The San Francisco call., 1905-04-15
Bench and Bar Bid
Farewell to the
EmbaSSadOr.
Lofty Praise for American
at a Gathering Of
NctableS.
New Yorker Makes Fitting Response
TO Kindly Words for Himself
and His Country

LONDON, April 14-"FarewelI!
Rejoice! He goes back to his home
with his duty we'll and nobly done,
taking the universal respect and ad-
miration of kindred nation and his
own
This concluded Lord Chancellor
Haisburys tribute at parting with
American ambassador Choate, who
recently was distinguished by election
as member OF the Middle Temple
and who tonight was honored by the
greatest gathering of the bench and
bar in the history of the Inns of
Court. The Attorney General Sir r.
b. F1nlay, seconded the toast. saying.
fhis is no ordinary occasion. Never
has worthier man occupied the post
of ambassador TO Great Britain and
none has carried away deeper affec-
ton. Never was there a more well
come guest at the Inns than this con-
summate advocate, great diplomatist
and genial man of the world
The assembly was an extraordinary
one in character and numbered nearly
400 members of the bench and bar,
including almost every leading Justice
aud barrister in England. Choate sat
between Lord Halsbury and Lord Me-
.Naghten. Lord of Appeai@in Ordinary.
Then ranged on both sides were the
venerable Privy Councillors. each
wearing his decorations and orders.
Other notable personages were pres
ent.
AIR OF OLDEN TIMES.
The great dining hall of the Middle
Temple is a vast oaken chamber it's
high roof supported by heavy beams.
the sides of the walls paneIed with
insets of coats of arms, its windows of
stained glass. At one end of the hall
is Watts masterpiece of fresco. "Legis-
lation,' representing lawmakers from
the time of Moses. At the other end is
a screened musicians gallery orna-
mented with wonderfully carved life
sized figures. 1t was occupied tonight
by number of lady guests, not dining,
but simply looking on
On high movable pedestals huge
roasts were carved before the guests
by the Inns carver perched above the
assembly The entire scene had
strange but delightful old world air.
AS the guests took their places they
remained standing until the Lord
Chancellor had pronounced grace.
''Benedictus, Benedictum"
The first toast was drunk after the
simple words THE King" The second
pronounced by the Lord Chancellor.
was The President, the Great Magis-
trate of a Great Nation"
Choate, rising, looked somewhat pale
after his recent Illness. He was greet
ed with prolonged but dignified ap-
plause- He spoke at considerable
length, addressing the assembly as
brothers all" He said in part:
RESPONSE OF EMBASSADOR
Words cannot express my gratitude
for this unique and overwhelming
honor. For an American lawyer to be
the guest of the bench and bar of
IN,aerI rInr,
applauding presence of so many of
their most distinguished members over
comes him with a sense of his own un-
worthiness. / can only suppose that
in my person and over my head YOU in
tend an unexampled honor to the coun
try ! represent. / thank you all from
the bottom of my heart. / am especial
~ grateful to my friend. the Lord
Chancellor"
Choate paid tributes to his personal
friends. Lord Chancellor Halsbury and
Lord Chief Justice Alverstone and
said that the new diplomacy to which
the Lord Chancellor had said he be-
longed had made his task here easy.
The men with whom he had to deal
at the Foreign Office, the late Lord
Salisbury and Lord Lansdowne, were
both of that school, He had always
found them anxious to maintain the
friendliest relations, always willing to
meet America half way and never with
a card UP their sleeves. His task had
been easy because there were Queen
Victoria and King Edward on one
side and President Mckinley and Presi-
dent Roosevelt on the other The Eng
lish people and Americans were ever
determined to be friends.
TO RETURN NEXT MONTH.
''The relations between bench and bar
of the United States and Great Brit
ain" Choate said, "are enduring. At
the beginning we borrowed everything
your laws, your courts your customs;
but gradually we are paying the debt
until we have almost reached a state
of mutual obligation and interdepend-
ence. The ancient Inns Court and
Westminster Hall are regarded by my
countrymen. especially by my pro-
fessional brethren, with intense inter-
est and satisfaction as the nurseries
and home Of the common law which
underlies and sustains the principle Of
liberty common to both of u.s.
Choate VIII have one more public
farewell, that at the hands of the Lord
Mayor on May 5. He expects to sail for
New York on May %.
False Story of nv, Ev,ro cex~,av,<