my memories of eighty years-第68节

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　Britain；　in　submitting　to　the　authority　of　a　king　or　a　queen。　　Canada　was　represented　by　some　of　the　high　officials　of　that　self…governing　colony。　　The　Canadians　are　more　loyal　to　the　English　form　of　government　than　are　the　English　themselves。　　My　peppery　Scotch　friend　aroused　a　Canadian　official；　who　returned　his　assault　with　vigor　and　interest。

It　is　a　very　valuable　experience　for　an　American　to　attend　the　annual　banquet　of　the　American　Chamber　of　Commerce　in　Paris。　The　French　Government　recognizes　the　affair　by　having　a　company　of　their　most　picturesquely　uniformed　soldiers　standing　guard　both　inside　and　outside　the　hall。　　The　highest　officials　of　the　French　Government　always　attend　and　make　speeches。　　The　American　Ambassador　replies　in　a　speech　partly　in　English；　and；　if　he　is　sufficiently　equipped；　partly　in　French。　　General　Horace　Porter　and　Henry　White　were　equally　happy　both　in　their　native　language　and　in　that　of　the　French。　　The　French　statesmen；　however；　were　so　fond　of　Myron　T。　Herrick　that　they　apparently　not　only　grasped　his　cordiality　but　understood　perfectly　his　eloquence。　　The　honor　has　several　times　been　assigned　to　me　of　making　the　American　speech　in　unadulterated　American。　　The　French　may　not　have　understood；　but　with　their　quick　apprehension　the　applause　or　laughter　of　the　Americans　was　instantly　succeeded　by　equal　manifestations　on　the　part　of　the　French。

Among　the　many　things　which　we　have　inherited　from　our　English　ancestry　are　public　dinners　and　after…dinner　speeches。　　The　public　dinner　is　of　importance　in　Great　Britain　and　utilized　for　every　occasion。　　It　is　to　the　government　the　platform　where　the　ministers　can　lay　frankly　before　the　country　matters　which　they　could　not　develop　in　the　House　of　Commons。　　Through　the　dinner　speech　they　open　the　way　and　arouse　public　attention　for　measures　which　they　intend　to　propose　to　Parliament；　and　in　this　way　bring　the　pressure　of　public　opinion　to　their　support。

In　the　same　way　every　guild　and　trade　have　their　festive　functions　with　serious　purpose；　and　so　have　religious；　philanthropic；　economic；　and　sociological　movements。　　We　have　gone　quite　far　in　this　direction；　but　have　not　perfected　the　system　as　they　have　on　the　other　side。　　I　have　been　making　after…dinner　speeches　for　sixty　years　to　all　sorts　and　conditions　of　people；　and　on　almost　every　conceivable　subject。　　I　have　found　these　occasions　of　great　value　because　under　the　good…fellowship　of　the　occasion　an　unpopular　truth　can　be　sugar…coated　with　humor　and　received　with　applause；　while　in　the　processes　of　digestion　the　next　day　it　is　working　with　the　audience　and　through　the　press　in　the　way　the　pill　was　intended。　A　popular　audience　will　forgive　almost　anything　with　which　they　do　not　agree；　if　the　humorous　way　in　which　it　is　put　tickles　their　risibilities。

Mr。　Gladstone　was　very　fine　at　the　lord　mayor's　dinner　at　Guild　Hall；　where　the　prime　minister　develops　his　policies。　　So　it　was　with　Lord　Salisbury　and　Balfour；　but　the　prince　of　after…dinner　speakers　in　England　is　Lord　Rosebery。　　He　has　the　humor；　the　wit；　and　the　artistic　touch　which　fascinates　and　enraptures　his　audience。

I　have　met　in　our　country　all　the　men　of　my　time　who　have　won　fame　in　this　branch　of　public　address。　　The　most　remarkable　in　effectiveness　and　inspiration　was　Henry　Ward　Beecher。　　A　banquet　was　always　a　success　if　it　could　have　among　its　speakers　William　M。　Evarts；　Joseph　H。　Choate；　James　S。　Brady；　Judge　John　R。　Brady；　General　Horace　Porter；　or　Robert　G。　Ingersoll。

After　General　Grant　settled　in　New　York　he　was　frequently　a　guest　at　public　dinners　and　always　produced　an　impression　by　simple；　direct；　and　effective　oratory。

General　Sherman；　on　the　other　hand；　was　an　orator　as　well　as　a　fighter。　　He　never　seemed　to　be　prepared；　but　out　of　the　occasion　would　give　soldierly；　graphic；　and　picturesque　presentations　of　thought　and　description。

Not　to　have　heard　on　these　occasions　Robert　G。　Ingersoll　was　to　have　missed　being　for　the　evening　under　the　spell　of　a　magician。　I　have　been　frequently　asked　if　I　could　remember　occasions　of　this　kind　which　were　of　more　than　ordinary　interest。

After…dinner　oratory；　while　most　attractive　at　the　time；　is　evanescent；　but　some　incidents　are　interesting　in　memory。　　At　the　time　of　Queen　Victoria's　jubilee　I　was　present　where　a　representative　of　Canada　was　called　upon　for　a　speech。　　With　the　exception　of　the　Canadian　and　myself　the　hosts　and　guests　were　all　English。　　My　Canadian　friend　enlarged　upon　the　wonders　of　his　country。　　A　statement　of　its　marvels　did　not　seem　sufficient　for　him　unless　it　was　augmented　by　comparisons　with　other　countries　to　the　glory　of　Canada；　and　so　he　compared　Canada　with　the　United　States。　　Canada　had　better　and　more　enduring　institutions；　she　had　a　more　virile；　intelligent；　and　progressive　population；　and　she　had　protected　herself；　as　the　United　States　did　not；　against　undesirable　immigration；　and　in　everything　which　constituted　an　up…to…date；　progressive；　healthy；　and　hopeful　commonwealth　she　was　far　in　advance　of　the　United　States。

