Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1858-04-14
Petersburg Celebration.

-
arrounded. The occasion was the twelfth =
anniversary of Petersburg Division, No. IS
the largest Division perhaps in the world. :,
We were honored with an Invitation to deliy- W
r the Anniversary Orati0n-an honor which
no
ye accepted with much drffdence, though with J.
he most grateful emotions for the f1attering
compliment paid Us by our Brothers of that :,
1ourishing and intelligent Division,
We reached Petersburg on the morning of .,
the 9th, and were at,once escorted by an old II
and school-mate to his hospitable man. r
and made to feel at once at home. :,
At 3 o'clock IN the afternoon the public .
exercises commenced. We repaired to the :
spacious Hall of the Division, and found it
filled to overhowing with hundreds ofhappy-
hearted, enthusiastic Sons. Soon the strains v
of martial music announced the approach of +
Centre Division, from Ettricks village, a gal G
liant band of cold water soldiers. |
The line was then formed AND proceeded s
to the Richmond Railroad Depot, where on
the arrival of the cars from that city, the long
line was increased by some $50 or 260 'Sons"
! who had been invited TO unite in the festivi-
ties of the day. And then commenced the
grand triumphal march of some seven or
eight hundred Sons Of Temperance, headed
by the Richmond Armory, and the Petersburg
Bands. Truly it was a sight calculated to
awaken the noblest emotions of the SOUL
There was a moral grandeur and sublimity
in the scene that seemed to spread like con-
tagion, causing every one, friend or foe, to
gaze with admiration and respect upon the
brilliant array before them
The procession which was over a half mile
in length, two breast, paraded through the
g Es HH5 spa SsEsssl9 Ell tbs e8 SJfy, s9 gddIthRpaf n DIM
ner was prepared. At least one thousand
persons partook of the dinner, and yet when
all were filled, there was enough left for as
many more
After dinner considerable time, was oecu-
pied in social congratulations, giving t~oasts,
sentiments, and making short, racy speeches
bv quite a nannber of the members Of the Or
der. Wit and humor-pun and bon mot fol-
lowed each ether in rapid succession, and pure
Joy and hilasity ruled the day, unmixed by
b~acchanalian revelry andthe boisterous, Sc
2ductiye mi1th Of the wine cup. No one who
booked upon that gay and happy throng, can
ever be made believe that 'ethe flowing
bowl" is am indispensable prerequisite to a
oonvivial gathering. Here was mirth with
out alloy and joy u~nboundea, without a
headache or heaHt-ache in it.
In the midst Of the hffaritY Of the occasion,
the voice Of the noble, whole-souled Chief
Marshal D0DsoN was heard ordering to fall
into line and proceed to Phoenix Hall, to
hear the Anniversary Grafton. Soon the
long column was in motion, enlivened by the
sweet strains of the splendid Bands. Arr
xai at the Hall it Was soon filled toits utmost
capacity, constituting an audience estimated
at from fifteen to- eighteen hundred ladies
and gentleaaen. The exercises were opened
with a solemn andinpressive prayer by Rev
VI. Fl. CHRISTIAN; and then A. NJ. GoRMA,
was announced as the Orator for the occasion
Oar Petersburg cotemporaries of the Pres,
:. have been pleased to bestow high-wroughr
: eacomiunns upon our humble effort, which
: we have not the vanity to believe were well
. deserved but this we will say-f we at a.
satisfied one 1.-THE of the expectations of tn
Brothers whose partially called us, to thecoF
spicuous p~ositioH p6ccupied-our ambitio
was fully gratifed
These services being concluded, the proce;
d sion returned to the dinner Hall and partoo
e of a bountiful Supper. Then followe
J speech and song, wit and jest, mirth and h,
: NOR until a late hour-when the Richmon
t delegation was escorted to the Depot, whel
e with hearty cheers, three times three,
they babe their guests adieu and returned
their homes.
We have attended many celebrations
Military, Associatienal, and Civic-but v
n never saw one conducted with such orde
precision anddecorum as marked these entil
,e proceedings. There was not the slighte,
OF occurrence that transpired to mar the ha
mony and ~festivity of the occasion-not eve
an mopportune incident. Every thing mo
d edon with the regularity and system of cloc
work, Notwithstanding the immense multi
rs tude engaged in it as participants and spe
w tatOrs. Never will the soulcheering scel
presented to the people Of Peters burg
We that day be obliterated from their memoir
nc and its sublime and salutary effects c.
st but be seen and felt for years to come.
The large numbers of visiting Brothe
of from Richmond, added greatly to the imp
nd sing array, and demonstrated their earne
ne enthusiasm in the good work. We heard
an incident which will serve to illustrate t
"a, determined spirit of the Richmond "Son
to be present. One Brother reached t