The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1875-07-08
GRAFTON by THE
HON. w. 8. KING.
Fireworks, Horse Racing,
III and Dancing.
DRAWING OF PRIZES.
MIR. Krugel Gets the Farm. James
Mclean Z Piano. Cheritree & Far.
well Ditt0..The Other Lucky
Persons.

Mclean Plano. Cheritree & Far.
wen Ditto..The Other Lucky
Persons.
Rain early Saturday morning followed
by cloudy forenoon threatened to make a
failure ofthe great celebration at this place.
While the clouds rolled away before noon,
the unfavorable opening of the day kept
many hundreds of persons away; so that
while the attendance was very large it was
not at all what it would have been with a
bright morning.
A national salute was fred at sunrise.-
About ten o'clock the Fire Department Of
the city formed in procession and headed
by the St. Cloud and Sank Rapids brass
bands, and followed by the Sank Centre
band, marched through the principalstreete
and to the Driving Park-Deputy Sheriff
Mickey being Marshal of the Day. At the
grounds. as on the way, the bands played
national and other airs in capital STYLE
The music was all beyond the average Of
that given by brass bands, that by the Sank
Centre band being especially good. St.
Johns College band was also present during
part of the day.
AT the Driving Park Capt. West had lef,
undone nothing which could add to the
success of the celebration. Fountains were
playing near the entrance. Floral Hall
was gaily decorated with flags, banners and
wreaths, as were also the long lines of eat
ing booths forming an avenue shaded by
the overhanging boughs of trees. The
numerous stands for the music, committees,
etc., rooted by branches of trees. Inside OF
Floral Hall were many of the prizes. The
crowds of people, constantly increasing in
numbers until we'll along in the afternoon,
enjoyed themselves examining these prizes,
promenading through the grounds, and in
such other ways as their tasteeinclined them
toward. At II o'clock there was an exhi-
bition of thoroughbred stock, including
some of the most celebrated horses in the
State.
Twelve o'clock arriving, number of in
vited guests with Mayor Evans and Col.
King in the advance, headed by the bands
and the Fire Department, marched in pro-
cession from Floral Hall to the dining
tables, where an immense multitude of peo-
pie were already seated. A blessing was
asked by the Rev. w. E. Stanley. Several
thousand hungry mortals then fell to
work to dispose Of the endless quantity Of
good things which had been provided. The
supply held out against not only this at
tack, but through Sunday and Monday also.
A large platform had been erected for
the accommodation of the singers and
speaker, and at about two o'clock large
choir under the direction of Prof. Rhys
gave the stirring song, "America," after
which the Declaration of Independence was
read in clear and distinct tones by Prof. A.
Haines. Prof.>Rhvs than sang the "Red,
White and Blue with full chorus, and a
slight variation of the wording at the close
| whereby Capt. West and his hotel were
| mentioned, brought down "the house."
After the singing Of this air, Mayor Evans,
the President of the Day, introduced the
Hon. w. S. King, member of Congress from
this District, who delivered the following
address
Mr.. Mcyor, Ladies and Gentlemen, Fellow
Citizens.
I give you hearty greeting on this ami
versary day of National Independence
Ninety-nine years ago, our Fathers gave to
the world that great declaration of princi-
pies upon which they founded the Repub-
lie; that declaration which notified mon
archy and kingcraft that new era had
dawned upon mankind, and that, from that
eventful hour forward, mans right to civil
and religious freedom was to be asserted
and maintained in America. One hundred
years ago, even before that declaration was
given to the world, the rolling drum and
the rafting of musketry on Bunker Hill
announced to mankind that the great
struggle for selfgovernment had already
begun. How the contest began and how it
ended the whole world knows by heart
The grasp of monarchy upon the new
world was broken. The rights and free
dom, and the grand prerogative of self
government were established. The great
Republic was born, and from that hour to
this has grown in grandeur and in power.
The rights and liberties contended for on
Bunker Hill are still maintained and o.
credly guarded by the successors of the
noble men of that day, and kingcraft and
monarchy have at last tired of waiting for
that time when a free government
for free men should be abandon
ed as q failure. More than that, fellow
citizens, the spirit of that simple yet divine
truth that "al1 men are created free and
equar which has been the inspiration of
our own national life, has gone forth over
the world, until to-day, under its electric
power, the nations are in the throes Of a
| new birth and the peoples are slowly but
surely emerging into new and higher life
of civil and religious liberty. Here at
home we sit in the quiet and undisturbed
enjoyment of free church, of free schools,
of freedom in thought and action with no
disturbing force or power to modest or
make US afraid.
The march and progress of this new civ
ilization have been without rival among
| the nations of ancient or modern times.
The men who one hundred years ago dared
to brave the power of that tyranny which
held the world in its grasp, and who, in
uttering those sublime truths flung boldde-,
6ance in the face of armed and organized
oppression !; who, having declared their
faith, wentunhesitatingly to the field of death
TO maintain that faith, did not stop in their
great work when the physical struggle was
ended. There was yet other and, perhaps
still greater, work for them to do. The
principles and theories for which they had
so nobly contended had now to be mould
ed into material facts. If, as they SO truth
fully claimed, "all men were created free
and equal" with the right and the capacity
for selfgovernment, it remained for them
to show to an anxious world the better re-
suits of this new doctrine with which they
had shaken the dynasties of earth. And
right nobly did they perform that duty,
How we'll we may readily determine as We
look back over the broad field which
American civilization has traversed. Start.
ing from a bleak and desolate ocean coast
it has dotted an empire with great and
prosperous cities. 1t has decked the great
rivers and inland seas of our country with
the countless banners of commerce. 1t ba{
masked like a gridiron the whole III
with railways. 1t has trained the light.
ming to travel on its wirey track to almost
| every hamlet in the Rennhlic in the ger.