47 



Minister. The British flag surmounted the Chair- 

 man's seat, at each end of which were draped the 

 flags of Prussia and the United States. Shortly 

 after nine o'clock the cloth was removed and the 

 doors having been thrown open Lady Napier, at- 

 tended by a number of ladies, was introduced into 

 the room and occupied a seat at the upper end im- 

 mediately beneath the copy of Winterhalter's paint- 

 ing of Queen Victoria in her royal robes, forming a 

 most charming background. 



The occasion was deemed so important at the 

 time and was attended with so much eclat that we 

 feel constrained to give some extracts from the 

 speeches made. 



Said the President : " I wish you joy on the re- 

 turn of our anniversary, and particularly on the 

 goodly sight I see before me of the large assemblage 

 collected to celebrate it. I trust thus far you have 

 enjoyed yourselves, and I hope there will be still 

 greater pleasure for you before you depart. But a 

 short time ago, and even up almost to the day of 

 your election, I most certainly did not anticipate 

 that the honor and duty of thus addressing you 

 upon this occasion would have fallen upon me. I 

 return you my sincere thanks for the honor you 

 have done me. It is most gratifying to me, as I 

 feel it to be proof that you still have confidence 

 that my utmost exertions will be at the service 

 of this Society. We used, as you know, to give ad- 



