I  am  speaking  to  a  great  many  Massachusetts
men;  I  am  speaking,  I  see,  to  many  men  and
women  of  great  intelligence ;  but  it  would  be  no
disgrace  to  any  person  in  this  room  not  to  know
that  within  fifty  years  there  has  been  a  question


The  Mt.  Vernon  Dinner-party     453

between  the  State  of  Rhode  Island  and  the  State
of  Massachusetts  such  as  has  again  and  again  sent
German  States  to  war  against  each  other,  such  as
has  again  and  again  sent  kings  of  Italy  to  war.
And  here  we  do  not  so  much  as  know  the  names
of  the  places  involved  in  the  question  between
Rhode  Island  and  Massachusetts  !  It  is  rather  an
interesting  question ;  I  looked  it  up  in  order  that
I  might  come  to  this  meeting;  I  knew  nobody  else
would  do  anything  about  it.  And  I  think  it  might
be  as  well  to  say  what  were  the  causes  of  war.
