Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1857-02-12
DAILY
LOCAL NEWS
The Leioesrer Festival.


the report of the Committee Of Arrangements
made through Anthony Chase, Esq, and the de-
livery of poem by him, the President John Mil.
ton Earle, made some congratulatory remarks
appropriate to the occasion, and concluded by
calling upon the postmaster, W. W. Rice, Esq d,
for the reading of the first sentiment, which was
as follows -
The Ciergymen of Ne,o England-Their piety
and wisdom laid the foundation of the institu-
tiOns which are our pride In the future, as in the
| past may their influence ever be for the right.
The Rev. DR.. Hill responded in some pertinent
and eloquent remarks, historical and discursive,
which were exceedingly well received. He refer.
rem in feeling manner to the times when he was
! preceptor at the Leicester Academy. under the
Presidency of DR.. Nelson, thirty years ago,
| The next sentiment was one complimentary to
a venerable resident of Leicester, high in the
esteem and regard of all present, whom they had
hoped would be with them on to enjoy the festiv-
| tiles of the evening"
/ The Venerable Pastor OF Leicester HUI The
/ faithful monitor of our youth the friend and
counsellor of our ripper years the children of Lei
| cester remember with affection and gratitude his
Icing and faithful services, and breathe to night a
feTyent prayer that he may long be spared in the
| position he has adorned for near half century
Remote from towns he ran his cody race,
Nor e'er had chang ID wished t. change his place.
Unskiiul he, to seek power,
| BY doctrines fashioned to the varying hour;
Fro her aims his heart had learned to price,
| Nor, be TO lse the wretchsi tn to rise
The following letter was then read, from the
Rev. DR.. Nelson, which elected the strongest
manifestations of applause:-
To anthony Chase, Esq-Dear Sir ALLOW
me to express to the Committee of Arrangements
for " A Social Festival or Gathering OF the De-
scendants of Leicester Residing in WorceS-
ter and those connected with Leicester people by
marriage" and to you, as their organ of com.
munieation, my deep felt thanks, not only for the
invitation to be present on the occasion referred
| to, but for the very kind and fattering manner
in which the invitation is conveyed to me-
can hardly find language to express how ex-
ceedingly gratifying it would be to me 10 meet the
scores of we'll remembered and greatly esteemed
| friends expected to be present at the festival
| proposed. Nearly all of this large company, L
think must have left our good old Leicester
since my resdenee--now of forty five years con-
tinuance--in it, and to meet them again would
be to revive old acquaintance and to interchange
| greetings with old friends
But graIiiyng-nay, exhilarating, as all this
! would be, reminded that infrmities, in
addition to old age, must restrain me from being
| personally present TO express what beg the
| committee to express my most cordial salutaiiOn
to each and all of the assembled company, and 10
| give them assurance that spirit, in sympathy,
In pleasing remembrances of the past, and joy
business OF the present, am with them.
The gathering of the descendants Of Leicester
on this festival occasion, shows respectful re-
membranoe of the place which gave them birth
it is a recognition of their relationship to each
other-as having, in respect to place, common
origin. Its aim and effect must be to bind them
more closely to each other in brOtherly feeling -
While it gives joyousness to the passing hour its
cheering and refreshing influence viii, l trust,
be felt when the occasion which impaired it shall
be forgotten.
have the fullest confidence that the sons and
daughters which Leicester mas SO largely contrib
! uted to Worcester and which we were reluct-
! ant to spare, have been, and will be, an honor
| to The town which gave them BIRTH doing their
full share in promoting the growth, the pros.
perity, and the high reputation of the city which
| they have chosen Tor their home, and which be-
lieYe is all the better Tor their being in it That
those natives OF Leicester who now citizens
| of Worcester, and that thoss who hereafter mag
follow many Ui their predecessors in sliding
down our hills 70 mngle with them in that capa-
cious. and. must say, Uoracioas valley, which is
ever filling, and never full-that they and their
families may long joice in peace and prosperity
is the sincere wish OF your old, cordial, and
o0iging friend, JOHN NELSON.
Leicester, Feb. 8, 1857.
If sentiment is desired, offer the following I;
While we at the old homestead have regretted
To lose SO many GdtdOte ana Ofaluaettt trees rom
our nursery, we grathed by the thought that
we need not fear that they will suffer any deteri'
grafton from being transplanted, or bring any dis
grace on the parent stock.
The third regular sentiment one compli-
mentary to distinguished offshoot of Leicester
stock, long resident here, who, after receiving
the highest honors which the State can bestow,
has just retired to the classic shades of old Har-
yard to take up his future abode, aiming there to
impart to the rising generation some of the re-
suits OF his legal acquisitions
The Enigrant Sons of LeiceSter-Doing credit
to their origin in whatever position they may oc-
cupy, whether in the shop of the artizan, the stu
do OF the artist, the study of the scholar the va
rious callmgs OF business or professional lie, or
in the highest and most responsible offices of the
State.
Hon. Emory Washburn, Elk, Governor of the
Commonwealth, responded in one of his best and
most eloquent speeches, such as he knows how to
eelver on festive OCCASIONS in which he went into
the subject, historically and genealogicaly, inter
spersing his remarks with happy hits and inter-
esting personal illusions, which kept the table in
ajovial mood for an hour more, and still the
cry was, 60 on" He concluded with a senti-
ment of this purport -
ne oOfto cfH lJutsyNteFS " A~etCtotcF- HeIeN.
er they go, may they carry with them the same
golden maxms which HAYS been instilled into
them on their native hills.
The fourth regular sentiment was -
Leicester-Her mountain air and her rugged
soil give vigor, energy and enterprise to her sons
AID daughters Like the Roman matron, she
may point to them and say, "heSe are my
! jewels.
Joseph A. Denny Esq, of Leicester, respond
| ed in some pertinent remarks, replete with re-
miniscences of the past and concluding with a
sentiment.
The company were here favored with beauti-
full song Ito Aud Lang Syne," by Miss Fiske,
after which Charles E. Miles, Esq ofthis city Of
fsred sentiment, accompanied with some re-
marks, which were well received.
The following sentiment was then read by the
chair, he considering the public would deem the
subject as his hobby -
Horticultme-Who shall predict its future tri-
umphs, when we know that the culture of Rice on
| the hills of Leicester was a successful one at.
tended with the production Of abundant crops.
W, w. Rice, Esq, the toast.master, was called
upon to respond, which he did in his peculiarly
eloquent and felicitous manner, concluding with
sentiment.
/ To the next sentiment:
The City of lVorcestey-She has given good
home and hearty welcome to many son OF Lei
oester May we not hope that the favor has moi
been all on one side.
Geo. NJ. Rice, Esq, replied in some eloquent
and appropriate remarks, complimentary to thu
| CITY of his adoption concluding with a sent