Banquet Held by the Town of Meran for Archduke John at the Hotel Archduke John

Austrian Monarchy.

Meran, 29 May. (Corresp.) Today, the marksmen's banquet hosted by the town of Meran in honour of His Imperial Highness took place at the Hotel Archduke John. Nearly 80 covers were laid. The Archduke arrived alone at the festive meal. Seated to His Imperial Highness's right were the magistrates of the municipality of Meran, and opposite sat the governing committee of the district main shooting range. The bands of the Kaiserjäger regiment and the civic guard alternated in performing outside the hotel on Sandplatz.

Towards the close of the marksmen's banquet, the entire gathering of guests rose to their feet. Burgomaster Haller took the floor: “The citizens of Meran are profoundly delighted to have and to entertain Your Imperial Highness in their midst. In doing so, they wished to express their heartfelt gratitude for the gracious favour that Your Imperial Highness has bestowed upon the town and the land of Tyrol. For the festival that we celebrate upon the soil of the Burgraviate through Your grace is not merely a marksmen's festival, but a celebration of the love borne by Your Imperial Highness toward the entire land of Tyrol. Fifty years have now elapsed since Your Imperial Highness first set foot upon our soil and turned the most gracious love toward it. We are therefore entirely justified in observing this jubilee of the love of Your Imperial Highness toward the land of Tyrol. The Tyrolean marksmen understood the summons to this feast; they recognized the significance of that call and have flocked in great numbers from all regions of the fatherland to this jubilee celebration. The town of Meran is free from any grudge toward its marksmen guests; indeed, it witnesses with the greatest pleasure that these monumental tokens of His love make their way into all the valleys of Tyrol. Meran wishes and trusts in the proven disposition of the Tyrolean marksmen that they will not lock away their trophies—this remembrance of Your Imperial Highness—in a cabinet and conceal them from the eyes of their countrymen, but rather display them publicly in the town hall as monuments to the love of Your Imperial Highness. As I have the honour of representing the municipal community of Meran at this celebratory banquet, I take the liberty, in the spirit of the deepest submission and following the example of Your Imperial Highness, of proposing three cheers for His Majesty our Emperor Franz Joseph. In feelings of devotion and love, I offer three cheers for Your Imperial Highness. Since the Archdukes Rainer and Heinrich have honoured and elevated this feast through their august presence, we offer three cheers to them! Through imperial grace the town of Meran has received a countess, who from archducal blood has given a scion to the imperial house and a count to the town of Meran, whom we wish to cherish with all our love. Three cheers to them!”

His Imperial Highness responded to this address as follows: “I know the land and the people of Tyrol as few know, respect, and love them. The land of Tyrol is the core of Europe, placed by Providence as the connecting link between Germany and Italy. The people of Tyrol are a folk full of soul, loyalty, and courage; they have become a bulwark of the good cause, an example and model for Europe. This land, this people—I know them across all stations; yet they never impose themselves on anyone, nor do they openly display their lofty worth. Just as a diver must sink into the ocean waves to discover the pearl within the most unpretentious shell, so it is with the Tyrolean people: they are a pearl in Austria's crown that shines little, yet reveals itself only to the connoisseur—the noblest people, unknown to Europe! This land, this cherished folk, I came to know and love fifty years ago. Every year I have returned to this land to refresh my love in the sight of the Tyrolean people. For twenty-eight years, alas, I was unable to do so, yet my love has remained unchanged. Truly, only the love of youth never fades and never withers; rather, it grows and alone accompanies us to the grave. Thus does my love for the Tyrolean people live within me. I stand at the brink of the grave and bequeath to this dear people everything I possess. I leave to them what is very much to me, though little to others—I leave to the Tyrolean folk my only child, that he may grow up among them and take into himself their life and spirit. Therefore, a cheer to the beloved people!” This cheer was shouted aloud by many of the assembled guests, yet by many very quietly and softly with tears in their eyes; truly, had the overwhelming emotion not deprived them of their voices, the cheer would have drowned out everything else.

Seeing an elderly marksman, Kopfsguter from Lienz, standing decorated with the gold medal, the Archduke called out to him: “The old marksmen must see to it that they rear young ones who will surpass us elders.” The old man stepped closer; the Archduke shook his hand and clinked glasses with him.

Thereupon Dr. Gottlieb Putz, Doctor of Medicine, rose and spoke on behalf of the young marksmen of Tyrol. He gave thanks for the archduke's benevolent affection, asserting that, driven by an enduring youthful devotion, they would follow in the footsteps of their father and the fathers of Tyrol to contend for the rights of the land and the Emperor.

The Archduke listened to this with visible pleasure and remarked: “Yes, Tyrol is a rocky fortress set by God, and we are its garrison. If we remain united, as we hope, who can prevail against Tyrol!” With these words he firmly shook the hands of Burgomaster Haller, Dr. Putz, and Dr. Lentner.