THE LADIES.

Westport Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1143, 20 January 1874, Page 4

THE LADIES.

The following amusing speech is said to have been delivered by Mr Mark Turner at the Correspondent's Club dinner, at Washington :—" Mr President. —I don't know why I have received distinction of the evening, for so the office of replying to the toast of ' Woman' has been regarded in every age. But I am proud of the position, because, Sir, I love the sex. I love all women, Sir, irrespective of age or color (laughter). Mean intelligence cannot estimate what we owe to woman, Sir. She sews on our buttons, mends our clothes, confides in us, tells us whatever she can find out about the little private affairs of the neighbors (laughter). She gives us advice and plenty of it, she gives a piece of her mind sometimes, and sometimes all of it (laughter). Whereever you place a woman, sir, she is an ornament to that place which she occupies, and a treasure to the world. Look at Cleopatra, look at Desdemona, look at Elorence Nightingale, look at Lucretia Borgia, (voices : ' No, no '. (The speaker pauses as if in doubt.) Well, suppose you let Lucretia slide, (laughter). Look at Mother Eve (cries of ' Oh, ah!' and laughter), you need not look at her unless vou want to (pause, reflectively)—but Eve was an ornament, sir, particularly before the fashion changed (renewed laughter). I repeat, sir, look at the illustrious Widow Macree, look at Lucy Stone, look at Elizabeth Stanton, and, sir, I say it with bowed head and deepest veneration, look at the mother of Washington, she ' dragged up ' a boy that could not lie. Could not lie ! It might have been different if he had belonged to a Newspaper Correspondents' Club (groans, cries of ' Put him out,* and laughter). I repeat, sir, that in whatever position you place a woman she is an ornament to society and a treasure to the world. As a sweetheart she has few equals, and no superiors (laughter). As a cousin she is convenient; as a wealthy grandmother with an incurable distemper she is unspeakably precious. What would tho people of the earth be without woman ? They would be scarce sir, perfectly scarce(renewed laughter). Then let us cherish her, let us protect her, let ub give her our support, our encouragement, our sympathy, our selves, if we chance (laughter). Put jesting aside, Mr President, woman is kind of heart, gracious, beautiful, worthy of all respect, of all deference. Not any hore will refuse to drink her health right cordially, for each and

every one of us has known, loved, and honored the best of them all, —his owu mother. (Great applause)"