St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1859-02-17
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BIRTHDAY OF FRANKLIN.

BIRTHDAY OF FRANKLIN.
GRAFTON OF HON. EDWARD EVERETT
The l53d anniversary of the birth
day of Franklin, was celebrated, on
the 18th ult., in Boston, by the Asso-
citation of Franklin Medal Scholars, on
which occasion Hon. Edward Everett
delivered an address.
MR.. EVERETT 5 ADDRESS.
Mr.. Everett commenced his address
by an allusion to the practice in for
mer times of opening town meeting
by reading the warrant under which
the meeting was called, no business
being deemed in order which was not
set forth in the warrant. The warrant
under which the present meeting was
called was the clause in Franklin's
will containing the provision for the
annual distribution of medals as re-
wards for scholarship in the schools
of Boston.
The Boston Franklin Medal Associ-
alton, under whose auspices the pres
cnt meeting was held, had been en-
tered into when the erection of the
statue was contemplated. Its objects
were then stated by Mr. f., one of
them being to pay united tribute of
respect to their founder. This was
the purpose Of their coming together
this evening, as Franklin mcdalists,
to contemplate Franklin in his rela-
tion to Boston and her schools. The
survey Of his entire career, which fills
so large a space in the history of the
country, seemed to transcend the
limits of the occasion, and had been,
to great degree, exhausted by Mr.
Winthrop in his eloquent address
at the Inauguration of the statue in
September, 1856, and by Mr.. Gilpin in
his admirable discourse before the
Franklin Institute at Philadelphia, in
December of the same year. Mr. Ev-
crett stated that he should confine
himself this evening to the ancestry
and parcntage, the birth, boyhood,
schooling and apprenticeship of Frank
lin, and the sensible memorials of him
belonging to Boston.
lie accordingly began with the
monument to his parents in the gra-
nary burying ground briefly desert
bed that ancient cemetery, and cited
the inscription on the marble slab
placed by Franklin over the graves of
his parents in 1854. He :hcn advert
ed to the origin Of the family in North
amptonshirc, the original seat also of
the Washington family. Josiah
Franklin was born in Ecton, North
amptonshire, in 1865. and having ad-
hcred to the non-contormists, cmigra-
ted to this country, in consequence of
the seventies upon them in the reign
of James III. Mr.. Z. then exhibited
an interesting memorial Of the seat of
the Franklins, the record of the little
tlthcs of Ecton, sent to this country
by Mr.. Thomas Carlyle, and now the
property of the Massachusetts Histor-
ical Society.
Passing from the graves Of his pa
rents and the ancestry of Benjamin
Franklin, Mr.. Everett next spoke of
his birth in Milk Street, on the 18th
of January, 1906, and of the old house,
destroyed by fire in 1910. Its site is
permanently marked 10y the substan-
tial granite building that stands on the
spot.
The year 1906 was a year of great
events, civil and military, in Europe,
but no one event in that year was so
important to the progress of science,
to constitutional freedom and Ameri-
can Independence, as the birth of
Franklin. He exhibited the record of
the Old South Church, where Benz a
Minis baptism on the day of his birth
is recorded, and dwelt on that topic
The speaker then adverted to the
removal of the family to the corner Of
Union and Hanover streets, SO called
in honor Of the union of England and
Scotland, and the settlement of the
joint crown in the family of the Elec-
tress Sophia of Hanover, which took
place the year Benjamin was born
The occurrences of his childhood and
youth were glanced at, and the taking
down of the ancient Franklin House
alluded to.
The next topics touched were his
being sent to the grammar school in
School street, under Mr.. Williams,
and his transfer to Master Brownell
to learn writing and arithmetic, pre-
paratory to trade. His whole term
of schooling lasted but two years. and
furnished that first instruction in lit
erature," which was requited by the
provision for an annual distribution Of
medals in the Boston Schools.
Mr.. Everett here entered into the
discussion of the question lately raised
as to the wisdom and eXpediency of a
system of prizes for scholarship and
expressed himself decidedly in favor
of it, believing that the evils flowing
from it were not serious, and We're
equally incident to any other testimo-
NAL or expression of appreciation, and
any manifestation of superiority, how
ever unconscious. Young men must
be taught to bear success without al
rogance, and defeat without envious
repining. Such at any rate was
Franklin's view of the subject.
The ancient school house had long
since disappeared, but the neighbour
hood Of the spot where it stood was
fifty selected for the statue erected il
1856. This interesting occasion was
then described and commented on
The monument erected to Franklin by
Mr.. Dowsc in Mount Auburn, was alst
referred to as the first similar work
erected to his memory
| Mr.. Everett then passed to the cor
ner of Court street and Franklin ave
nue., the site Of the printing office
where Benjamin learned his trade, the
intention OF making him a cutler hav
ing been abandoned, which topic fur
nished the subject of some remarks.
His fondness for books, which ac
cording to his own account began il
his infancy" led finally to the selec
tion of printing. He was apprenticee