Mr. President-sometimes the question of our birth is invested with peculiar interest. I remember not long since of hearing of a speech made by one of our citizens, (a friend of mine), who had occasion to allude to his parentage, and the stock from which he came. He said that on his mother's side he came from Plymouth Rock-that on his father's side he came from Blarney Castle, and he gloried as well he might that this union produced sons and danghters worthy of memorable sires. (Laughter) This speech was called out in a political contest of great excitement. I shall not refer to the questions at issue, we came here to lay aside and bury politics, this day we flock around this common altar, and know nothing beyound the words, loveliness and womenand on that altar we swear allegiance. Not long after this speech I was called upon to address a public meeting, in which seemed to me if there was any thing to be proud of in stock and ancestral glory, I was entitled to a small share, and said to my hearers that on my father's side, I boasted of Scotch descent, and that my forefathers came to this country from the romantic hills of Scotland, about 250 years ago. That on my mother's side, was German, and rejoiced in the good old Dutch appellation of Van attached to the name of my mother and her ancestry. My audience was pretty well attended by Irish citizens, and I added playfully, that I came very near being born an Irishman-one of my auditors who was a native of the green Isle, demanded of me in his own peculiar brogue, "How is that?" To which I replied, I was born on St. Patrick's day. (Laughter). My friends, the thought now strikes me how much glory it would have been to me, if I could on this occasion claim I had running in my veins the Scotch, German and Irish blood, and then on top of all, been born on these hills of old Pompey. (Laughter and applause).

You, Mr. Chairman, knew well when you called me to this platform, that nothing could intimidate me from telling the most solemn truth, relating to the sons and daughters. (Laughter). I invoke the women of Pompey who have got

husbands in the valleys to stand by me and fortify every word spoken as being true as gospel. (Laughter). Sir, I speak from sweet experience on the subject of this toast. My wife is here present and if she was in the habit of speech making, she, too, might speak of her experience. She has graciously permitted me to speak for both of us, and we here rejoice together with you on the success of the sons and daughters, and sons-in-law, and daughters-in-law of Pompey.

We mourn over the fate of one poor Pompey boy who came to this re-union after many years of absence, and who ventured to kiss one of the fair daughters of Pompey, but his pleasure was nipped in the bud by being unceremoniously introduced to her husband, and then made a second effort to kiss the daughter of her whom he had first attempted to kiss, when again he was introduced to the husband of the daughter. Our friend had evidently kept no note of time, and exclaimed much to our merriment that he would shortly go home and kiss the mother and daughter he had left behind him, both of whom were Pompey-ites of blessed memory. (Laughter). Fellow citizens of Pompey, may God bless your town, may God bless your men and women, and may God bless the girls of the town of Pompey. (Applause).

At the conclusion of Mr. Noxon's speech, President Wood, in proposing the next sentiment, said :—A speech was made a few days ago in the British House of Lords, by that distinguished man, Earl De Grey, which has been transmitted to us by telegraph, under the Atlantic Ocean, a sentiment in which is very appropriate to be used on this occasion, and a fit one to call out one of the noble sons of Pompey. It is this:-"The American Members of the Joint High Commission; they were men of business, knew what they wanted, and asked for it,"—and (added the chairman) got it I call upon the Hon. George H. Williams to respond.

MR. WILLIAMS' RESPONSE.

Mr. Chairman Ladies and Gentlemen :

I have exhausted the time to which I am entitled on this occasion already; and I have heard others refer to many incidents in the history of this town with great pleasure. All professions and all trades, and all sections of the country. are represented here to-day. They all ought to have an opportunity to speak to you, and you ought to have an opportunity to hear them. It is not right that any one person should monopolize the time. I shall, therefore, do little more than to express my acknowledgements for the compliment which was implied in the sentiment proposed by the chairman.

To adjust understandingly the complicated question, arising between two great, free and powerful nations, is, of course, a business attended with no little difficulty. Fortunately for both countries, the British Commissioners came to the consideration of the questions involved in a spirit of candor and fairness; and the American Commissioners endeavored to meet them upon the same ground. No doubt many of our countrymen feel as though enough was not conceded by the representatives of the British government. But a question appears very different when both sides are thoroughly argued instead of only one. Proceeding to a consideration of the difficulties between the two countries, of course the arguments and the reasons by which the British government is influenced in her actions were presented to our minds in a most forcible and persuasive manner, and we endeavored to meet these arguments and these reasons by showing the claims of our country growing out of the conduct of Great Britain during the late rebellion. Our effort was to make a treaty consistent with the interest, the dignity, and the honor of this nation, and conducive to the best interests of the whole world. (Applause.) We supposed that the question was simply one of skillful negotiation, as of a war between the two countries. Manifestly

every expedient had been exhausted for the purpose of adjusting the questions between these two nations, and this Commission was the only peaceful mode that was left for their settlement. Had those Commissioners failed to agree, then the two countries must necessarily have resorted to the sword for the settlement of these great questions. Our true policy is peace. Our country at this time is not prepared for war. War would have inflated our currency; would have increased our taxes; war would have depreciated our public securities, to say nothing of the sufferings and sorrows, the vices and crimes that follow in the footsteps of

war.

war

I am happy, fellow citizens, that the services which I rendered upon that Commission have redounded to the advantage of this country and to the advantage of the world. That is compensation enough for me. I think the universal acceptance of this treaty in both countries, without any considerable distinction on party grounds, is evidence that the Commissioners struck as near as possible the golden mean upon these questions.

:

I find, however, that I am, contrary to my determination, making a speech. (Cries of "Go on.") I am proud and happy, fellow-citizens, to meet you here to-day. ́ ́ I am proud to have been a resident of the town of Pompey, and to have been a son of the great Empire State. While I had the honor to hold a seat in the Senate, there were nine members of that body who were born in the State of New York, and this is a State, on account of its size, its population, its wealth, and its power, entitled to such a representation in the Senate of the United States.

I met here persons from all parts of the country; some have come from the north, some from the south, some from the east, some from the west to greet each other; to revive the reminiscences of early days. I have come from the hot atmosphere of Washington to look upon the green trees and "the waning fields once more, and breathe again the

pure fresh air of Pompey Hill. Ladies and gentlemen, I can hardly express the feelings that I entertain upon this occasion. But I am rejoiced at this opportunity of meeting once more so many of my friends of Pompey, and I express the earnest hope that all honor, happiness and prosperity may attend them through the future days of their lives. (Applause).

The President then read the following:

Pompey Academy-A light set upon a hill, which has spread its effulgence afar.

And said: "I call upon the Hon. LeRoy Morgan to respond, an honorable descendant of this old town, and now Judge of the Supreme Court, living in the city of Syracuse:"

JUDGE MORGAN'S RESPONSE.

Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen, and Fellow Townsmen

I wish it was in my power to make my voice heard over this vast congregation. I think I would give you some of the history of the early struggles of the young men who graduated from Pompey Academy, some of whom have since become the most distinguished men in the State and nation. But my voice is entirely inadequate to be heard for a distance. I shall therefore content myself with saying a very few things. It would have been gratifying to me to have held a class meeting somewhere in this vicinity, and to have had each old resident of this town, who has become distinguished and who now resides abroad, tell you his early experience, and to tell you how he contrived when a young man. to win his way into public favor, and finally, to attain the highest positions known to our government.

Now, our forefathers who emigrated to this town, mostly from the Eastern States, built wisely, wiser, perhaps, than they knew. One of the first things they did was to endow an institution for the education of their children.

If you want to know why it is that Pompey has produced so many eminent men, go back to your fathers; ask them