Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-18
GEN. PORTER HONORED
BANQUET IN PARIS TO RETIRING
AMBASSADOR.
French Cabinet Members, Diplomats
and Prominent Americans Join
in Ovation.

Gen Porter, the retiring American am
bassador, was given notable farewell
banquet in Paris last night which for
sumptuousness of appointments and distin-
guished character of the guests present has
not been exceeded by anything of the kind
held in recent years in Paris.
President Loubet was represented by Gen.
Dubois, head of the presidential staff. The
| cabinet ministers present included Premier
Rouvier, Foreign Minister Delcasse, Minis
ter of Justice Chaumie, Minister of the In
terror Etienne and Minister of Public Works
Gauthier, and NJ. Fallieres, ex-president of
the senate, and NJ. Doumer, president of
the chamber of deputies. Practically the
entire diplomatic corps was represented. in
Guiding the British ambassador, Sir Fran
els BERTHE; the Italian ambassador, Count
Tornielli; the Turkish ambassador, Munir
Pasha; the Spanish, Austro-Hungarian
Chinese and Japanese ambassadors or min
listers; Baron d Estournelles de Constant,
Gen. Bruere, the Marquis de Lafayette.
Count de Rochambeau and others repre-
sentng the official, social and artistic Ire
of the French capital. The American
guests, who numbered several hundred, in
Guided Henry Watterson, Rear Admirals
Watson Casey, Jewell and O'Neil; Levi F.
Morton, Thomas F. Walsh, J. Plerpont
Morgan, President Kelly of the American
chamber of commerce, the latter acting as
presiding officer.
The banquet hall of d'Orsay palace was
deliberately decorated for the occasion. A
letter from Secretary Hay, in which he
paid tribute to Gen. Porter's brilliant ca
reer, was read.
In presenting the guest of the evening.
Chairman Dallibe summed up Gen. Porter's
public service.
Gen. Porter's Address.
Gen Porter, speaking in English. said, in
part:
Upon coming from America to France l
conceived it to be the highest duties of
diplomat to aim to make the two countries
| acceptable to each other, and l knew of no
better way in which an ambassador could
accomplish that end than by endeavoring to
make himself acceptable to the country to
which he was accredited. If L nave met
| with any success in that direction, it is be-
| cause the officials of France have met me
much more than half way.
THE grateful always feel the poverty of
| words and l am not sufficiently rich in IAN
| guage to express the debt of gratitude l
| owe to my friends in France. You have
| manifested that genuine friendship which
| divides sorrows and doubles our joys
and only strengthens with time. Though an
| ocean may divide US, / shall never cease TO
| keep you in memory in that joyous twilight
| of the soul.
| lone of my pleasantest duties during my
! sojourn in Paris has been to convey the
expression of good will and friendship which
| the citizens of America always take pleas
| ure in sending to the citizens of France. 1t
| IS a great satisfaction to be able to say
| that the relations between the two coun-
| tries are today of the most cordial kind and
there remains not a single irritating ques-
| ton
The speech of Gen Porter brought out a
| tremendous ovation, the entire aSsemblage
| rising and cheering.
Mr.. Watterson made a characteristic
| speech, which, after a glowing tribute to
Gen. Porter took up the achievements of
! Paul Jones. His closing words, hurting
| back the taunt of the British press that
Jones was a pirate, aroused great enthusi-
asm.
| Premier Rouvier spoke of the traditional
| spirit in America and France for liberty.
Each day, he said, brought the countries
closer and closer together. Savants artists
and workers in every field march hand in
hand In the name of President Loubet the
premier expressed profound regret at Gen
Porter's departure and renewed assurances
of lasting friendship between the two re-
publics.
NJ. Doumer, president of the chamber of
deputies, toasted Gen. Porter as "a son of
the great republic which is pointing the way
of progress to the world
Foreign Minister Delcasse was enthusiasts
tically received and paid stirring tribute
to the United States and to Gen. Porter.