The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1854-07-08
THE MINNES0TIAN
THURSDAY MORNING, JULY 6, 1854.
GRAND CELEBRATION
OF The Fourth Of July in 81. Paul.

GRAND CkkEBkAIlVN
OF The Fourth Of July In 81. Paul.
Nowhere has Independence Day been more
enthusiastically celebrated than in our own
city. 1t was ushered in by the ringing Of bells
che firing of cannon, and the usual glad hom-
age Of . patriotic populace.
At halfpast ten large number Of persons
assembled at the Capitol and listened to Sc
ries of ceremonies that won the attention and
admiration of all present. First was brief
but appropriate Introductory by the Chairman
of the Committee of Arrangements, N. S. Will
kinson, Esq next, prayer by Rev. Mr.. Neill /;
then followed the reading of the Declaration of
Independence by Attorney General Emmett.
This was succeeded by very unassuming but
most excellent Grafton by Col. D. H. Dustin, the
present U. S. District Attorney.
In the afternoon q very large company sat
down to sumptuous feast, prepared by Messrs.
Eaton Dennison, the proprietors of the Wins
low House. this being the first opening Of the
new Hotel.
The proceedings at the tables, at which were
seated about $50 persons, we're as follows:
(Our report, of course, cannot do justice to
oil, but We did our best to be accuratel
The Chairman of the Committee of Arrange
ments Mr.. Wilkinson, rose and nominated as
President Of the occasion, Ex-Governor Alex.
Ramsey Vice President his Excellency, Gov.
w. A. German; and as Toast Ma ster, Col.
". N. McCarty.
Grace was invoked by Rev. Mr.. Cressey.
Gov. RAMSEY remarked, most felicitously,
that the old adage, "A feast is better than q
speech, would deter him from farther remark
at present So the company proceeded imme-
diately to discuss the viands set before them.
After dinner, the following regular toasts
were read:
I. The day we celebrate.
Q. The immortal memory Of George Washington.
This toast was drank standing and in ST.
lence.
;: The HERoEs or THE REVOLUTION. After
MES ntfu they sleep well. Their priceless pa
,tism and heroic deeds among the living mem
ories Of grateful nation.
Give cheers and national air by the Band.)
m. Onion:
Thou, too, sail on, o, ship of state,
Sail on, Union strong and great,
Humanity, with all its tears,
And all its hopes and all its fears,
Are all with thee--are all with thee"
After this toast, the Star-spangled Banner
was sung with great effect by NJ. L. Olds ESQ.,,
In which the whole company joined.
THE TERRIroRY or MINHEsorA---As its brief
past has been without parallel in prosperity. 10 may It's
future course be marked.
This toast was responded to by Gov. RAMSEY,
OF all men present the most fitting. We can
only say that he not only did great honor to
the company and Minnesota, but to his own dis
tinguished abilities. Indeed, his speech cannot
be surpassed for its applicability and elo-
quence; and in an ofthand speech, he must be
said to have even out-done himself We do not
pretend to do him justice in the adjoining:
Well, gentlemen, as you have thus called me
out upon this interesting and pleasant occa-
sion, cannot do otherwise than respond brief
ly to the sentiment just offered. But my friend,
Mr.. Moot, and myself had proposed to keep ve-
~ quiet and make as little noise and disturb
anee as possible, and q speech from me would
seem somewhat like violation of our engage
ment. Loud cheering) Nevertheless, this ia
the Fourth Of July, 1854. Voice in the
crowd says '64.] No, no, gentlemen, not
20 We have not at our end of the table
got so far along as you may think for. 1t is
Just seventy-eight years, to-day, since our fore
fathers, in Philadelphia, laid firm and deep the
foundations of our great and mighty republic,
and gave to us all that we have which is worth
possessing, in the form of Federal Gov,rn.
ment. This one thing alone is enough to make
the day ever memorable. Yes, as said before
seventy-eight years ago. to-day, our ancestors
met in the city Of Philadelphia, to form that
Declaration of Independence which has lust
been 60 elegantly read in your hearing. They
pledged themselves, 4" their lives, their fortunes
and their sacred honors." And what has been
the consequence of all this: Why, gentlemen,
the consequences are very great Our liber-
ties were secured and our whole future we'll
being guaranteed to u.s.
George Washington. in the lofty fight Of his
enlarged Imagination, once said that sometime
our glorious country would be thickly settled
as far as the Allegheny Mountans,-sucb was
to be its greatness. George Washington, the
man Of mighty intellect and far-seeing intelli-
gence'-George Washington, the patriot and
statesman, looked not far enough. We have
crossed the Alleghanys, and though 1000 miles
from the place whence emanated the Declare
ton ofIndependence, yet doubt if within the
city of Philadelphia there can be found more
enthusiastic and earnest devotion to that in
strument and its principles, than We find here
to-day.
Yes, gentlemen, from every city, village and
hamlet ascends the glad homage of thousands
upon thousands Of grateful hearts. We have
faith to say, and take it upon me to say, that
We have confederacy here that cannot be
equalled under the sun. We have also an i'm
mense population. Why, gentlemen, in Mime.
SOFA we have already accumulated q population
o. some $4,000 souls, all Of whom are ready to
JOIN heartily in the celebration of day like
this and feel as though we could not be
thankful enough for it,