Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1872-01-25
Grand Anniversary Celebration
PRANK!IN'S BIRTHDAY
Printers of BUCYRUS.
SPLENDID BANQUET AND BALL
By THR

| From the Bucyrus Forum.
The practical Printers of Bucyrus
on Wednesday evening, observed the
Anniversary of the Birthday OF Ben.
jsmin Franklin, ly Banquet and
Ball Although certain persons gave
the matter the benefit of their sneers
and opposition, it was . grand sue
cess. The cliteof Bucyrus were there
without distinction of party or so
cial position, to smile upon the ef-
forts of the primers and to honor the
memory of the immortal Franklin
Gallon, Crestline, Nevada, Upper
Sandusky and Marion, ETC., sent del
egations Of their best citizens. The
beauty, intelligence and worth Of our
people were splendidly represented.
Indeed, the managers may feel them
selves highly complimcnted over the
success Of their patriotic endeavors j..
Punctually, at the designated time
the guests assembled at the Monnett
House for the Banquet. To say the
Banquet room was filled is expressing
it tamely. 1t was jammed complete
iy full of Guests, while the ladies and
gentlemen's reception rooms were al
SO crowded to overlooking. Many
were unable 10 witness the ceremo
nies and listen to the speeches.
The following Introductory address
relative to the life and services of
Benjamin Franklin, was prepared at
the request Of the printers, by j. R.
Clymer, President of the evening:
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:
The printers of Bucyrus have as
signed me this evening an agreeable
but responsible task. Thankful for
the honor, it shall be my aim to
serve them and please you. Should
this aim be successful, I shall Ger
tainly be more indebted to your sym
patty than to personal merit.
Without trespassing on ground
soon to be occupied by eloquent
speakers now present., ] am charged
with the dutyof giving you q short.
succinct sketch Of the great American
statesman philosopher, and diplomat
Benjamin Franklin, Printer, whose
birthday and memory we have met to
celebrate.
Benjamin Franklin was born In Bos
ton, January II, A. d. 1706. and died
at Philadelphia, April II, A. D. 1790,
at the advanced age of "a years, full
ofhonors, and mourned by millions
of his fellow countrymen. His an
cestors we're of Saxon Normae ori
gin. and were distinguished for their
remarkable common sense and saga
city. The porents of young Frank
lin renouncing the Church of Eng
land. embraced in their letter and
spirit the doctrines of the Dissenters.
during the latter part OF the reign OF
Charles the Second, and emigrated
to America in 1852 in order that they
might enjoy with their family greater
freedom of conscience, and avoid re
ligious persecution.
Noticing indications of most extra
ordinary intellect, his father designed
him to be Clergyman, and, accord.
ingly. at the age of 8 years he was
placed in erammer school. Before
being at school year. it was ascer-
tanned that the Strengthened circum-
stances of his parents were wholly in
adequate to complete his clerical ed
ucation. Thus, poverty gave to the
world one of its mightiest, usefulest
men, while wealth would, doubtless,
have condemned him to the privacy
and narrow mindedness of Puritan
conventicle.
Returning to the family freside, he
was thaught the mysteries of his
frther's trade, soap boiler and tsllow
chandler, thus evincing to the world
the truth of Pope poetic proverb:
''Honor and shame from no condition rise;
Act well your part there all the homer lies
But. tired at last, of cutting wicks
for candles. and doing the drudgery
Of errand boy in general, after te-
dious term of two years, his father
consented to change the boys occupa
ton. At the age of twelve years he
was indentured to his brother James
to learn the printers trade. In this
day our ladsssand misses think three
year apprenticeship to be species of
martydom scarcely to be endured
But Benjamin Franklin was indentur
ed to an apprenticeship OF nine years
and until he should arrive at his ma
jority. His patience and unfeggihg
industry made him one of the clean
est and most rapid compositors in
the Colonies. Young Franklin, how
ever, could not tie himself down to
the types without making them speak
his thoughts. Frequently, it occurred
to him, as some miserable manuscript
of some still more miserable ignora
mus, was given him to set up and he
would exclaim to himself: "Why, l
can write better than that myself
Quietly and secretly, without his mas
ter's permission, he published short
sketches on different topics. which,
although unembellished by the graces
of theoric or unadorned with the
vestments Of correct literary taste.
by their force, incisiveness, and Ori.
ginal thought, set the whole city in
an uproar. One of these articles
which be had written in disguished
hand and quietly slipped under the
door of the Office, was examined by
the editor and a lot of sharp eyed
critics, while be was setting type at
the ease. Listening intently, his
heart filled to overlooking with anx-
ious solicitude as to the result, he was
gratified to hear those learned pun
dts give it as their deliberate opinion
thai the production was the WORK of
the distinguished li:erati of Boston.
Whereupon he was roughly ordered
to "go to work" and set up
his own manuscript-the coinage Of
his adventurous brain. This little
incident, animportant - it may sp-