inked in with all your industrial interests, with the
employment of large bodies of labor, with the consumption of all sorts
of material stimulating marine construction, building docks, and
contributing to this business activity and prosperity which are the
features of this thrifty town. It is not too much to predict that the
development of our navy is the beginning also of a new era of our
merchant marine, in maritime construction, and, hence, in maritime
transportation, of the American bottom carrying the American flag again
on all the oceans of the globe.

In the war with Spain our fleet was ordered to Manila because there was
a Spanish fleet there, and every military interest demanded its capture
or destruction. When that was done, every military interest required,
not that our fleet be withdrawn, but that our hand on the enemy's throat
should there remain until his surrender. When that surrender came, and
with it the transfer of the sovereignty of those islands from Spain to
the United States, every consideration demanded that the President
should hold them up, not toss them into the caldron of anarchy, and when
violence began should restore order, yet stretching out always in his
hands the tender and opportunity for peace and beneficent government
until Congress in its wisdom shall determine what their future status
shall be. What more, or what less, should he do and do his duty?
[Applause.]

SETH LOW

THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

[Speech of Seth Low at the 112th annual banquet of the Chamber of
Commerce of the State of New York, May 11, 1880. George W. Lane, the
second vice-President of the Chamber, presided, and called upon Mr.
Low to respond to the tenth regular toast: "The Chamber of Commerce of
the State of New York--its Past, Present, and Future."]

MR. CHAIRMAN AND GENTLEMEN OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE:--If the
historian wished to convey to your minds some idea of the antiquity of
this Chamber, he would scarcely do it, I think, by saying it was founded
in 1768. So few besides the reporters would personally recollect those
times. He would rather tell you that it dates back to an epoch when each
absentee from the annual dinner was fined five shillings sterling for
the offence. Think of that! How eloquently it seems to tell us that
there was no Delmonico in those days. I can understand how a people that
punished such a slight to commerce in such a way, would rebel at stamp
acts and other bur