Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

volumes of its collections and proceedings showed how diligent and efficient an association it had been in rescuing and preserving the valuable materials of history, which, but for its labors, would have been lost to the world. It had always regarded with great favor these local celebrations, furnishing as they do, such important and interesting contributions of those materials, and it had usually been represented at them by a committee of its members. If its accomplished President, whose letter had just been read, could have been present and listened to the exercises at the church this morning, he would have felicitated the society upon the valuable contributions to our local history which had been made both by the Orator and Poet of the day. The development by the former, in his admirable address, of the causes that led to the settlement of Dartmouth, elicited from the ancient records, hitherto so little known even to the students of our history, and demonstrating that our fathers were men who were ready to bear any burdens, or submit to any sufferings rather than sacrifice a great principle, could not have failed to impress him with a sense of the great value of these local investigations.

To the Poet also he would have felt, as the speaker did, a grateful sense of obligation for having added to the interesting episodes of our early history the verification of the fact that Major Andre, that most pathetic figure in the great drama of the Revolution, was an officer in Grey's Expedition, and witnessed from the spot on which we were assembled, the conflagration of Bedford village by the enemy.

The speaker also alluded to the justice that had been done by the Poet to that most conspicuous of all the Indian warriors with whom our Pilgrim Fathers had to contend for their existence as a colony-the son of the generous and magnanimous Massasoit, without whose faithful services and succor they must have perished-whom Washington Irving has so truthfully and beautifully described as "the brave and unfortunate King Philip; persecuted while living—slandered and dishonored when dead."

The speaker then proceeded to respond to the personal kindness which was conveyed in the sentiment offered by the Toast-master, and while expressing his grateful thanks for the favor with which it had been received by the company, remarked, that on an occasion like this, no one of the living could justly appropriate to himself, or have assigned to him by others any share in the honors of their festival. That in listening to the eloquent remarks of his friends, who had responded to the regular toasts from the chair, he could not forget, however worthy of our highest respect and most unreserved commendation were the subject of their eulogiums, that this was an occasion, not for the glorification of living Presidents, or Governors, or Generals, but one of commemoration of those who, by their services and sacrifices in their day and generation, had made Presidents and Governors and Generals possible in ours.

He then spoke at some length of the toils and sufferings of those by whom those sacrifices had been made, the fruits of which we were permitted to enjoy. He especially described in glowing terms the fidelity to every duty so conspicuously displayed by our Pilgrim Mothers, and the high-hearted women of the Revolution, whose resplendent virtue has reappeared among their descendants in this exigent hour of our country's agony; whose labors in behalf of the soldier in the field and the sailor on the deep, whose ministrations to the dying martyrs to their country's cause, in the hospitals and on the field of battle, proved that they had descended from a maternal ancestry, well worthy to be united with the fathers in this grateful service of commemoration.

Governor Clifford closed his address, of which the foregoing is only a meagre sketch, amid peals of applause, with the following sentiment.

"The old town of Dartmouth-Its founders were among the first to form a union to secure religious liberty for the individual: may their descendants be as steadfast and uncompromising in maintaining the Liberty and Union, now and forever,' of their common country."

[ocr errors]

The next toast was,

"The Clergy-They owe much to those sturdy men of Old Dartmouth, who, though they refused to pay church rates, never failed to support honest and God-fearing ministers; and who, in a tolerant and catholic spirit, chose in 1730 as their religious teachers, Nicholas Howland, a Friend, and Philip Taber, a Baptist."

This called out the Rev. Doct. BABCOCK of Poughkeepsie, formerly of the William Street Baptist Church in this city, who pleasantly responded, and closed with the following:

"The absent sons of Old Dartmouth-Wherever they are, they remember their mother with undying affection."

Mr. Fessenden then read several of the many letters which had been received by the committee of arrangements in answer to invitations which had been sent to gentlemen who could not attend. These with others will be found at the conclusion of this account.

The following lines, written in response to the question, "What is there of interesting incident connected with the name of Dartmouth?" were read by the toast-master.

*

A Dartmouth ship, to Dartmouth's shoret,

The bold adventurous Gosnold bore;

'Twas Dartmouth's wide, historic strand*,
Sheltered the storm-tossed Pilgrim Band;
Against the wrong of British greed,
Hear

Dartmouth's Peer for justice plead;
A Dartmouth shipt with Dartmoutht crew,
With Dartmouth'st name and owner too,
Had lading of th' historic tea,

Which found its steeping in the sea

Wave-offering to Liberty.

In connection with this, JAMES B. CONGDON read an Address which he had prepared to the MAYOR, RECORDER

* Dartmouth in England. † Dartmouth in New England. The owner was Francis Rotch of Bedford in Dartmouth.

AND ALDERMEN OF THE CITY OF DARTMOUTH, COUNTY OF DEVON, ENGLAND.

The address was approved by the meeting; and a vote was passed, ordering its engrossment, and directing it to be sent, after being signed by the authorities of the several municipalities which united in making it, to those to whom it is addressed, by the committee of arrangements. The address and the vote of the assembly in relation to it will be found on a subsequent page.

Although ample provision had been made for prolonging the social and intellectual festivities of the occasion, five hours had now been devoted to them, and it was time for the parting song. This was admirably sung by several gentlemen, the whole company joining in the chorus.

Song:

Written for the occasion by WILLIAM G. BAKER, Esq.

No mournful strains to-day we sing,

No requiem for the Past,

As here, fresh laurel wreaths we bring,
On victor's heads to cast.

Though twice one hundred years are o'er,
They live who lived so well,
And by Acushnet's peaceful shore

In honor yet they dwell.

Then let the swelling chorus ring
For days of "auld lang syne."
Till echoes answer, as we sing

The brave of "auld lang syne."

The tranquil river onward flows,
And still rolls in the sea,
While autumn's sun serenely glows

On laden vine and tree.

But where are they whose names we love,
Whose treasured deeds we boast?

E

Not where the crumbling stones above,
Record them with the lost.

Then let the swelling chorus ring, &c.

They live in every glorious word

Defending freedom's cause,

They strike, where falls the patriot's sword

For Union and the laws.

And when the brave host marching goes
To battle for the right,

Their footsteps mark the spot, where foes
Fall thickest in the fight.

Then let the swelling chorus ring, &c.

The vine shall in the dust decay,
And withered fall the tree;

Old Time shall hew these shores away,
And trample down the sea:

But Fame shall keep their record bright,
Who builded for us here,

As long as right shall still be right

And liberty be dear.

Then let the swelling chorus ring
For days of "auld lang syne,"
Till echoes answer, as we sing

The brave of "auld lang syne."

Thus was brought to a close the celebration of the two hundredth anniversary of the incorporation of the town of Dartmouth. It was an interesting and delightful occasion. Of the large number of the people of this city and the sister communities who participated in it, not one appeared to be disappointed. It was a day of elevated enjoyment and profitable recreation; and that a record of it may be preserved and a portion of the pleasure it imparted may be participated in by those who were not present, this account of its proceedings has been prepared and published.

« AnteriorContinuar »