The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1869-11-25
LETTER FROM CONNECTICUT

HARTFORD, Nov. n, 1869.
THANKSGIVING DAY

thousands of the Irrational birl" (tor the turkey,
rather than the eagle deserves that title But the
morning of the Feast Day was beautiful and sun
shiny, with soft, balmy air. Every face in the
bright crowds on tha streets looked happy we i'm
night before the message came over the wires
"Noreport omorrow- TNrhey,"
The daily newspapers did not appear the stores
were closed, and the rromcnaders on the street
were all i'll gala dress. That 1prhey was the cx-
rlanation.
Nobody here wa, quite satisfied ut the appoint-
ment of 50 early day of Thanksgiving, and there
was feeling that Gen. Grant in thus deciding ~
on the first Thursday in the November calender,
which happened to meet his eye, had at heart or
in mind little regard for the traditions and cherish
ed associations of us New Englandcrs for this our
own peculiar institution.
CHURCH GOING
+ the almost universal habit of Hartford people
As we dip our pen in ink the church bells begin TO
ring; taintly and swcelly comes into the room the
sound of solemn hymn from the distant chimes
of Mrs. Colts new memorial Church of the Good
shepherd. There in this city nearly thirty
churches, and the broad aiscS of several are said
to represent millions Of dollars. Our ctizeneSS,
Mrs Sensation Harriet Becchcr Stowe, says that
if they who have riches may hardly enter into the
Kingdom of Heaven, the prospects of Hartford
magnates ought to excite some concern.
BY the by, many Will remember that little piece
written by Mrs Stowe year or twoago on Church
Going, in which She held up to ritli,ae the belriz-
zed, beputlcd and bcnounced young ladies' who
sail proudly into church and then 'Scod themselves
very hard out of the prayer book" Now Mrs.
Stowe is herself the mother Of two young ladies',
very estil DE no doubt,-but who always dress in
outre style, 10 sayish votary Of fashion TO use
term entirely Orgnal) ever carried friZZling. curl
ing. putting, &C., &C., to such ludicrou, extreme
as have these same Stowe daughters Therefore
Immediately after the publication of Mrs. Stoves
rakng criticism of the cburch-going world. the
bulletin board of one of our daily papers appeared
with this sententiouS query, Have You seen the
daughters Of Stowe at Church :" No explanation
was necessary tout lc mon0e saw the point.
THE CONNECTICUT BLUE LAWS
far and wide so celebrated, are, we think, in spirit
as we'll as letter now dead Yet for many years
has there been in Hartford certain iXe,lncss, and
disposition on the part Of the older inhabitants ut
least, to get into rut" and cling tenacisusy TO
old conventionalites. Dickens noticed this tWen-
ty-siX years ago. and writing Of Hartford in his
'.Amcrican Notes he said Too much of the old
Puritan spirit exists in these parts to the present
hour; but its influence has not tended, that know.
to make the people less hard in their bargains, or
more equal in their dealings. A. never Heard Of
It's Wolhl.7 that cnl,u unyWnr4N ,lr,, IND, tn,,
it never will here" Once it was compulsory for
the people to attend church, and it must have been
with no triiling persecution of the flesh and Wcar-
ness of the spirit, that forefathcr~ sat through
the delivery Of the long, dry and ab>truse sermons
which it the fashion OF the time to preach.
These discourscs We're not Linked sWectnc9- long
drawn ont" by any means.
4 NEW SPIRIT or PROG EI,s1
is observable in these parts now Factories arc
springing up additional lines Of railroad are start
ing out; last year four millions of dollars were in
vested in building enterprises in this city The
amount expended this year Will far exceed that
sum. We have now population of forty thousand,
which it is estimated will have increased in five
years TO nearly sixty thousand. From the little
band OF two hundred who founded this beautiful
city, have we thus increased in two hundred md
thirty-odd years.
THE ARCHITECTURAL IMPROVEMENTS
must be mentioned. Instead of the plain, mean
brick fronts long in vogue, nearly all ON new
business structures being built of lrce-sone or
various kinds of granite With designs ornate and
splendid. The Charter Oak Life Insurance Com
panys new budng,-thc exterior Of which is
nearly compcted,-is Il mammoth ana magnificent
pile of light Concord granite. quite rs pleasing to
the eye as white marble. Madame drStael said
that architecture is frozen music then what a
grand song and chorus is here congcalel i'll the five
high stories and beautiful Nlansard roof "f thi>
most magnificent cdiIce. The BrockIehank amt
Trainor wooden pavement ca slight Improvement
on the Nichols0n) has been laid through on" short
street. for trial. 1t costs per yard about H. much
as Brussels carpet, but makes very smooth, noise
less and easy footing for horses. IT, after testing
it proves satisfactory all our macadlmlZcd streets
will be laid with This pavement.
Prof Mallory, of Trinity College, i about to give
Il few families IN opportunity Of trying the ''co-
operative principle of housekeeping. He viii
build a large house in an uncNccponHblc neigh
borhood the upper stories will be rented to differ
ent families, and in the basement will Ice done the
washing, ironing and cooking for all the persons
living above. Good-byc Bridget
THE STATUE OF THE LATE BISHOP BEOWNELL,
founder of Trinity College, was publicly unveiled
Thursday, Nov. 18th, with appropriate ceremonies
This statue is of bronze, and was cast in Munich
after designs by Ives. 1t represents the venerable
Bishop in full canonicals in the act Of pronouncin%
the bcncdiction. To the promenatlcr> in the lar,
below the appearance Of this work of art is very
fine. The statue stands on the high grounds in the
rear of Trinity College, overlooking the Park
and the business portions of the city, and the IN
vocation of peace and benedicton seems TO fall up
on all below. But nearer inspection reveals
some points which if they are not faults, at least
struck us unplcasantly. The fingers are spread on
the right hand which is outStretchcd in blessing,
and seem to claw the air and the extended arm be-
ing covered with the enormous robc-slceyc gath
cred in at the wrist and shoulder, looks very
clumsy and heavy.
PERE IIIACINTHE,
after having enjoyed the comforts of Il Connecticut
Thanksgiving came to town few hours Friday
last There was nothing in the dress or appear
ance of the celebrated riar to indicate hat he be-
lonoed to the order of Barefootcd CarmclitcS. His
dress was simply that of an American gentleman,
the only mnstcriaf' portion Of IT being high
buttoned black vest He is Short of stature, with
peculiarly bright prepossesshg face and natural
manner, He visited the various places of interest
in our city; and is said to have remarked that he
Thought the Church, the School and the Bank, We're
the three great institutions of America,-puting