Thanksgiving day in Berlin.
--The 29th of November was celebrated by the
Americans in
Berlin, by a dinner at the residence of
Minister Wright.
Our present troubles were the subject of a patriotic speech by the
Minister.
After the maintenance of the
Union had been advocated by several other gentlemen with much native enthusiasm,
Baron von Holzendorf rose to thank the
American Minister for the kindly feelings expressed in behalf of the royal family and the growing unity of Father land.
The eloquent speaker, who had a thorough command of the
English language, then glanced at the general "
Bowie knife" and "
Lynch law" ideas attaching to
America in many parts of the Old World.
But was it not better to have to suffer from the occasional ebullitions of individual energy than from the lasting pressure and perpetual interference of a police system.
(Here the Germans present, mindful of the revelations of the last few days led the storm of applause, in which the
Yankees heartily joined.) The
Baron then thanked the
Americans for having admitted a great number of German emigrants to the full enjoyment of political liberty — a boon which his countrymen had not been able to secure in
South America, and especially
Brazil.
He hoped that
Germany would soon be formed into a union of States, upon the transatlantic pattern, and concluded by proposing "The health of the
American Minister."
Mr. Hudson, the
private secretary of
Mr. Wright, offered a toast to the
Union as based upon the
Constitution.
The maintenance of that Constitution, he said, was guaranteed by the devotion and patriotism of good men; but, should they fail in the attainment of their end through the ordinary and legitimate means, they would be entitled to appeal to the last resource of citizenship, which was the first inalienable prerogative of all
Americans, namely — the right of revolution.
Dr. Von Tellkampf, a member of the Prussian House of Lords, repeated the thanks of
Herr Von Holzendorf for the wishes of his transatlantic friends in behalf of the unity of
Germany.
America had given the first practical proof of the possibility of joining into one common body States varying in size and Constitution.
A similar union must be realized in
Germany, and that in spite of the dislike evinced against the plan by all the petty princes of the land.
At the conclusion of the dinner a large collection was made in behalf of the poor of this city.
Towards the close of the evening the company promenaded round the hall to the inspiriting strains of "
Yankee Doodle."
