The Portland daily press., 1868-09-17
mAssAOHUsETTs.
ruu sAr1spupv pp.ou rrar,y.

BOSTON, Sept 16.--The annual Salisbury
Beach Festival. which has been an institution
in Essex county for two hundred years, and an
extremely popular affair for ten years, took
place to-day at Salisbury. As early as Z o'clock
the farmers OF Essex county and people in
other parts Of tho State started for town, al
though the weather presented a lowery aspect
AT the beach the visitors distributed them
selves along the shore and INDUCED in walk
ing, riding, swinging, bathing, &c., until noon, !,
when the Ffcnic dinners were partaken Of, aud
at o'clock the largo crowd collected in the vi
cinity of the speakers stand, in pelting rain,
to hear speeches, which are always prominent
feature of these occasions A pelting rain fell
at this time, and the speakers and their hear
ers brought umbrellas into requisition.
DIR. George B. Loring was the first speaker.
He eulogized Essex county for its past history,
its active interest in and support of manufac
turing and agricultural interests and compli-
mented Gen. Butler for the able manner in
which he had represented the District in Con-
gress.
Gen. Butler, the second speaker, was receiv-
ed with considerable enthusiasm. He spoke of
the teeming harvest gathered and being gath
cred at the present time, and considered it
manifestation of Providence in our behalf
Abundant harvests insured prosperity of the
people. He touched briefly upon the subject
OF taxation, and said we were the best or most
taxed people on earth. The great debt of the
country which caused this was something to be
proudof. 1t was a constant reminder of the
glorious results of civil war. We owed at
the close of the war, in various forms, some
three billions of dollars. He spoke of it with
pride, because it showed that the resources the
credit and strength of the American people
surpassed the resources of any other country
on earth. The countries in which the money
was in the hands of few princes and mobiles
could ra1se no such sums as we did to carry on
war; and our contest had shown us the power
of the aggregation of small sums He believed
that Gods providence was manifest in ths war,
and that the Almighty intended to wipe out
every vestige of slavery. In support of this
last point, he showed that in the South there
was nothing left but the land and the negroes,
and all the fruits Of slavery had passed away
1t took three billions of dollars from the North
to free the slaves. which was about the amount
that section realized from slave labor during
its existence. The General was frequently ap-
plauded.
Gen. Schouler made a short address compli-
tary to Essex county He alluded to the SER
vices of Massachusetts, soldiers and paid just
tribute to the late Governor Andrew in this
connection.
Col Stone and other gentlemen also made
addresses. The speakers ignored politics, as
their invitations as is shown by their list,
1eb Gushing, Senator Fessenden, Senator Will
K. W! Kinks, Hon. Geo. HI. Pendeton, and
other gentlemen of both political parties.
About 1900 people were present, and $500
carriages were upon the beach. Both num-
bers would have been doubled by fair weather.