New-York tribune., 1908-02-20

his glorious service to his country there and in
France
Now do not mean TO detain you any longer
from what You came to hear and see MI
Whitelaw Reid has this nation at heart You
all came here 10 congratulate him in the ONCE
that he represents so faithfully. and on the
great axrer{ence he will derive from contenpat-
ing his predecessors You came 10 congratu-
late him on the excellent manner in which he
has discharged his duties and on his good
health, that viii enable him to go back 10 his
place with renewed energy.
We can only say that when he comes oack Tor
good TO stay the Pilgrims will want to meet him
Now, gentlemen. have the honor of presenting
TO you his excellency the American Ambassa-
dor TO England, Mr.. Whitelaw Reid
Mr.. REID's ADDRESS.
As Mr. Reid rose 10 speak the Pilgrims
on their feet applauding. and before he could
start his remarks Mr. Wilson was behind the
toastmaster leading the cheers Mr. Reid's
speech follows:
highly this reception IS appreciated. The honor
you confer by il is all the greater because II
comes neither at the beginning Of the work TO
which kind allusion has been made nor al lis
end. Il is far enough from the beginning TO be
stow distinct and gracious approval, and far
enough from the end TO be the cheering SuarsIl-
Tee Of q continued and most helpful support
There is no need either TO say how much
appreciate the words of my distinguished pred
spirit and grace with which he bears his new
honors I am not referring TO The Hague
mean is the honor Of admission. worthlly
earned. the immortal company OF the men
Of '7s.' There is hardly person about whom
shall have more inquiries when ] get back 10
London-about his health. his enjoyments, has
pursuits-and there viii not be OF all
the ouestioners who viii not be gratifed with
the account I shall be able 10 give. When he
first going out 10 his post at the farewell
dinner given him by the great Club over which
he had presided. l told them he was going to
a people who would like him, and whom he
would like. Both statements have been thor
oughly proved
It is very great and distinguished company
70 which he has referred, and in which America
may take just pride, the portraits Of his pred
ecessors, which surround the Ambassador in
the dingy Victoria street office; and / quite
agree that il should be completed by the addi-
ton Of the first and greatest of the line. He
not Minister there Of the United States:
he was Agent Of the Colonies. anQ lhat post
not always pleasant one Perhaps the
most painful incident in our diplomatic reid-
tions with the mother country was the offensive
examination Of Franklin before the Lords in
Council by Wedderburne. the Solicitor General
Of the day. I had the pleasure Of reminding a
great English university audience, and OF haY-
ing the reminder received with cordial good
will that when Wedderburne came 10 dfe the
Sovereign ne had served in this unfortunate
fashion said Of him that he had not left
greater knave behind him in the British do
1ninions. When Franklin died he had the affec-
1ionate gratitude Of his own country, he was
the idol Of France. and the admiration OF The
world.
But whatever the oversight of my predeces-
sOrs, the present Ambassador has at least nor
overlooked Franklin. Whenever any OF you 90
NE the honor 10 visit at my London resi-
dence. or anybody does, he passes first unoer
the finely spread marble eagle on the portlco;
and as he enters the door he finds marble busts
on either SIDE, exact replicas, through the favor
of French officials, Of the original casts OF TWO
Father Of His Country: and on the other the
printer and Editor who served the American
colonies their Agent in London and the
United States as their Minister 10 France
Il VIII be d pleasure and a duty 10 repair the
omission OF my predecessors by addlhg por--
trait Of that noble head 10 the great group OF
portraits in the Embassy Office. But il ought
10 be selected by best American authority
on F7ranlEIn the honored Dean of our whole
living diplomatic service-and ne is very much
alive. Mr.. ChOate, ana very young in his ninety
second year-a successor Of Franklins. Abraham
LincOns Minister in France, our hOnOred Ulend
and JoWnsnan, John Bigelow.
I am proud and grateful that this greeting
should come from this representative company
of New Workers Here have hVed among you
for forty years. ! know how much there Is
here To be proud of,-in the people and in the
place. ! viii not pretend that / DO not kno"
also the faults Of the town In the past have
certainly done my full share Of grumbling and
fauIthnding Heaven knows there still
faults enough TO be yrumbed at. and viii be
I Till q problem hitherto battling Is solVed1-ulI
We learn how to take institutions framed for Il
sparse population. widely scattered over d new
country. mostly intelligent, ChurchgOlng folk
sprung from generations accustomed TO liberty
and TO parliamentary government, and get those
institutions worked just successfully and
smoothly by the vast cOnglOmerate population
of this second city IN the world, the enlepOL
Of million immigrants year the nome OF
huge colonies from many foreign countries
where many scarcely know our language, nnuCh
less our complicated constitutions ana heWlIder-
ing variety Of State and National laws. and
have YET 10 learn il some such school as that
which taught our fathers. the restraints Of lib
erry under law.
But there is one splendid circumstance accom-
panying an eXile,-the faults that at home look
so large. right under our eyes, shrink into their
proper proportion when we get farther away
from them. and longer obscure the great
suits attained in spite of them At home we do
right dwell upon these faults, abroad
come 10 think less Of them and more Of what all
the world is compelled to see--the impressive
magnitude and startling growth OF TINS city
its splendid vitality, its boundless energy. its
uncomfortable hOpefulness. the readiness with
which II always extends its hand in help. and
the CHEEKY courage with which il meets its
own reverses-its great past and its unshak-
able confidence IN future whose greatness
no man may measure. II We're an Eng
lishman Frenchman. joltiHg for the first
time through these streets that certainly leave
something be desired, or suffering from q
paralysis Of transportation like that which
caught wayfarers from Washington early this
morning, listening for the first time all
these strong stories of general business mis-
conduct, 20 the luTId talk OF rival political
organizations. and the highly candid opinions
| shout out about each other 10 everybody
; II, as ! say. were an Englishnan or a French
nan. under such circumstances, can see how
one might naturally think he could find some
other city he would rather live in But TO arr
American and a real New Yorker il is unthink-
able! There city in the world is
prouder o. when abroad or more eager always
10 return TO rs his permanent home
Il is a double honor the Pilgrims are con-
ferring upon ne tonight. Three years ago the
London Society gave me the most generous OF
welcomes. and has never missed a opportunity
since 10 make the representative Of this country
feel that he had that welcome out
You. my old friends and fellow citizens, repeat
their kindness here, and better #, TOO. by show
ing how surely ones place is kept for him al
home while ne is trying 10 serve YOU on the
other side Of ne Atlantic.
The work Of this Society and OF its London
twin Is the same. and il is a work worthy Of
The great name they have both invoked The
old Pilgrims under whose device you serve
went oUt 10 lay the foundations Of a larger
lberty and batter Civilization. You. Pilgrims