Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-08-12
A FOURTH OF JULY oRATlON!

From Inc ven Il OTh CO"ac''L
s% A Miss Green delivered an Grafton on the
4th ul,imo. before the young ladies' Of Coray AGA
DENY, Augusta, Maine.
The above announcement, in a Rochester pa
per. which met our sight, yesterday morning, has
reminded US that we have been guilty OF an al
most unpardonable breach of editorial CALAMITY,
in not sooner noticing the Grafton oil Miss Green.
which We had the pleasure OF receiving oy man.
some time since, from the fair oratfix herself, az
we fondv believe She will please TO accept our
warm acknowledgements tor the favor; We can
only excuse our neglect in making them sooner
by wondering ourselves how 1t happened: IL Is
lucky that our reputation for gallantry is so well
established, or we should never dare TO look Ia
dy.orator in the face! We will now endeavor
to repair our fault by candid and impartial re-
view, after the manner aud form oil the best re-.
viewers. Hem.
IAN Grafton, before the citizens and ladies' OF
9upusta. (Maine) on the Attn of July, 1883, deli
yered BY Miss AUGUSTA Green. Published at
the request of the Committee Of Arrangements
Augusta, July, 1855. Downing & Strickland,
Printers; vol. 1879 pages.
We have derived more pleasure, satisfaction,
and instruction, from the perusal OF this address
of Miss GREEN, than from all the Fourth OF July
Orations we ever read before, put together we
miebt. 70 be sure, il we were disposed to be by
necritical, and could descend to paitry jest, say
that in some few pages, Miss GREEN looks rather
byus-but we will not de,Iate from the strict line
of imparlality for the sake OF so poor joke
The Grafton does equal honor to the mead anu
heart of our eloquent country-woman. we are
nroud IA call her such. We could almost have
re,oncjled ourselves to the idea OF becoming ei-
tlzen of the State of Maine, on account OF MAJOR
lack Downins's achievements-and the iustfe he
has shed on It's literary reputation! Now since
we have read Miss Green's Grafton, We nave hau
great difficulty to keep ourselves from taxing
big OATH that we would forthwith migrate TO that
rising star in our federal constellation. wen
may she now write Nrigo-for her motto!-
We contemplate spending. at all hazards. the
future anniversaries of our independence al Au'
pusta, and beholdng one trainin' day at Downing
vile. as we have already kind OF an invite from
our friend the Major himself!
! But we forget that our readers are getting i'm
patient for some extracts from an Grafton which
! has called forth such an enthusiasm Of eulogy!-
! We regret that our limited space will not allow
us TO transfer it to our columns IN ertenso. But
the public must not be so unreasonable as to ex-
act il from US. seeing that, although 1t Is true
that it did occupy hut three quarters OF an hour
in the delivery, il still makes an octave volume
of 1879 closely printed pages! We are willing
to do the impossible for the qualification OF our
natrons, but this would be ten times impossible!
We shall give few extracts, but We can no
more than glance at the vast number OF subjects
which it so ably and eloquently discusses.
The fair speakers exordium is appropriate and
orig,nal-and that We musfg've IL appears that
the audience was not composed Of ladies alone
"Friends-Countrymen and Lovers-and
d" YOU, my fair Country.womsn! 10 you, on
s. this proud day, posterity has right 10 look,
=. aud does look with an eager and 40 anxious
{. eve! fapplause.) Let me SO far deviate from
:. the beaten track on these occasions, as to
/" speak, first of the dearest interests OF genera
tious vet unborn! Let US cast forward glance
8. to the future, and then we shall be better pre-.
9. pared to give retrospective one at the past"
The fair speaker then d~els. with enthusiasm,
on the growing population Of our immense terri
tory, but spares few regrets at the vast number
of unmarried youths who are annually carried
from the New England States to the Tar west.
We are happy, however. to perceive, by MISS
G. 3 statement. that the State Of Maine is begin
ming to attract enterprising young men from
abroad! If they do not shape their course to-
ward Augusta hereafter, more often still, the laws
Of attraction must be sadly deranged!
The fair speaker next touches on the compar
alive number Of males aud females, as per the
census; and interpreted are some severe but