New-York tribune., 1874-06-19
STATUE TO GEN. PUTNAM.

FORD, CONN.-SkETCH Of 1HE
HERO-sPEECHEs BY CHARLES D. WARNER,
MAYOR sPRAGUE AND EX-MAYoR ROBINSON.
lrRoM AN OCCASION CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRTBUNE
HARTFORD, Conn.,, June 17.-Travelers who
pass over the York, NewHaven and Hartford Rail-
road express admiration OF the beautiful park that
lies Just southeast of the depot In Hartford AS the
trains move slowly In Of the city an excellent
view is afforded Of tho rolling greensward that slopes
from Trinity College the south to the little river
whose winding marks the northern boundary Of
the park
To-day old freestone buildings that Trinity has so
long occupied are being demolished while the white
marble walls OF the Capitol buildings arc rising
upon OF the Hill Hitherto only single statue
has embellished tho park-a bronze ngure OF BISHOP
Brownel presented by son-in-law OF the veneraoe
bishop who greatly loved aud honored In the dl'-
cese over which he long presided But to-day another
statue has been erected, with imposing ceremonies
The new statue Is Of Connecticuts revolutionary
hero Gen. Israel Putnam the sculptor, Mr.. j. q A.
Ward; the donor the late Joseph p Allyn, Hartford
lad who Associate Justice OF Arizona during the
administration OF President Lincoln, and who at Paris
1862 after life of much travel and adventure, left
$1,000 for the purpose OF procuring piece Of satuary
for the PARK OF his city, designating his father
ex-Mayor r. NJ. Allyn Charles ID. Warner the author,
and Coy Marshall Jewell as trustees 10 select the s1D
amount OF the eiit to $4,000
The 18th OF June-as the anniversary or the battle Of
selected as the most fitting day for the dedcat Ion
ceremonies.
large Of peoolo assembled in the park at
O'clock to witness the ceremonies; bat were dspersci
by heavy rain storm. which forced posponement until
of a regiment of Connecticut militia, Putnam Phalanx,
Governors footcuards, and two companies from Put
MANS original hoe. escorted tho orators OF the daY TO
the park.
Among the distinguished guests the platform were
MajOrGen w. B. Franklin exLientGovs. Catlin and
Hyde, exQuartermaster-Gen. Dickinson, the Hon
Daniel P. Tyler Of Brooklyn, nephew OF Cen 1 Putnam.
and mnca n
ex-Mayors sllman, Allyn. Robinson, and Chapman
nS %as maG Sy S the Ry Mr. He Ws
lowed by Chas d. Warner. assistant editor OF The
sanS and in their behalf presented the statue to
city brief address, which contained among other
T Aim was born in March D 1855 He was educateato
but he obliged to renqush it by OF impaired
health About lS55 he spent some SIX months IN the the
up the Mediterranean. and spending year III European
travel Upon returning, with some knowledge of Span
in which he was Interested, and in 1859 he went
Washington, where he resided during tho ses-
cerkship in one Of the departments aud writ
ing able and valuable letters to some OF State
coin Associate Justice OF the Territory OF Arl-
zona to which distant country he repaired and the
satisfactorily administered Justice during the
whole OF Lncoln's administration His knowledge OF
spanish and mis- thorough reading of constitutional law
and Roman Jurisprudence enabled him to bring order
to settle udiciousy its complicated interests in the col
iislon OF the old and the elements Upon his return
not i've in this climate and in the spring of 1857 he once
to Europe. In search Of health and with
Unsuitable passion for information and sefeuture. he
passed the next two years in Southern Europe, in
Egypt, and the East sometimes encouraged and often
depressed but always eager to live In order to know
and TO accomplish more. In the Spring OF 1869 he
up from Cairo, making courageous and desperate
journey IN the nope OF reaching home ana ended al Ills
earth Journeys In Paris.
At the of this speech the statue unvaied to
the music four bands and majorgenerars salute Of
13
The statue of bronze life The hero stands on
his right foot with the left slightly raised and the
full uniform OF general officer Of the Continental
army. He has his sword in his left hand and his
chapeau his right The face Is much dealzed repre-
senting rather the spirit Of the revolutionary time than
a strict likeness Of Gen. Putnam, although 1t bears
resemblance to the few sketches extaut OF him.
Mayor Joseph III. sprague received the gift behalf
of the city in a short speech. He followed by
Mayor Henry C. Robinson who delivered the oraton OF
the day the life and character Of Gen. Putnam. The
following are extracts!
For him we claim eminence in that wonderful class of
which that historical crisis developed His the
sharp intuition which looked clear through hazes and
clouds and night Itself i; H. He well understood @ tho en-,
and the weakness OF the British army he knew which
many failed to that there could be but sou
on provincial troubles and in that issue, dreaded by
many, he knew the invincibity OF the American colo
niss His observations from Canada to the West Indies
had thorough and acute. His life had already
as romantic as novel but as real as martyrdom Bus
country he had felt with the thrill Of the coming
shall not follow Putnam in the wars against France
and Spain. In these his courage never failed his
sources were never exhausted In the forests and
seas in seges ports IN line Of battle and in single
conflict he the tireless fighter, the dreaded foe
studied the British soldier and the British general
Often he had seen HIS own suggestions dsregarded by
superior officers through hesitation tmidity and the
results had strengthened Putnam's confidence In him
SELF For 40 years he had been dying too, the quail
aandea nf Ama apHA olIU
Eng and people. And when stamp p-master was
appointed to enforce the stamp act In Put
which resulted In his resignation And his statement to-
Gov. Fitch upon the subject was unmistakabe In Its
tenor that stamps came to this colony from
New-York. And when the tidings Of Lexington came,
the old prophet saw the morning in whose twilight ho
had been watching. Putnam expected to light the
mother country, and expected to win
For these ntuitions claim eminence for our gen.
eral IL Is given TO few to feel the first OF tides
to know gathering storms and coming sunbursts, TO
the patience and endurance OF peoples in the
by sensation Such power OF insight conceive was
the highest trait In the composition OF that peculiar
TO the men Of people. Here kings and preates have
often failed: Putnam thoroughly OF the people.
which stood not upon propreties OF order in promotion
Unframed IN letters, the wants OF his counrymen and
the capacities for endurance In mans ply ysical nature
the Unborn sovereignty Yf the people the electric power
king and felt the comlngs OF continued and In
ereasing exactons he looked over the rough hills OF
Maine 10 Georgia he heard the speech OF patriots aud
their prayers, and clearly he foresaw the SHOWS
coming clash aud the deliverance OF the op-
pressed. Into his military measures he threw his deep
mes ss even poec Washington was the Of
the Revolution and the Father OK Ills Country futhan
the hero of them both.
Mr. Robinson's speech, well as Mr. Warmers, re-
ceiyed frequent and loud applause The exercises closed
With ppsic and military parade