Year: 1863

The MneSacnueettb CnartdDle MechanlCs'
Association, In Boston, is Q notable, substan-
tial and influential institution. They own the
Revere House aud q number of things. The
best men Of Boston have been identified with
the Association. Their industrial exhibitions
are immense, and their festivals call out the
best talent Of the "Hub." Their Nineteenth
Triennial Festival was held In Faneuil Hall
last Wednesday. VIM. W. Clapp, Jr., editor
OF the Boston Saturday Eyening Gazette, was
the orator Of the occasion, and delivered fell
citous address.


The first regular toast was


The President Of the United States"


Hon. A. II. Rice, formerly Mayor Of Boston,
who has served his constituents of the Fourth
Massachusetts, District in Congress so accepta.
bly, that he was reelected In the late canvass.
responded 70 the toast In the following eloquent
and truthful language:


He said that no words of his could complete
or intensity the interest Of this occasion, and
he felt hesitation in contrasting the tinsel Of
his rhetoric with the solid and substantial re.
marks to which they had just listened. He
said that II he had the gift Of speech he could
employ It on no theme more satisfactory to
himself than In responding to sentiment COM
plimentary to the President. II the President
knew how much Of the intelligence and worth
tho cordiality with which allusion had been
made to his high ONCE, II would be gratiaca-
tion that would dispel something Of the anxiety
and alleviate something of the toll, which
makes up the burden Of oficial life. After
three years Of terrible, desolating war, strug-
CLING against rebels and traitors at home In
spite Of the schemes Of designing Parliaments
and foreign cabinets and the mschinstions of
imperial tricksters, he thanked Heaven that we
still had President Of the United States to be
the recipient Of the respect and venoration of
the American people. lApplause.l


He thanked Heaven that he was no autocrat
no military despot seeking to destroy the
liberties Of the poople--but he was the chosen
magistrate Of free, undissolved and indivisi-
bic nationality - commander Of an
army terrible In numbers sndin prowess, upon
whose banners light the eagles Of victory; chief
of nature, and wrought them into new and in
vulnerable forms that he was surrounded by
twenty millions Of people devoted to the vel |
fare and permanency Of their government, who |
with one voice and energy were always pre-
pared to take up the patriotic sentiment, " 1ine |
Union must and shall be preserved" In this |
utterance the American people speak no more
in their owp- Interest than in the common in
terest Of mankind. There has been no truer
sentiment since the beginning OF the war than
that uttered by the Russian Minister-thst the
perpetuity Of the American Union was essential
to the preservation OF the peace Of the world.


The speaker believed that no man trod the
soil Of America who carried in his bosom q
warmer or more patriotic heart-one more ar
IDENTIFY devoted to the preservation Of the Gov
ernment, TO the promotion Of the welfare and
the happiness Of the whole people-than Abra
ham Lincoln. The duty devolving upon all at
this hour was TO give all their powers to i'm
itate the devotion which he Riyes to the wei fare
of his country. II We do that, we shall rise to
the exigencies and the necessities Of the hour,
and the effort which will 60 forth will dispel
every doubt At home and abroad respecting the
ultimate and speedy triumph Of our cause, and
we shall raise up the glorious old banner high
above tho vicisitudes Of crumbling thrones and
falling empires, and our arms and our people
will carry 1t forward to coming generations, to
be held everywhere, among all men, as the ever.
lasting symbol Of liberty and power.