Society of New York,
October 3, 1893. The banquet was held in commemoration of the
relief of the siege of Leyden, 1574. J. William Beekman, the
President, introduced General Porter as follows: "Gentlemen, we
will now proceed to a toast that we shall all enjoy, I am sure,
after so much has been said about the Dutch. This toast is to be
responded to by a gentleman whom we all know. It is hardly
necessary to introduce him. But I will read the sentiment attached
to this toast: 'The American: Formed of the blendings of the best
strains of Europe, he cannot be worthy of his ancestry without
combining in himself the best qualities of them all.' And I call
upon General Horace Porter to respond."]

MR. PRESIDENT AND GENTLEMEN:--We speakers have naturally been a
little embarrassed at the outset this evening, for just as we were about
to break into speech, your President reminded us that the only one
worthy of having a monument built to his memory was William the Silent.
Well, it seemed to carry me back to those ancient days of Greece, when
Pythagoras inaugurated his School of Silence, and called on Damocles to
make the opening speech.

Your President has shown from the start this evening that he is
determined to enforce discipline, totally regardless of previous
acquaintance. He appears to have been in a Shakespearian mood to-night.
He seemed to be looking at each one of these alleged speakers and saying
of him: "Therefore, I'll watch him till he be dieted to my request and
then I will set upon him." But he must remember that Shakespeare also
said: "Dainty bits make rich the ribs, but bankrupt quite the wits."

I do not know how the rest of you feel, but after these delicious but
somewhat plethoric dinners, I feel very much like Mr. Butterby, when his
lavender-colored trousers were sent to him the night before his wedding,
and he returned them to the tailor with a note saying, "Let them out two
inches around the waist, which will leave a margin for emotion and the
wedding breakfast." [Laughter.]

Now, we speakers to-night cannot expect to be received with any vast
ebullition of boisterous enthusiasm here, for we understand that every
member pays for his own wine. Besides, I am sure that you will not be
likely to get any more ideas from me than you would get lather from a
cake of hotel soap.

After having wrestled with about thirty dishes at this dinner, and after
all