The Yazoo Democrat., 1853-07-13

great pleasure 10 speak IN this public manner,
Of its grandeur, and of the truly excellent man
ner Of its conduction We arrived on the
"ground" at about quarter past ten O'Clock A. NJ,
aud were much surprised to find. that even at
that early hour. hundreds of people, and scores
of horses, carriages and bupgies were passing to
and fro through the beautiful grove selected for
the occasion. In addition to this, large shed, |
well prepared with comfortable seats, was pro- /
tecting an assembly Of the beautifully fair" Of
Yazoo. Although there was number of our
fair daughters present from different portions of
the county, the Dover neighborhood eclipsed the
entire array with delegation of her s.fair ones"
such as it has seldom been our good fortune to
witness among the daughters of Mississippi,
with all her celebrity for beautiful and accoml-
plished women. We have often heard it RENE .rk-
ed that the big Black Valley" and the s.sshort
Creek Prairies' could not be excelIed in the wav
of the beautiful" and ''the fair" by any portion
of the State.-and we had seen enough before,
to satisfy us that the ''saying" was not without
some good grounds--but little were we prepared
to witness the reality, as did we apon last Sat
urday, at Dover. But we are necessarily COM
pelled for want of space, to Tea &c our fair friends
and proceed with our imT er feet account of this
delightful and most agiee able jubilee: though
sEe cannot turn from these fair ones without ac-
EknowIedging our admira don Of their most happy
and successful effort to render the short stay of
their distant friends and guests, well as their
own noble sons, most pleasant and agreeable
one.
It may be well TO state that, owing to the fact
that barbec ne was given at Locust Grove on
IA
from that day until the 9th, contrary to the first
intention which was that it should be Fourth
of July celebration. It was, however, as first
designed. celebrated in commemoration of the
4th Of July, l776, when our fathers stood up in
the halls of the National Legislature or Cont
ne ntal Congress, and there declared that the
| American Colonies, which now form the most
powerful republic, and one of the greatest ma
tions that the lamp of the universe ever shone
upon, shend henceforth be free and independent;
: that they would no longer be subject to the die
5 tation of foreign and oppressive power and
: for the maintenance OF which, they there pledged
their llves their fortunes and their sacred honor
j But to return 10 the scene Uf action. II seems
that a committee had been appointed to invite
speakers for the day and, that in ful1Ilnaent of
their duty, the committee requested Gen. ]. r.
: Burus and DIR. B. r. Holmes to address the
Il people upon that occasion who being candi-
dates for the Legislature, and the advancement
of their interests-that is at the ballot box
being uppermost in their minds, supposed that
they were expected to advocate the claims Of
themselves and their respective parties, before
that assembled multitude. But it seems that
such was not the case; and that speeches appro-
pirate to the occasion, alone, were expected from
these gentlemen Dr. Holmes, however, learned
his mistake before leaving home, and had prepared
himself with a short Fourth of July grafton.
About eleven o'clock, the company having
principally assembled, by request, Judge Burrus
announced to the audience that they had been
called together in commemoration OF our nation
al birth day, and that the Declaration of Inde
pendence would first be read, after which an
ton suitable 10 the occasion would be delivered
The judges Introductory remarks were well
timed and elegantly delivered. DIR. Green then
introduced Mr.. ]. T. Russell, Jr.. from the speak
er's stand, who read to the audience that 1Iagno
C'harta of American Liberties-the Declaration
of Independence" Mr., Russell read this sacred
document with much care, in clear and distinct
voice. Although so often read and heard, the
words of that old document attracted the serious
attention of the old and young After Mr. Rus
sell had finished reading the Declaration, DIR.
Greene presented to the audience, DIR. Holmes,
who he said would address them upon the subjects
and periods of time naturally suggested to thei'
minds from just having had the Declaration OF
Independence read in their hearing DIR. H,
iepoIogizad to the audience, and hoped that they
would consider the shortness of the time allotted
to him to prepare his speech, and make all due
allowance for the brevity and incoherency of the
remarks which he was about to make. He then
took up the subject before him and handled it
with considerable fucncy, and with degree of
ability that would have done credit to a more x
perienced speaker. The audience paid great re-
spect 10 thespeaker during the three-quartcrs Of
an hour or more he occupied. Shortly after the
close of the Doctors speech, Gov. A. G. Brown, |
who had been previously invited, and who had
been expected all the morning arrived. Being
near dinner time, it was announced that Gov. |
Brown would address the audience Immediately
after refreshments should be served. 1t was not
long before the welcome news of ssdinner is /
ready" came ringing through the grove; and, to
the tune of double quick time" the assembled
mass made their way to long row Of tables
that fairly groaned under the enormous weight of
the greatest variety ofeveryt hing that the country
would afford. Lambs, pigs. hams, chickens, &C.,