I　was　called　upon　immediately　afterwards　and　said　I　would　agree　with　the　distinguished　gentleman　from　Canada　that　in　one　thing　at　least　Canada　was　superior　to　the　United　States；　and　it　was　that　she　had　far　more　land；　but　it　was　mostly　ice。　　I　regret　to　remember　that　my　Canadian　friend　lost　his　temper。

One　of　the　historical　dinners　of　New　York；　which　no　one　will　forget　who　was　there；　was　just　after　the　close　of　the　Civil　War；　or；　as　my　dear　old　friend；　Colonel　Watterson；　called　it；　〃The　War　between　the　States。〃　　The　principal　guests　were　General　Sherman　and　Henry　W。　Grady　of　Atlanta；　Ga。　　General　Sherman；　in　his　speech；　described　the　triumphant　return　of　the　Union　Army　to　Washington；　its　review　by　the　President；　and　then　its　officers　and　men　returning　to　private　life　and　resuming　their　activities　and　industries　as　citizens。　　It　was　a　word…picture　of　wonderful　and　startling　picturesqueness　and　power　and　stirred　an　audience；　composed　largely　of　veterans　who　had　been　participants　both　in　the　battles　and　in　the　parades；　to　the　highest　degree　of　enthusiasm。　　Mr。　Grady　followed。　　He　was　a　young　man　with　rare　oratorical　gifts。　　He　described　the　return　of　the　Confederate　soldiers　to　their　homes　after　the　surrender　at　Appomattox。　　They　had　been　four　years　fighting　and　marching。　　They　were　ragged　and　poor。　　They　returned　to　homes　and　farms；　many　of　which　had　been　devastated。　　They　had　no　capital；　and　rarely　animals　or　farming　utensils　necessary　to　begin　again。　　But　with　superb　courage；　not　only　on　their　own　part　but　with　the　assistance　of　their　wives；　sisters；　and　daughters；　they　made　the　desert　land　flourish　and　resurrected　the　country。

This　remarkable　description　of　Grady；　which　I　only　outline；　came　as　a　counterpart　to　the　triumphant　epic　of　General　Sherman。　　The　effect　was　electric；　and　beyond　almost　any　that　have　ever　occurred　in　New　York　or　anywhere；　and　Grady　sprang　into　international　fame。

Joseph　H。　Choate　was　a　most　dangerous　fellow　speaker　to　his　associates　who　spoke　before　him。　　I　had　with　him　many　encounters　during　fifty　years；　and　many　times　enjoyed　being　the　sufferer　by　his　wit　and　humor。　　On　one　occasion　Choate　won　the　honors　of　the　evening　by　an　unexpected　attack。　　There　is　a　village　in　western　New　York　which　is　named　after　me。　　The　enterprising　inhabitants；　boring　for　what　might　be　under　the　surface　of　their　ground；　discovered　natural　gas。　　According　to　American　fashion；　they　immediately　organized　a　company　and　issued　a　prospectus　for　the　sale　of　the　stock。　　The　prospectus　fell　into　the　hands　of　Mr。　Choate。　With　great　glee　he　read　it　and　then　with　emphasis　the　name　of　the　company：　　〃The　Depew　Natural　Gas　Company；　Limited；〃　and　waving　the　prospectus　at　me　shouted：　　〃Why　limited？〃

There　have　been　two　occasions　in　Mr。　Choate's　after…dinner　speeches　much　commented　upon　both　in　this　country　and　abroad。　　As　I　was　present　on　both　evenings；　it　seems　the　facts　ought　to　be　accurately　stated。　　The　annual　dinner　of　the　〃Friendly　Sons　of　St。　Patrick〃　occurred　during　one　of　the　years　when　the　Home　Rule　question　was　most　acute　in　England　and　actively　discussed　here。　　At　the　same　time　our　Irish　fellow　citizens；　with　their　talent　for　public　life；　had　captured　all　the　offices　in　New　York　City。　　They　had　the　mayor；　the　majority　of　the　Board　of　Aldermen；　and　a　large　majority　of　the　judges。　　When　Mr。　Choate　spoke　he　took　up　the　Home　Rule　question；　and；　without　indicating　his　own　views；　said　substantially：　〃We　Yankees　used　to　be　able　to　govern　ourselves；　but　you　Irish　have　come　here　and　taken　the　government　away　from　us。　　You　have　our　entire　city　administration　in　your　hands；　and　you　do　with　us　as　you　like。　　We　are　deprived　of　Home　Rule。　　Now　what　you　are　clamoring　for　both　at　home　and　abroad　is　Home　Rule　for　Ireland。　With　such　demonstrated　ability　in　capturing　the　greatest　city　on　the　western　continent；　and　one　of　the　greatest　in　the　world；　why　don't　you　go　back　to　Ireland　and　make；　as　you　would；　Home　Rule　there　a　success？〃

I　was　called　a　few　minutes　afterwards　to　a　conference　of　the　leading　Irishmen　present。　　I　was　an　honorary　member　of　that　society；　and　they　were　in　a　high　state　of　indignation。　　The　more　radical　thought　that　Mr。　Ch