The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-06-10
CH0ATE, GUEST OF PILGRIMS.
FUND STARTED TO HOUSE the
AMERICAN AMBASSADOR
Bishop Potter and Mr.. Choate Refer -
the Need and One Man VINO says Mes
Poor OTers SIS 900 Sir Mortimer
= Durand Praises Returned Diplomat.

Poor OTers SIS 900 sir Mortimer
Durand Praises Returned Diplomat
joseph H. Choate, late American Am'as-
eador to the Court Of St. James s, was vel
coined home last night at dinner which
was as representative of New York as it
was enthusiastic. 1t fell to the Pilgrims
Of the United States, whose kindred society
on the other side Mr.. Choate helped to
organize. to extend this welcome to him,
and there was nothing lacking in the
warmth with which Mr.. Choate was greeted
by the $50 New Workers. gathered around
him in the large ballroom Of the Waldorf
Astoria
Mr.. Choate reenlisted as an after dinner
speaker on this side of the water. The
, strain OF his services as such on the other
Made has not told upon him apparently
Bishop Potter was the POSTMASTER at
the dinner. On his right sat Mr.. Choate
and on Ia left the British Ambassador,
Sir Henry Mortimer Durand. On MIR.
Choate's right sat Paul Morton, who next
to Mr. Choate came in for most attention
and was the subject of much talk. Others
at the guests table were Justice Morgan j.
O'Brien, Comptroller Grout, Commissioner
McAdoo. Judge Parker, Baron kaneko of
japan. Gen. Frederick ID. Grant. Presl-
dent Butler, DR.. Morgan Dix, Morris N.
4 Jesup. Admiral Coghlan, Robert Shaw
iOliver, Assistant Secretary of War; II.
, Clay Evans. Cornelius N Bliss, Gen Wilson
and Sadazuch Uchida, the Japanese Con-
Esul.
Over the head table was mass of Ameri-
can and B ritish flags, from which blazed
fort h in electric lights Welcome Home. "
. The menus contained steel engraving of
the guest OF the evening. reproduction
1of tho oil painting given to him by his
&fisnds In consideration Of his having served
: onser than any other American Ambassa
dor. There was also poem written In
celebration OF the event by Clay NJ. Greene.
The ice cream boxes bore a medallion of
the evenings guest.
1t waA after 10 clock when Bishop Potter
raped for order and proposed toast to
the President. which was given with cheers.
There we're more cheers. too, when he pro-
',p6eed next toast to the King.
After that theBishop called upon the sec
, rotary to read some of the letters received,
fAmong which was this:
THE WHITE House, WAsHINGroN. |
MAY %. 1905. I
my DEAR Mr.. DUNCAN: | have your
letter Of the 18th inst. transmitting the
invit alton Of the Pilgrims of the United
t6ta,es to attend their dinner to Ambassador
,Choste on the evening of the 9th of June
I wish II were possible for me to accept
but have already had to refuse several
such invitations. 1t is simply out of the
question for me to leave Washington at
the time of your banquet.
Mr.. Choate as Ambassador, rendered
high and useful service not merely to his
own country and to the country to which
no was accredited. but to all mankind and
Il IL eminently fit that good Americans
should ioin to gay him honor.
with best wishes for the success Of the
occasion am sincerely yours
THEODORE ROOSEVELT"
The Pilgrims of London sent the fol ow-
Ing: Our very best wishes. Your gain is
our loss"
1T becomes me now, said Bishop Potter,
Ito propose toast to your guest. the Hon.
Joseph n Choate. ] have read lately in
public prints that our distinguished guest
returns in a state Of some perpleXity as to
the calling he is to follow here. (I.anghteyl
He is member of the bar but some Of his
associations prompt him toward better
calling. He and are constantly mistaken
for one another"
The Bishop then told how when Mr..
down the Strand the latter had asked him
That: said Bishop Potter. was the
turning point of Mr., Choate's life. He is
loved and honored not only because he is n
great lawyer, but because he illustrates
those qualities that have bound him to all
his fellow men, We have met here also 10
express to him our sympathy that a great
republic is willing to send representative
ITO one OF the greatest courts Of the world
and expect him to pay his own expenses,
and also that it is necessary for an Ambas-
,aador 10 cultivate the art of holding his
tongue That is a hardship of diplomatic
life'
In responding Mr.. Choate said:
Five weeks ago tonight, at the Nah
Hon a Y of
what felt Of gratitude of friendship
Of pain at PARTING when, in the presence Of
AN assembly representative OF all that is
great and good in Great Britain. Mr.. Balfour
,lish people, babe me godspeed and fare
well; and now. in an equally representative
assembly of all that | honor and love in
America, made up. indeed, of the men
with whom have summered and ~lntered
for more than forty year, with 1prinIkling
as it we're, grown up at my feet and who
are very dear to me, you in behalf of my
countrymen, give me an equally afec-
6onate welcome home.
III could feel that | deserved one-half
OF the praise and benediction layishcd
upon me on either occasion | should be so
vain that my head would strike the stars,
but in truth, and indeed do not, 1t
was my privilege to serve as Ambassador
In two centuries, in two reigns and under
two Of the most celebrated Presidents of
,the United States and all the time my
duties in England were very easy very
simple and extremely pleasant.
Toward my own countrymen who visited
England in such increasing numbers every
year there was of course but one rule
to folow-that the Ambassador repre-
Sents no party and no social class, but
was the equal servant of all alike; so. that
whether Mr.. Bryan came, who fairly repre-
sented 800O,OOO of our countrymen with
whose political faith ] was at variance,
or a representative ex-President whom !
had heartily supported, was the servant
of both alike. to bring them in contact
with the leading men of the country and
10 put the limited resources Of the embassy
a. their command
And am bound to say that in those two
instances they were ob jccts of equal inter-
ests to British statesmen, although confess
to feeling Of disappointment when had
taken Mr.. Bryan To the Bank of England,
and saw him handling the gold bullion in
its famous vaults with apparent zest, to
find that it seemed to have no effect on his
politica faith. Laughter
Sometimes. indeed, the most exacting
OF my countrvmen demanded little more
than | could do for them. n to breakfast ,
with the King, or to stay at Windsor Castle /
or to visit private establishments to which /,
! had no access. But on the whole they !
were habitual!y reasonable, and ! found /,