The British Empire, a Speech Delivered at the Banquet In
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^^^^^IM^IMIMII''-"*IIIII''* Price 10c. The British Empire. A SPEECH Delivered at the Banquet in Boston, = .CELEBRATING. Her Majesty's Diamond Jubilee # BY. Nicholas Flood Davin. etc, m.p. t Winnipeg : = Nor'- Office, Wester j^ 1897. '£ E fll Tl 6118. The Greatness and Glory of the Empire— Growth of The Colonies—The Colonies, The Empire - Can. ada's Wonderful Progress— Impregnability and Future of the Empire—Jubilee Speech at Bos- ton, U. S. A., By NICHOLAS FLOOD DAVIN, Q.C., M. P. There are 40,000 Britishers, who are members of the Caledonian "Society in British in sympathy in Boston; some the Scotch national dress headed by a piper; and of carriages of distin- Englishmen, Irishmen and Scotchmen; guished peop.e. This procession, which but by far the largest portion coming excited great enthusiasm among the from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and British onlookers, was followed in the Prince Edward Island. Early in the evening by a banquet. The Boston said: year, theleading men of the 40,000 Herald next morning "A mag- nificent and distinguished gathering formed themselves into the Victorian voiced last night in Mechanics building Diamond Jubilee Festival Association, the tribute alike of Boston and Mass- Mr. Thos T. Stokes being secretary, achusetts to the great and good wo- for and the result was that on the 21st of man who the past sixty years has ruled over the people of Creat Brit- June there was held in Boston such a ain. The assembly had all the pres- festival as was never seen before in a tige of unprecedented numbers'. The foreign city. During the day there festival brought upwards of 2,600 per- was an imposing procession, made up sons to the tables in the great banquet of those of the 40,000 who wished to hall and made a spectacle when the march, of a large number of pension- proceedings were at their height of a ers wearing clasps and medals lead- character very remarkable and impres- ed by John G'illon. the so.e survivior sive." From 6 o'clock until ten minutes of Waterloo, carrying a banner on to 7 in one of the large rooms adjoin- which was inscribed "Waterloo, 1815;" ing the hall, Mr. Davin, who had of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery come from Ottawa to reply to the toast Company who wished to join the pro- of the Empire and the Colonies, and cession to show their appreciation of Mrs. Davin, held a levee, and the la- the way they had been received in dies and gentlemen hailing from Can- England and Canada; of marines and ada were ere entering the dining room blue jackets from Her Majesty's ship presented to them. The great galler- "Pallas," which had rone from Hali- ies around the hall were filled and fax to take part in the cel=brati n; of thousands looked down on a — — The Empire and the Colonies. scene of splendor and decorations it I am forward to assert that the col- would be impossible to describe. onies are the empire and that •The human interest of the occasion," it is by colonists that Em- adds thtt Boston Herald, "dominated pire has been built up. (Re- its every other aspect. To see two newed cheering). It will be obvious thousand six hundred people at din- that whatever time,relying on your for- ner was a sight in itself." As a fact, bearance, I may presume to take, yet 2,700 people sat down to dinner. The having regard to the subject, my banquet was presided over by Mr. speech will be brief; that therefore George B. Perry, the president of the my mood must be om of appreciation Victoria Diamond Jubilee Festival As- not criticism—nay, must it not be one sociation, to his right and left being H's of enthusiasm? Nay, more, could ar.y Excellency Roger Wolcott, Governor of man realizing truthfully the facts of Massachusetts, Sir Dominie E. Col- the present and the past, let him be naghi, consul general of Boston, Nich- in what critical mood he might or will, olas Flood Davin. Q. C, M. P.; Vice feel other than enthusiastic? The Consul W. H.. Stuart, His Honor Mayor critic and the historian, Indeed, when Quincy, the Hon. Winslow "Warren, he comes to devil with the sixty years the collector of the port of Boston;Cap- whose teeming incidents our minds tain Humpage, of Her Majesty's ship survey will have qualifications and re- servations Pallas, arid a number of distinguished to make, whch, even if persons, military and clerical. Among present to us, it won! be improper here to obtrude. the ladies were Lady Colnaghi, Mrs. and now Nobody need sup- pose that I