Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-10-06
THE CENTENNIAL /!
second Day.--Eyening.

ment of the exercises, the Opera House
was well filled to hear the addresses OF,
Henry Hall, Esq, on "The Early History
of Rutland, "!and of Chauncy K. Williams
Esq, on the Ecclesiastical History of
Rutland" At the hour of opening the
exercises the Band played q lively air,
after which the President of the occasion,
VIM. Y. Ripley, Esq, advanced to the
front Of the platform and introduced to
the audience Rev. B. M. Hall, who knelt
and offered fervent and devoted prayer
to the Most High, returning thanks for
His graoiousness in preserving our an
costors through the trials which they had
to undergo and raining His blessings up
Oh them and their posterity.
At the conclusion of the prayer, the
President arose and said bis voice was so
weak as to be iuaudible to most of the
hearers, but he had prepared a few words
of welcome, which he had Transcribed to
paper, and would have them read, Gen.
W. Y. w. Ripley then took the paper and
read the welcome address as follows
LGdieS and Gendcule31 1t has been
thought fit on this The oue hundreth an
niversary Of the settlement of our good
old town of Rutland to celebrate the
event by inviting all the natives aud for
luer residents who have gone out from
among u, with their descendants, and
our other friends, to meet Us on the &C,
casion. We thank you for your presence.
We welcome you most cordially to our
hearths and our homes. We welcome
you to the scenes of your former joys, and
YOUR former trials. We welcome you TO
the banks of the Otter, TO the shadows Of
KuIington and Pico. We welcome you
to the green hills of Vermont, and though
You will witness many sad changes, and
miss many Of the old land marks, and the
familiar faces of loved and dear friends,
we trust you will fiud many changes for
the better. and hope that on the recur-
renee OF the second Centennial anniver-
sarv of the settlement of our town, that
your great grandchildrens children, may
with the blessing of a good Providence,
meet our great grandchildren's children
un4er the folds of our n .tioual Banner
spaugled with an hundred stars, with our
constitution unimpaired, with just aud
equal laws honestly administe cred, citizens
of rhe freest, the happie.t and the best
country OF the globe. We again greet
you with heartv and a cordial welcome.
Henry Hall was next introduced 70 the
andienae ny Gen. Ripley aud proceeded
'o a&d~o~e them ~ follows:
-,, .r,,....,
M HAIL : AhD'''09
o. the 2d day If July. 1875, the old
Continental Compress votaa uu~t nousiy
in favor of national il dsp-ud~uo". John
Adams, attrhut5oa 10 tbi~ vote the Iupor-
lance hitch The world his slice ."ppro-
iriated 10 the renowned Drrlaratian Of
Inderrud.nca, adopted TWO days later,
wrote TO his wife on the 81 day Of July
that "thc % day Of July, 1776, will be the
most mamcr4ble epoch in the history of
Amslia.. 7 an apt to telieve that it
viii b.. eel, GRATED by succeeding genera
'iui,s ~ the great ~nuivrrs ery festival 1t
0nght tu be- comm. 1norated by :, lpolu acrs
Of dpv3tjcn to Almighty G. d r. ought
~ re slrmnizpa with pomp and parade,
with shows. COMES, tportg, gun, belle,
ho1lfres and ilnmjnatious, from one end
OF fh1- continent 10 the Ofh.f, IfaIu iiE~
time forward forever more" THIS nota-
bic prophecy expresses the Auglo-S xon
idea OF pttrioric celcbratious; first in
pratitu3o 10 heaven aud next in jubilant
ioynusuess. Our national character adds
another feature. viz: speechmHkug -
-ometima zpread-ea4Ie bomb.st ard some
times cammanding elyquCnc@. Town an
nivar-ari-7 add two Other features, viz:
social t.mi'y visiting az Vocal historic
sketches
Rutland rsi5ices in p naIno illu>trious
with the ducal corouet Of thu highest rank
of Au}i-ct; Il name III At for agas has
flashed long the. pages OF history, III the
drama. ou the battle frl5 aud Ia the
councils If great nations name that
was time honored before William the
coraueror crossed the English channel.
ID fFprrnt govern ments at different times
have a imad the right to rule over orr
hills and valleys. Once ere Rutland was,
the lilies OF France hoated supreme over
Lake Chanplain, asserting and exercising
sf,yarriurty over the soil w4tpred bv the