The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-11-19
WHAT MR.. REED SAID.
Man from Maine Made a Little Speech
on Life In a Great City.
New York World.

New York World.
1t is a rare thing for Thomas Il. Reed,
the only ex-czar in the world, once OF
Maine and Washington, now a ploddirs
New York lawyer, TO make an after-dinner
speech. Mr.. Reed has been very reticent
since he came to New York. Friday night
he departed from his usual custom and
made a speech at the birthday dinner ten
dered to Gen. o. o. Howard at the Wal
dorf-Astoria. verbatim report of Mr..
Reeds speech is as follows:
New York is the great city, on its way
to be the greatest in the world. II has.
however. with all its size and virtues some
inconvenience. One of its faults is in
accuracy.
''Those of us who have passed our lives
among bucolic scenes and have not Learned
the art of distrust have to suffer much IL
i did not know General Howard 10 be
strong and courageous beyond any proof I
should feel solicitous abogt lis wandering
down here from the sweet simplicity CT
Vermont.
Even the comparative sophistication of
Maine has not saved me this evening. 1t
was said to me that this would be quiet.
informal gathering, some remarks and no
speeches. Almost before / had been Sc
list Of officials, lootlng like list of q COM
mittee of one hundred II revoutionize the
world, and 1 whispered to myself gently
with smile, How very, very informal
New FORK always is When two days
later another official wanted a copy OF my
discourse for the papers then 1 knew what
had happened to me.
j lst think what an opening for a young
man. All the rhetoric chose to write and
all OF Ii In to-Torrow's paper, anl rhetoric
is n''t difficult II you have not gos tired
"You need not shudder / never did live
up TO my opportunities. You shall be
spared. And yet the themes called up by
the generals martial fame and figure are
whole civil war wide open to view with
its noble principles and its splendid results.
Men thought that a war more sacred than
the revolution itself, for the revolution
was a war for our liperties-this for the
liberty OF all How easy and appropriat e
1t would be TO rehearse the great battles
and the mighty sieges. General Howard :
name adorned so many of them that you
could hardly fail If you touched upon them
at random TO make his heart beat strong
with the memories OF those great days OF
storm and stress.
But | shall indulge I'm no rhetoric NV
purpose and presence here Is 10 honor the
general not TO praise him. One thing that
can be said of him is that he began life
Alright. He was born in Maine That was
a proper beginning. Before he went TO
West Point he laid the foundation for
learning by graduating at Bowdoin College.
where. perhaps, all OF our very best citizens
were educated With such a start in life
and such a foundation on which 10 build
no wonder that IL Is stately mansion
which
Although I have right TO wear this
button and do wear IL because IL honors
me and because I cherish the memories OF
the great days which gave IL birth. 7 re-
joice TO testify with all OF you that Gen
eral Howard is not obliged 10 rest upon
his military glory. high as IL is. for his
life I'm peace has been as full of devotion
TO duty as his life I'm war
I'VE have the right not only TO recognize
the high place he occupies among COM
manders, but TO congratulate him on the
lofty life he has lived wherein the uniform
played nc part. Not one, but both these
things have brought together this troop OF
friends who are glad TO do him honor"