miral--a greater triumph, let me
say, than he could ever have by the power of his navy--has come here and
carried New York by storm, without firing a gun. [Cheers.] And as for
Commandant De Saune, he has done what in the history of the world--of
our modern world, at least--no nation, no ruler has successfully
attempted: he has kept "Liberty enlightening the World" under the
hatches for thirty days. [Applause.]

It was tried in England, and "Liberty enlightening the World" cut off
the head of the king. Tried again, it drove the dynasty of the Stuarts
forever from that free island. In France, they tried to suppress it, and
it uprooted the ancient monarchy and scattered the forces which were
expected to repress it. The milder form of a limited monarchy, even,
France would not submit to as a repression of liberty, and again twice
over, under an Imperial government, "Liberty enlightening the World" has
broken out from under the hatches. [Cheers.]

But Commandant De Saune is not only a bold represser of mutiny on board
his vessel, but he is a great and cunning navigator; he did not tell it,
but he planned it, and how narrow the calculation was. He arrived here
on the seventeenth of June, Bunker Hill day [applause], and missed the
eighteenth, the day of Waterloo. [Laughter and applause.]--It is thus
that this French genius teaches us new lessons, and evokes irrepressible
applause. [Cheers.]

I imagine that a navigator who could thus seize the golden moment, and
miss the disastrous one, might, if he undertook it, discover the North
Pole. [Laughter.] But I am sure he has better work before him in the
world than that. [Applause.] But if he goes on to that destination, oh,
let us contribute some portion of the cargo that he will put under the
hatches! [Laughter.]

Well, gentlemen, this is a great event, this great triumph of
civilization is indeed laden with many instructions, and many
illustrations. No doubt "Liberty enlightening the World" in modern
history finds its greatest instance in that torch which was lighted
here; but from the enthusiasm and the inexorable logic of French
philosophy on the "equality of man," was furnished we can never say how
much of the zeal and of the courage that enabled our forefathers to
shape the institutions of equality and liberty here [cheers], and all
can mark the reaction upon France, by which our interests, our
prosperity under them encouraged, ennobled and maintained the struggle
for li