The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1867-03-07
FROM MICHIGAN.
Ann ARBon, Feb. %, 1867.

EDITOR PIoNEER-Dear Sir: The STIR
ring events the past few years have
given to so many different days an his
toric interest, and placed the people of this
favored land under so many new Obliga-
tions Of thanksgiving. that there might
I seem to be some reason to fear that the
! former timer -honored anniversaries would
be forgotten or;celebrated with less ar
dent enthusiasm than they were wont to
excite in the years that have gone. With
whatever degree of truth these fears might
be entertained in other localities, and in
respect to~other national holidays, they
certainly have no foundation in fact when
applied to this city. and this anniversary
of the birth of him who gave to our nation
its liberties and contributed so largely to
establish our government in its republic
can form. Wasllington's, birthday was
celebrated heresto-day with an enthusiasm
that | never witnessed on a similar &C.
casion before.
1t was announced some days ago that
the Executive Committee of the Soldiers
Monument Association of this State had
made arrangements to celebrate this day
in conjunction with the students and citi-
zens of Ann Arbor, with the double object
of paying homage to the memory of WASH
ington and of raising funds aid in the
erection, at Detroit, of y fnlonr ment in
memory of the Soldiers Of Michigan. who
| perished during the war. 1t was also an
nounced that Major-general Hooker, with
the members of his staff might be ex-
pected to be present on the occasion.
Due preparations were accordingly made
and this morning at half past eight O'Clock,
the students of ftheUniversitya assembled on
the College campus, preparatory to march
ing to the depot for the purpose of meet
ing and escortingt their illustrious guests.
notwithstanding the fact that our num-
bers had been considerably .thinned by the
departure of so many for their homes, we
still managed to muster an array of over u
thousand strong, and, headed by the facul-
ties of the various departments, the pro-
cession moved through the streets to the
depot, under the leadership of Brigadier-
general w. H. Beadle. of the law depart
ment, as Chief Marshal of the day. We
were not long in waiting for the train,
and, on its arrival. the guests Mere con-
Quoted to the carriages, and the procession
which had now swelled to great multi
tude, took up the line of march to the place
where the regular exercises were to be
held. As the carria ge' contaiiiing General
! Hooker passed along the ine,} loud and
hearty cheers greeted the iwar-worn vet
eran, from the multitudes of citizens and
students, many of whom had known him
| in the sterner scenes Of army life. and
i Fighting old joel received an ovation
worthy of great and valiant soldier.
The Presbyterian Church being the
largest in the city, had been selected as
! the place of meeting. and a strong police
force had been provided to prevent its be-
ing taken possession of before the arrival
of the procession. 1t was found impossi-
BILE, however. to accommodate the multi
tudes, and not over two thousand persons
succeeded in gaining admission. Your
i correspondent, however, not being of the
larger sort, succeeded in making himself
lone of that fortunate number. and had an
abundant opportunity of witnessing all
| that occurred. The meeting was presided
over by Judge Cooley. of the Supreme
Court, Professor of Law, al r,a.
| The exercises were opened with an ap-
propriate prayer by the Rev. Mr.. Burton,
of the Baptist Church, followed by music.
| The address of welcome to General Hooker
and his friends, was delivered by Harrison
Hume. of Maine, member of the law class.
1t was an elegant and masterly effort, in
which the great events of the war, and
particularly those in which, the General
had born so prominent a part. were re-
| cited with an eloquence and pathos that
were cheered to the echo. At its cOnclu-
sion the General rose to respond, but was
only able to speak few minutes. His
health, owing to stroke of paralysis. is
very poor. and those who had known him
best were scarcely ableto recognize, in the
frail and trembling form before them. the
hero, whose deeds at Antietam had i'm
mortalized his name. and who, on the rug
ged heights of Lookout Mountain. had
| planted the banner of his country above
the clouds. He said: he never wished so
much to make speech as. to-day. but his
strength would not permit. and he sat
down amid tremendous cheers. while the
band played Hail to the Chief,'' Major
generals Casey and Baird, and Brigadier-
generals Morrow and Ruggles We're each
| introduced in turn to the audience, and
made short addresses. The first regular
speaker of the occasion, Rev.Dr. McCarty,
OF Detroit was then introduced, and de-
| livered an eloquent and impressive ad-
dress on the character of him whose birth
they celebrated. He was followed by Rev.
DIR. Hogarth, also of Detroit in an address
mainly devoted to the interests of the mon
ument fund. The recitation of poem on
:Andersonville." by Master Johnny Fair
banks. a lad of 13, closed the feXercises,
which were interspersed throughout with
the choicest music by the military band
stationed at Fort Wayne. near Detroit,
and which accompanied the General from
that city. At four O'Clock p. NJ, they were
reeonducted to the train. and the feStivi-
ties terminated in mutual good feeling
and general enjoyment. Perhaps l ought
to close this letter at this point, but / will
add few words in regard to the literary
exercises which constitute an important
item in the round of entertainments here.
1t is customary for each of the more i'm
portant literary societies connected with
the institution. to give public centertain-
ment during the latter part of each win
ter; the exercises usually consisting of an
oration and a discussion. Such an eXhi-
bition was given by the Jeffersonan So
ciety, of the law department. last week.
in the Unitarian Church; and your readers
will be gratifed to learn that in that well
contested and able discussion. the palm
was carried off by representative of Wy
andot County-Mr. Allen Smalley. Many
who will read this have heard Mr.. Smalley.
and no better eulOgy can be pronounced
OH his effort in this discussion than to saw
that it was in his best vein. and that it
fully equalled the great expectations OF
his numerous friends. 1t was universally
conceded to be the ablest and most bril-
liant speech of the evening.
Other societies are to give similar enter
tainments, of which your readers shall be
duly informed. In conclusion Ihaye Onlt
to say that we are still visited II cannot
say bleSt) with the chilling presence of a: