ies, that is to say, the relatives here present--I mean--yes--is one
of the very greatest--I venture to say, and thrust it in the teeth and
down the throat of calumny--_the_ greatest human being that now lives,
or ever did live, or ever can live.

Mr. Ele sat down amidst a fury of applause. Major Scuppernong, of North
Carolina, and Captain Lamb, of Pennsylvania, turned simultaneously to the
young gentleman who sat between them, and who had been introduced to them
by General Belch as Mr. Newt, son of our old Tammany friend Boniface
Newt, and said to him, with hysterical fervor,

"By G--, Sir! that is one of the greatest men in this country. He does
honor, Sir, to the American name!"

The gentlemen, without waiting for a reply, each seized a decanter and
filled their glasses. Abel smiled and bowed on each side of him, filled
his own glass and lighted a cigar.

Of course, after General Belch had spoken and Mr. Ele had responded, it
was necessary that every body else should be brought to a speech. General
Belch mentioned the key-stone of the arch of States; and Captain Lamb, in
reply, enlarged upon the swarthy sons of Pennsylvania. General Smith, of
Vermont, when green mountains were gracefully alluded to by General
Belch, was proud to say that he came--or, rather, he might say--yes, he
_would_ say, _hailed_ from the hills of Ethan Allen; and, in closing,
treated the company to the tale of Ticonderoga. The glittering mouth of
the Father of Waters was a beautiful metaphor which brought Colonol le
Fay, of Louisiana, to his feet; and the Colonel said that really he did
not know what to say. "Say that the Mississippi has more water in its
mouth than ever you had!" roared Major Scuppernong, with great hilarity.
The company laughed, and the Colonel sat down. When General Belch
mentioned Plymouth Hock, the Honorable Budlong Dinks sprang upon it, and
congratulated himself and the festive circle he saw around him upon the
inestimable boon of religious liberty which, he might say, was planted
upon the rock of Plymouth, and blazed until it had marched all over the
land, dispensing from its vivifying wings the healing dew of charity,
like the briny tears that lave its base.

"Beautiful! beautiful! My God, Sir, what a poetic idea!" murmured, or
rather gurgled, Major Scuppernong to Abel at his side.

But when General Belch rose and said that eloquence was unnecessary when
he mentioned one name, and that he therefore merely requested