The daily republic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1853-1853, 1853-08-04

Edward Everett's Remarks at the PLY
mouth Celebration.

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Edward Everett's Remarks at the Ply
mouth Celebration.
AT the anniversary of the Embarkation of the
Pilgrims at Delft Haven, celebrated at.Plymouth,
Massachusetts,, on Monday, the first instant, the
President Of the day having given the following
toast Ao*9 lai
'Ihs Emlarkation Of 1920 and It's results" q
The Hon, EDwARD EVERETT was called upon
to answer this toast As he rose he was greeted
with the most enthusiastic and vociferous cheering
He spoke as follows:
You, Mr.. President, have been good enough to
intimate that among our numerous hOnOred
guests to which your complimentary remarks
might have applied with as much justice as to
myself, with possibly single exception, 1 am the
individual to whom you look to respond to the
toast that has Just been announced rise to
obey your CALL 1t is true that there is single
circumstance by which it is possible that the allu-
sion may have boen more exclusively applied to
me than to any other gentleman present, for it is
most true that, on one pleasant occasion ON which
/ have been at this delightful and beloved Ply
mouth, have suggested that it might be expedi-
ent, not always but occasionally, to transfer the
celebration of the great day from the winter to the
summer season. Surprising that to be the allu-
sion which you had in your mind, i feel that
may, without impropriety, obey your call in
rising to respond to the toast that has Just been
given.
1t is now hard upon thirty years since had the
honor, on the 22d December, to address the sons
and daughters of the Pilgrims assembled in this
place. / deemed it peculiar privilege and an
honor. deem it, sir, still greater honor to find
myEcf here on this Joyous occasion, and to be per-
mitted to participate in this happy festival, where
we hive an attendance of SO many distinguished
friends and fellow-citizens from distant parts of
the Union-from almost every State in the Union,
SIR you have already told us; where we are favor
ed with the company of the representatives of the
New England Society of New York, one of those
institutions which are carrying the name and the
principles of the Pilgrims to the farthest ends of
the Union; where we are gratified with the COM
pany of our military friends from the same city,
tho great commercial emporium of the United
States; where we are honored with the presence
of 30 much of the gravity, the dignity and the
character of the community; and where we arc
favored with the presence of so much of beauty,
of grace, and of loneliness [Applause.
lido indeed, sir, feel it to be privilege to be-
here under these circumstances, and do deem my
self most highly honored in being called upon to
respond to the toast which you have just an
in commemoration of the embarkaton of
the Pilgrims, and its results. The theme is vast;
shrink from it; know not where to begin or
where to end. It seems that you, yourself, in the
remarks with which you favored the company,
struck the keynote Of this great theme, in allud
ing to this great continent before the Pilgrims
came, and to the situation of it's primitive inhahi-
tants. There is the beginning. l saw one or two
of them, poor wanderers, as we came into Ply
mouth, seated by the roadside, wondering specta-
tors of the pageant which was passing before
their eyes. l.
A few DAYS ago, as saw in the newspapers,
Lc~lr in tfy1
harbor, containing each solitary Indian. They
seemed, as they approached, to gaze in silent
wonder at the city of the triple hills rising street
above street, and crowned with the dome of the
State-house, and at the long line Of villas stretch
ing far into the background; at the numerous
tall vessels outward bound, us they dropped down
the channel and spread their broad wings to the
breeze, and those which were returning weather
beaten from the ends Of the earth; at the steam
ers dashing in every direction across the harbor;
breathing volumes of smoke from their fiery lungs
They padded their frail banks with dexterity and
speed through this strange, busy, and to them no
doubt bewildering scene; and having made the
circuit of East Boston, the navy yard, the city it
self, and South Boston, dropped down with the
current, and disappeared among the islands.
There was not human being of kindred blood
to utter word of welcome to them in all the re-
gion, which on the day we now commemorate
was occupied by their forefathers in Massachu-
sets. The race is gone. 1t would be a mistaken
to regret the change; to regret
that some thousand uncultured barbarians, desti-
tute of all the improvements Of social life, and
incapable of adopting them, should
have yielded gradually to tho Civilized millions
who have taken their place. But we must, both
Is men and as Christians, condemn whatever OF
and wrong has marked the change Gas
S too apt always to be the case when strong and
weak are brought into contact with each>other,)
Ind without affectation we may indulge heart
felt sympathy for the feeble and stricken relics of
once powerful and formidable tribes OF IeAoW-
men.
On the first of August, 1920, the circumstances
Of the two races, as far as this part of America
is concerned, presented very nearly the reverse
Of the picture we have Just contemplated On
that day the territory now forming the States OF
New England was occupied by numerous Indian
tribes some of which were strong and warlke.
They were far behind the natives of Mexico and
Peru; but they had added some simple agriculture
to their hunting and fishing-their moccasins, and
snow shoes, and stone-hatchcts, and wampum-
BELTS evinced their aptitude for the humble arts of
savage life; they retained unimpaired their native
ignorant of tho claims to sover-
eighty which powerful governments three thou
sand miles off founded upon tho right of discov-
ery: and neither the arts, nor the arms, nor the
diseases, nor the vices of civilized ife had com
menced that terrible warfare against them which
has since been pushed to their determination.
On that day and in this condition OF the Ame-
rican races handful of carc-worn, twice-doomed
English exiles set sail from Delft Haven in Hollands
with the intention, after being joined by few
brethren of the faith in England, to encounter the
Then much dreaded peris of the Atlantic, and the
till moro formidable uncertainties of the projected
settlement on the outer edge oftheNew World. Two
centuries and third have passed-the momentous
ages of national infancy, childhood, and youth, have
been rapidly lived through, and SIX prosperous re-
pubcs, parents of still increasing family of States
in the boundless West, have grown up in the
wilderness In the meantime, in this part of the
continent, the native inhabitants have sunk far
below the point of comparative weakness down to
the verge of annihilation; and we have assembled
now and here to celebrate the day whore tins all
important change commenced.
alIudc. Mr.. President, to this revolution in the
of this continent, and tho races that oc-
cnnv H. not as introducing narrative of familiar