The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1854-01-26
Celebrates Of the Birth Day Of Ben
jamin Franklin.

The birth day Of this illustrous Printer, Philoso-
ers Of ST. Paul, car the first time in the Terri.
tory. at Apollo Hall Oh Saturday evening last
At O'Clock, the company, numbering in all about
thiyour persons, composed Of members of the pro-
fesion and tied guests down around the festive
board, which had been prepared by &. II. Rauch,
when Ia, ior's Band dscoursed sweet music, while
the knives and torks kept tine to the enlivenins
strains. II. l. Vance, Esq, presided as President,
and J. b. II. Mitchell, Esq, as Vice Presdeut.
The company having distributed the D.attsr' before
them, the cloth was removed aud the following
regular sentiments read
BENJAMIN Frankiin--The Printer, Philosopher and
Statesman--we revere his memory to night. Musi c.
Thou art gone 10 the grave"
Charles J. Henniss, Esq, being called upon, re-
sponded in lew very appropriate and well timed
remarks. He did not expect to speak the present
occasion, and was therefore wholly unprepared to do
justice TO the subject, but nevertheless, the theme
one of so much interest, and one in which the
craft deeply interested, that he would be
doing injustice to his own feelings did he not make
a few remarks. From the time the poor hoy landed
in Philadelphia with two leaves Of bread under his
arm-irom the time he became an apprentice
to the printing business-from the time he became
an editor, and welded mighty lnnuence--fiom
the time he became statesman, philosopher, and
sat before kings, he had watched the onward
otths usrious mar, and ne had found moth in.
in his career to nar or blemish on his hong
and eventlul life. He had lett bright and elori-
| Gus example behind him--he was an honor to his
country-an honor to his profession, and right glad
he that tho craft had met to nj bt TO do honor
4 l. ~ hal IL ~.
at Washington the old Rannage Press, on which
Franklin's first paper was printcd-he had stood
beside the plain slab in Philadelphia which marks
his resting place. and had read the simple Inscription
"To the memory of Benjamin and Deborah Frank
lin'-he Rad visited the shop in Boston where when
lad he sold shoes, and AT early aye entrusted
by his master with the sole control OF his affairs
all reminded him Of the greatness Of the iIlustrous
dead. May initiate his exampe--may ue live as
he lived, and died he died, an honor To cur
country, an honor TO ourselves, an honor 10 out
profession. [Appause.I
! The memsry of Cnttembur@, Faust aud shot6er-
the inventor the promoter aid the improYer Of print
ing Music-a Dirge
! Judge Goodrich being called on, responded, Ivy re.
marking that though guest and no. member of the
Printers Union, he felt deep soicitude in all thai
pertaned to the present interests, past history and
future prosperity Of the craft. He believed that The
chronology Of the disciples Of Faust erroneous il
not claiming Tor their art higher antiquity. Thai
IN his opinion there record evidence to show
that the ant was understood and practiced at leas
1900 years anterior TO the christian and proceed
ed establish the truth Of his position in series
pertinent remarks replete with interest to the anti
quaran, the printer and the student Of sacred history
From these -einarks make the following brief
which we commend to the consideration Of the his
torian and chronoogist Let the press speak out il
its own legitimate cause-reyea cal the hidden riches q
| the craft:
! Mr.. President:-I present for the consideration o.
the Assembly, the and memory Of the FIST
pTin'r on record, man ofthe land Of Uz,-his name
was Job.
! This fourshed as a philosopher and astrono-
Ter, ~ the year 1920, before Christ, according to
the Christian Era, and of the true Era, l523--tha,
is TO say 1877 years since, If nay Chronology be
rect.
! All Of which will more fully appear by reference
10 his lectures and philpcs, recorded in the Book OF
Job, delivered before three learned gentlemen
named, Eiephaz, the len,ani,e, Zophar, the Naaro-
thite, and Bildad, the Shuttle.
These lectures bear e, ident work of ability. They
prove clearly that their author POSSESSED knowledg
Of the AT Of Printing. would not steal the light
ming from Frank!in-nethcr would / TOD Job
60
he brought letters from SYRIA Greece } nor would
wrong the disciples OF Contucus, who successfully
prosecuted this ART beyond the great wall, before
Christ; --neither would dsparage the high claims
of the Egyptian God, Mercury-he made pr,tento ns
TO letters. would 90 yindiCaie the truth Of history
by placing the name aud statue Of Job in the highest
nIch in the temple Of iet,ers,-o f this God him
self makes honorable mention, thus
" Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there
is like him in all the earth, a perfect and AN
sprisht man, tha. tcareth Gcd, and escheweth
evil
! admire the learning Of the ancients--l am op-
posed to this modern antiquity. Give the correct
chronology Of YOUR art. Let the day Of this 5
birth be celebrated with approp late hono to hat
day, | am "A, faults the day he cursed-let IA
committee Dc appointed to ascertain and report the
same-et it be celebrated t,0lce year! Hear what
Job says about printing:
ooh, that my words were now written, Oh, that
they were printed in booh! that they were craven
with AL IRON pen, with lead IN the rock forever!'
Here we have undoubted evidence that oh under
stood the Of Whiting, Printing, Engra,ing Sie,e-
ofyp,ng and LahogrGpiiag-he mentions them IN their
regular order, and they have been re-discovercd
If not an editor, he was an able reyiewer-he shall
speak for himself
"Oh. that One would hear Inc; behold nv desire
is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that
mine adversary had wrt.tsn book
"Surey would take it upon my shoulder and
bind it as a crown TO me-"
II would declare him, the number Of nv steps,
as prince would so near unto him.
He was an Astronomer, and. like Franklin, under
stood the laws governing electricity, he says
"Out OF the South cometh the whirlwnd, and
cold out Of the North.''
(Which make,h Arcturus. Orion and Pleades, and
the chambers Of the South"
He understood the laws which govern the vegeta-
BE and animal insdom-the laws Of Geology and
Minerology.
And viii here state in conclusion that the single
fact alone, tina, the writings ARE the learned
have ever read, save those OF Solomon, (and
would not except these, but for the fact that God
counted him the wscst MANI is proof to me, that
job was either printer, or that he possessed perfect
knowledge of that
II we possess superior facilities for the acquisition
of learning, to what job did, why are we not more
learned? should say why are we less learned B.
Are we inferior in genius and faculties to Job -
Did "wisdom lin tact die with hint"
make no pretension to learnins-I appeal to you
Mr. President, the representative Of the rcpub-
lie Of ieers,' and conjurc YOU, that you hook to