The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1857-04-13
Jamestown Celeb ratiOn-Interesting Re
miniscences.

.enesr, of this month for the very interesting &C.
count of the celebration at Jamestown on the 18th
of May, 1907. 1t is collated from an old pamphlet
published il that year by WEI +. MCLAUGHLIN,
of Petersburg and j. O'CONNER, Of Norfolk which
gives full particulars of the absorbing cere onies
of the day, and of the events which preceded
them 1t was indeed grand affair. For several
DAYS a large crowd of gentlemen and ladies had
been collecting at the site Of the old ruins to par
ticpate in the jubilee, and great was the enhusi-
asm and rejoicing that prevailed. After describing
the gorgeous scenery around tire consecrated
ground. and the picturesque appearance of the
many groups scattered along the shore of the river
the report thus proceeds:
On the 18th. ths dawn was usher. I'd IN IVA cannon
ssco nd announced the first faint etshngs of the
sun on the edge of the horizon. During the night
several vessels had arrived and the eye rested with
pleasure on the spectacle of thirty ss at encho
in the cove boats plying necessarily off and on from
the shore groups of beautiful women every moment
making their appearance, crowds focking in from
every part of the adjacent country and the PowhaIan
evolving in silent ina esty his flood, margined far
the eye could reach, with cultivated plantations
and gay villas
Meanwhile the several committees constituting
one general committee, had convened for the Dur
pose Of arranging the order of procession and pre-
pairing appropriate toass hu thu poruia, arc or and
impotence, added to the shortness of the notice,
suggested the propr;ey OF devolVirs part of those
duties a select committee, who agreed to meet At
2o'olock.
About IL O'Clock the long deserted shores of Jaes-
town witp essed spectacle equally picturerque and
impressive. 1t was no longer the mourn fui image
and gloom silence of depopulation. Thiriytwo
vessels graced the ancient harbor; upwards of four
hundred ladies' embeshed the scene which became
every moment more and more animated BY the in
creasing coneourse of citizens, and upon whieh the
presence OF the military and band of music, CT
Capt Nestls, and his company of Artilersits from
Norfolk, reflected no small lustre.
At IL o'clock, in consequence of arrangements pre-
viously agreed upon by the joint committees from
Norfolk, rortsmou h. Petersburg and Wilan1.burg,
procession msrshed to the ruins IF the old church
seepe, and the ugubrious group of tombstones CON
hgucus to those ruins The order of the procession
l. Bishop Madison, and the Orators of the dsy
2. The deputies from Norfolk, Portsmouth, Pc.
tersburg and Williamsburg.
8. The Ladies'
4. Band of Music
s. Artillery.
6 A cannon ball weighing 500 cwt, supported by
eight men.
T. Citizens at large.
The exercises were opened by a prayer from
the venerable Bishop of Virginia who "ascepded
tombstone, and in that affecting, pathetic man.
ner which characterized all his religious illusions
poured out prayer strongly expressive of the ma
tional gratitude for that peculiar protection, which
the Deity had been pleased to bestow on the fee
bic but suspicious germ planted two hundred years
age in the wilderness-s germ from which State
has sprung up, now highly prosperous and -four
ishing" The first orator was the late Judge Bis
coe G. Baldwin, then q student of William and
Mary College, of whose effort, the Report says :
1.-THE occasion demanded, not the frigid exactitude
of the Chronologer, but the animated and glowing
eoquence of the orator" land of this Mr.. Baldwin
certainly gave an excellent spa cimen" He was
followed by Mr.. John Madison, also a student who
'evinced great maturity, strength, and originality
of thought, and by the felicity of his address and
elegance of his delivery fascinated every hearer F."
Odes were then rected by G. r Blanchard and
Leroy Anderson.
These ceremonies over, the company s'sat down
to dinner-the ladies in the several apartments Of
the spacious house occupied by Mr. Harris; the
gentlemen under an immense arbour prepared for
the occasion" Of course numberless toasts were
drank, in which, says the Editor of the Messegger
Patriotism and Pocahontas were pledged to tbe
enlivening strains of Yankee Doodle The festiy.
tiles closed with music and dancing of which the
Report gives glowing description:
"At the approach Of night, usual, the sprighsly
dance commenced. and whether we copsidee ths
numbers the oveness the grace or skill of the fair
1t would have been no easy after to have found In
trsstive and interesting Dancing closed the pro.
ceedings of each day. Sometimes the dancers as.
sembled atthe long room belonging to Col Travis
on the margin of the Powhatan aud during the still
and baimly nights at this delicious season. the quick
and lively airs played by admi- able band accom-
panied BY the true'timed feet Of the dancers; the
murmuring their delight the buzz of groups of pill
erims ssuntering in various directions through The
Island; The lights from the tents and houses and fom
the vessels in the cove the stars in the heavens in
fused delicious tranquility.
THAT ssiz'd
The prisond soul, and lsppd it in Elysium,n
We have not space for more of the subsequent
proceedings than to quote the following resolu-
tons adopted on the succeeding day:
!. Resolved, That there be quiz uenniel Festival
kept at James Town, at which the people of Virginia
shall be invited to attend the primary object of
which Festival shall be to commemorate the event
OF the first settlement of this country, invigorate
Republican sentiment and to offer up to the divine
Benefactor OF men that tribute of praiss and thanks
giving which rational piety enforces
Resolved. That each portion of Eve years be
called Virginisd.
Resolved That the citizsns Of Virginia be in.
Viteo to appoint COMMITTEES in the principal towns
aad places, year before the return Of the next
FESTIVAL at James Town, for the purpose of making
the arrangements requisite at the Festival, and for
sinns the objects contemplated by those pstiiotIc
meetings.
q Resolved That it be re recommended to the peo
re OF this State to assemble annually the 18th of
nay, 10 pisces most convenient to themselves TO
the landing of their forefathes in Virginia
N accordance with these resolutions. the newt
G S bration would have occurred on the 18th NAV
ioi~' out the war prevented. In 1877 five ve.rs
e', 10. some unknown reason, the event agar
pa,sea oy unobserved. But 10 1929 the third
,.snginisd" was duly celebrated. on the oAtb ~
may-a change being then made from the .Iut;sn
20 .he 6fegorian calendar, and, by an inacrnracu
" ejaculation, the time fixed on that aay ins,ssS
vi the 2td of the month. The orators on ,has
occasion were William b. Rogers af,s-s
rrsoiessor q the University of Virginia and nv,
". Tn Esq. Of Williamsburg
80 nnmoer Of persons present WARE ,,..,,
sna - -. ~ from 1000 to 25O0-tbe I.aies f.o,yy
~. ~ 70 ou A correspondent Of a.. DE- from
@u4usfefy xoth May. 1fol cvas : - 1n'eniiopo