Effect of the President’s Communication

           Itisimpossibletodescribetheeffectproducedbythelastwordsofthehonorablepresident—thecries,theshouts,thesuccessionofroars,hurrahs,andallthevariedvociferationswhichtheAmericanlanguageiscapableofsupplying.Itwasasceneofindescribableconfusionanduproar.Theyshouted,theyclapped,theystampedonthefloorofthehall.Alltheweaponsinthemuseumdischargedatoncecouldnothavemoreviolentlysetinmotionthewavesofsound.Oneneednotbesurprisedatthis.Therearesomecannoneersnearlyasnoisyastheirownguns.

           Barbicaneremainedcalminthemidstofthisenthusiasticclamor;perhapshewasdesirousofaddressingafewmorewordstohiscolleagues,forbyhisgestureshedemandedsilence,andhispowerfulalarumwaswornoutbyitsviolentreports.Noattention,however,waspaidtohisrequest.Hewaspresentlytornfromhisseatandpassedfromthehandsofhisfaithfulcolleaguesintothearmsofanolessexcitedcrowd.

           NothingcanastoundanAmerican.Ithasoftenbeenassertedthattheword"impossible"innotaFrenchone.Peoplehaveevidentlybeendeceivedbythedictionary.InAmerica,alliseasy,allissimple;andasformechanicaldifficulties,theyareovercomebeforetheyarise.BetweenBarbicane’spropositionanditsrealizationnotrueYankeewouldhaveallowedeventhesemblanceofadifficultytobepossible.Athingwiththemisnosoonersaidthandone.

           Thetriumphalprogressofthepresidentcontinuedthroughouttheevening.Itwasaregulartorchlightprocession.