that he was over
whelmed with embarrassment at being
! called upon to respond in priority to
, the chief justice. He felt that
! when the British lion was about to
roar, even the American Eagle should
hold his peace. He was delighted, he
said, to receive and accept the invita-
ton to the banquet, although he was
not at liberty to discuss British COM
merce. His general instructions from
his government were not to discuss,
but display only at extra ordinary festal
occasions. Naughter.)
Continuing, Mr. Choate said: Il have
! felt, however, that I might properly
avail myself of this first public occa-
i sion to express the appreciation of my
! countrymen for the forbearance, good
will and friendship manifested to them
freely by the British people. 1t is true,
, gentlemen, that peace between the
: United States and Great Britain is the
first interest, not only Of these two ma
tions, but of the whole world
In expressing his gratitude for the
cordial greeting he had received from
+, all sorts and conditions Of men since
his arrivel in England, Mr.. Choate
said: + ..
| Everywhere have been treated as
| friend and as the representative OF
| your friends and brothers. In fact, !
have actually discovered the open-door,
| open to such an extent as would satisfy
| even the yearnings of the rear admiral
| who has made the circle Of the globe
| a testimony to the good feeling sought
| to be encouraged on our side Of the
! water, that the president gave the best
| illustration of it when he said, in my
! letter of cGedence, that he relied with
| confidence upon my constant endeavor
J during my stay in Great Britain to
! promote the interest and prosperity of
! both nations" (Cheers and cries of
! "Bravo.O
| Abiding to the satisfactory dispell-
/ ing OF the cloud between Russia and
| England over the Niu Chwang railway
) extension loan by means of peaceful
! diplomacy, Mr.. Choate said:
THAT is the kind of diplomacy which
: I, just entering upon diplomatic career,
/ desire very much to understand, for ]
; am fresh enough to believe that if
! these two countries, laboring together
for peace, united their voices in de-
manding it, it is almost sure in every
case. (Cheers.)
II would like to quote my president
again; for the last words heard him
say were that the United States today
was on better terms with every ma
ton on the face of the earth than il
had ever been before" (Cheers.)
After paying eloquent tributes to the
late Baron Herschell, and to Rudyard
Kipling, Mr.. Choate concluded as fol-
lows:
Gentlemen, we are almost one peo-
pie. What I say is let our voice al
ways be lifted together for the cause
Of human progress and the advance
ment of civilization; and my word fol-
it, if that can always be followed, why
then law, order, peace and freedom
which are the nurses of commerce the
world over, will prevail and the cause
of humanity will be advanced.
(Cheers.)
Mr. Choate spoke deliberately and in
rather a low tone. His humorous re-
marks met with peals of laughter. He
had a wonderful reception, made quite
the speech of the evening which was
listened to with the deepest attention
. and resumed his seat amid thunders ol
applause. Lord Russell personally con.
graduating him.