Three and a half years after the dinner to Dickens Fifth Avenue greeted in a similar way a distinguished Russian guest.  That was the Grand Duke Alexis Alexandrovitch, who was entertained by the New York Yacht Club at Delmonico’s December 2, 1871.  James Gordon Bennett, the younger, was then Commodore of the club, and received the Grand Duke in the restaurant’s parlours at seven o’clock.  The guests included the Grand Duke and his suite, the Russian Minister, General Gorloff, Admiral Poisset, Admiral Rowan, members of the Russian legation, Russian officers, and members of the yacht club.  Against the walls of the banquet hall the Stars and Stripes blended with the blue St. Andrew’s Cross.  The guests were in naval uniform.  The “Queen’s Cup,” which had been won by the “America” in 1851, had the place of honour among the club trophies.  To the toast to the Czar, General Gorloff responded.  The club Commodore answered to that to President Grant.  After the Grand Duke had been informed that he had been elected to honorary membership, he responded with a brief sailor-like speech.

On December 22, 1877, President Hayes was the guest of honour of the New England Society at Delmonico’s.  Among those there besides the President were Secretary of State William M. Evarts, Presidents Eliot of Harvard and Porter of Yale, General Horace Porter, ex-Governor Morgan, and Governor Horace Fairbanks of Vermont.  Mr. Evarts answered the toast “The Day We Celebrate.”  The presidents of Yale and Harvard, speaking in behalf of their institutions, indulged in good-natured contrasts and comparisons.  In the old days, according to President Porter, when they found a man in Boston a little too bad to live with, they sent him to Rhode Island, and when they found him a little too good to live with, they sent him to Connecticut, where, among other things, he founded Yale College; while people of average respectability and goodness were allowed to remain in Massachusetts Bay, where, looking into each others’ faces constantly, they contracted a habit of always praising each other with special emphasis—­a habit which they have not altogether outgrown.

[Illustration:  IN THE BRIGHT SUNLIGHT THE AVENUE GLITTERS WITH THE PAVILLIONS OF PATRIOTISM.  OLD GLORY MAY BE COUNTED BY THE TENS OF THOUSANDS; ENGLAND’S UNION JACK, AND THE TRICOLOR OF FRANCE BY THE THOUSANDS.  TO FORESTALL THE KAISER THE AVENUE IS “COMING ACROSS”]

The Union League gave a reception to General Grant on October 23, 1880, in the theatre of the club-house.  Among those present were Joseph H. Choate, General Chester A. Arthur, Chauncey M. Depew, General Adam Badeau, Colonel Fred Grant, Peter Cooper, Henry Ward Beecher, General Horace Porter, and Rev. Dr. Newman.  Another reception to General Grant was given at the Hotel Brunswick May 5, 1883, by the Saturday Night Club.  Certain remarks by the former President and by Roscoe Conkling on the subject of Mexico were considered of much significance at the time.  Both spoke strongly in favour of the formation of a Mexican-American alliance.  Mr. Conkling suggested General Grant as the logical leader of a great movement to aid the sister republic in developing its resources.