APPROPRIATE TOASTS
To Washingtonto The Great Men of Revolutionary Timesto The Great Man who could not do what many modern Politicians can dotell a lieto The Childless Father of Eighty Millions of peopleto The American Model Statesmanto The Greatest of Good Men and the Best of Great Men.
THOUGHTS FOR A SPEECH IN RESPONSE TO THE TOAST
” WASHINGTON: GREAT AS A SOLDIER,
GREATER AS A STATESMAN, GREATEST AS A PURE PATRIOT ”
Indian, French, and English enemies. He had to make the armies with which he conquered. He was always a safe commander, but full of enterprise alsohis character made the Union of the States and the Constitution possible. His character the best inheritance of the American people. Other men as great, possibly in some instances greater in a single fieldhis greatness shown in the wide union of the noblest kinds of greatness, all in harmony.
HUMOROUS RESPONSE BY BENJAMIN F. BUTLER TO THE TOAST, “OUR FOREFATHERS ”
” While venerating their lofty patriotism, may we emulate them in their republican simplicity of manners.” He declared that a great deal had been said at one time and another about the democratic simplicity of our forefathers. Suppose that the gentle-men of the present day should go back to some of the customs of the forefathers. Suppose a man should go to a ball nowadays in the costume in which Thomas Jefferson, ” that great apostle of democratic simplicity,” once appeared in Philadelphia. What a sensation he would create with his modest (?) costume of velvet and lace, with knee-breeches, silk stockings, silver shoe-buckles, and powdered wig. ” Even the great father of his country had a little style about him,” said the speaker. ” It was a known fact that he never went to Congress when he was President unless he went in a coach and six, with a little cupid on the box bearing a wreath of flowers. The coach must be yellow and the horses white, and then the President’s secretary usually followed in a coach drawn by four horses. When Washington ascended the steps to enter the doors, he always stopped for a moment and turned slowly around to allow an admiring people to see the father of their country. Oh ! our forefathers were saturated with modesty and simplicity. The people of the present day have retrograded greatly from the simplicity of their Revolutionary ancestors. I can remember when it was impossible, years before the war, to hold a night session of Congress. It was impossible because the members of Congress attended dinners, and lingered over their wine. They attended dinners very like the one we have just enjoyed, and yet there is not a man in this company who is unfitted to attend to any public or private duties that might demand his attention. Yes, it is true that we have departed from the old customs, but we have advanced and not retrograded. The world has changed, but it has changed for the better. It is growing better every day, and don’t let anybody forget it.”