hold that all things Wilcock, Mrs. Davin. Mrs. J. T. which should have been done, been Baker, etc. have done, or that things The usual toasts, the "President," the some which have been done "Queen," the "Commonwealth," and would have been better not the"Army and Navy" having been duly left undone. I do nor, therefore invite your attention to an historical c'is- honored Gen. Curtis Guild, the toast quisition. I ask your attention while master, proposed "The Empire and the in a few word*; I touch is Colonies," coupled with the name of on what true and vital and in Nicholas Flood Davin,who represented unquestionable the light of this epic moment which Canada (cheers.) challenges not ou: attention merely Mr. Davin—Your Excellency, Mr. but the attention of civilized mankind. President. Ladies and Gentlemen (Cheem) I know that in Boston, as On behalf of Canada which the Dia- all over the United States, there are British born mbieets who ;U:ind aside mond Jubilee Festival Associa- from the British empire, but they tion has done me the honor ha^e no logical or historical ground to ask me to represent and for this, because the Empire which n* on behalf of the Empire and the Col- an actualltv Is of comparatively recent date ha^s been built up by and is com' or which I speak, 1 thank you for posed of Irishmen as well as English- this I reception, hope I sha l be ex- men and Scotchmen—all three have cused a little criticism of the toast to fought and thought and bled the world over in extending which r have tip- honor to respond and bui'ding and blending—weaving tha wonderful web "thr- Empire and the Colonies" -Why, raising that wonderful thing—without the colonies are the Empire. (Cheers) prototype or parallel—the British Em- colonist, as a Canadian, having pire. (Cheers.) met thii afternoon many of those who But, Sir. there are thronging mem- ' ories Which point to beckoning associ- « 1 are now • : 1 « ci down those long and ations and thrilling suggestions. From numerous tabli s, and learned how deep this grreal theme of Empire I must their Interest is In the *rea1 premier for one moment turn aside. colony, the great ( ionfederal Ion whence Standing here for the first time on Imperial Eederatlonisl this Classic ground, in the Athens of The Empire and the Colonies. the New World. common gratitude eign—for what is this great republic but makes it impossible I should forbear one of the lion's whelps grown lo lion- to do homage to those great men who hood. and for distinction sake growing the other day moved among you, whose a pair of wings and proclaiming him- inspiration was essentially British, self a lion of the air— (Laughter and who were among those who gave my cheers) —everywhere in the civilized youn*- mind its earliest and nob. est world, nay in its uncivilized corners stimulus—Emerson, Holmes, Longfel- also: wherever British pluck and en- low, Lowell. (Cheers.) These are names durance are found—and where are they which must not pass away. This not?—the same feast is held—in city and great nation is justly proud of its de- jungle, or mountain and plain, there mocracy. Happy is the democracy is no clime so inhospitable there is no which has an aristocracy of genius and tract so dangerous, no is.e so little, no knowledge, and happy is the city which sea so lone, but over tow'er and turret can boast of giving humanity names and dome, over scud and sand and like these. (Cheers.) Turning away palm tree, at this hour, the flag bearing from them and other great intellectual the three crosses of the three great na- benefactors, which irresistibly present tions of the two heroic isles, rises with themselves, how striking—how illustra- solemn splendour and sublime signifi- tive of the humanizing influence of time cance; where it is day the winds of the healer as well as avenger—that we heaven reverently caress its immortal should be assembled here under pres- folds, and where it is night the stars ent conditions * for I am not quite as salute it as a fellow star. (Applause.) oblivious of the past as that English The majority of the great empire or nobleman, who on approaching Boston power disp'ays of the past had no mo al and having Bunker Hill pointed out to or spiritual significance. The most sug- him asked "Who was Bunker? ana gestive is that of Alexander with kings what did he do with his hill?" (Laugh- and satrapies bowing to Greek genius ter.) Why, it requires only a small and generals from whose loins great effort of the imagination to hear the dynasties were to spring waiting en the first murmurs of the war of indepen- son of Philip.