The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-04-20
IMMENSE CROWDS AND IMPOSING
CEREMONIES.
At Lexington.

Gus day for America" one hundred years ago.
At five o'clock the historic old town was IN
stinct With lie and hustle, and with ringing OF
bells and booming of cannon the imagination
readily REQUIRED to the distant past, when the
embattled farmers stood upon the green and
resolved, ST there must be war that it should
begin there" Long before day, carriages,
wagons and pedestrians began pouring INTO tne
town. Booths and extemporized restaurants
went up on every corner, and conspicuous amid
the patriotic enthusiasm of the occasion shone
the national instinct for gain. :,
A ga. No. the whole town was alive with
moving, bustling humanity, and the monster
tents with their gay decorations, flags and
streamers flutteriDg from every house, present.
ed at once a most cheering and inspiring intiu-
ence.
The arrangements in every particular were
most complete. The monster tent in which
was served the grand dinner presented re-
markably striking appearance. 1t is 40 feet
long and 20 feet wide, with central wing l50
feet long, with plates for $40 persons. Every
seat had been disposed by this morning, and
the most exorbitant prices were asked and Of
fers made by those who had and those who had
not tickets The main tent, in which the ora
ton, unwilling of the statues, etc., took place,
was provided with seats for 4000 The first
train from Boston came crowded, and from all
the adjoining towns hundreds swarmed TO ire
scene.
LEXINGTON, April 19.-The exercises in the
tent on b06 OOulIDOn thO oPSh-D >
address by Thos. NJ. Stetson, President of the
day. prayer by Rev. Mr.. Westcott, hymns by
the Boylston Ciud and the unwilling OF the
statues by Hon. Chas. Hudson. Hon. Rlchard
H. Dana, jr., delivered an GRAFTON and a bene-
diction followed. Military music brought the
tent exercises to finale.
The procession was Immediately formed, and
followed out the line of route as previously
arranged. The President and numerous other
celebrities failed to put in an appearance, the
majority of them devoting the morning to
Concord. In point of numbers, however, the
procession was even in excess of the most
sanguIne expectations, extending distance OF
between two and three miles. Owing 10 the
non-arrva of the Pres ientlal party from
Concord, who were to review, delay OF over
an hour was 4used, and the immense throng
of spectators, as well as the thousands in the
procession, were subjected to biting, piercing
east wind -auyth but conducive to patriot
ism. The many muttered grumbllngs might
have been heard around the word by touch
of poetic license.
{ At length, about p. M, the march was re-
sumed, aud passing in review before the Presl-
dent and suite, the procession was dismissed
and a grand rad was made upon the mammoth
dinner tent. Owing to the lateness OF the
hour at which the procession disoanded, tne
mann moth dinner tent was not thrown open to
ticket holders till p. m. SO dense was the
crowd surrounding it on all sides that all those
entitled 10 admission did not succeed IN effect
ing an entrance before o'clock. The pre-
arranged programme contemplated "a regular
toasts but the lateness of the hour and the
very chilly temperature necessitated serious
curtaiment The table assigned to the Presl-
dent and other distinguished guests, embracing
members of the Cabinet, Gems. Banks, Burn
side, Benham, Gov. Castor and staff, and
others to the number of about 100, were ranged
along the side of the tent. Upon raised chair
Hon. Jos. Newman Stetson, President OF the
OCCASION occupied seat in the centre, and, as
soon as proper consideration for 4OO0 halt
famished individuals would admit, announced
in brief speech the expected literary banquet.
The toasts, as given, We're: :,
"The President of the United States"
Responded to in the usual manner by his ex-
cellency.
"The dead of Lexington"
Responded to by Gen. Banks.
1.-THE orator of the day.
MIR. Richard Fl. Dana, jr., in witty and
most felictious speech, ELECTED unusual ap-
plause.
Estate of South Carolina"-Never will Mas.
sacbusetts forget the proud response OF South
Carolina the very night size heard the war note
from Lexington. Gov. Chamberlain may veto
every thing he wishes. but he must not veto
our earnest respect for voice from the Pal-
metto state to the Pine.
Gov. Chamberlain of South Carolina, who
responded, was received with much applause,
as were his sentiments of earnest desire for
complete and early restoration of true fraternal
fee between the two great common
wealths.
Gov. CASTOR believed that on the 10Th of April
and on the historic grounds of Concord and
Lexington. Mass. needed no one to speak for
her
england and the United States
No regular response was given TINS TOAST, Dut
in lieu letter was read from England expire
mier Gladstone.
Bench and bar
Response by Chief Justice Gray of Mass.
''The colleges and universities.
Major Gen. Joshua L. Chamberlain, exGov.
of Maine and President OF Bowdoin College,
RESPONDED in most graceful and eloquent adj
dress.
1.-THE commerce of the United States"
Response by Elliott G. Ccwden, Esq of New
York chamber.
''The North and South"
r In response to complimentary call of the
President, Gen. VIM. +. Bartlett of Mass.
made a remarkable and beautiful speech refer
ring to Southern soldiers.
To the toast, "Our sister town Concord the
President read a letter of greeting signed by
Judge E. r. Hoar and delivered by President
Grant.
The toast "Women of the revolution"
brought out Edward Everett Hale.
1t was now past p. M, and the shiverng
audience reduced to few hundreds who quick
ly hurried to the nearest warmth and shelter.
Having but single track the Boston & Lowell
Railrrad with the most skilful management,
found its resource wholly inadequate to trans
port the immense numbers of people eager to
leave the scene Between 3 p. m. and one
hundred and twenty cars crowded to- their ut
most capacity have passed over the road to
Boston, and yet at that hour about 20, 600 men,
women and children were anxousIy jostling
each other in and around the depot. Finally
about d. m. a train of forty cars with three
engines was started and at 1880 reached Bos-
ton.
At 8 o. m. a promenade concert and ball was
inaugurated in the grand cent which was brill
liantIy illuminated and its gay decorations
and moving throng presented an enlivening ap-
pearance Supper was served at IL o CLOCK ana
at this boar dar cling is sill in progress.
Attendance at the celebration far exceed in
points of numbers any possible expectations.
The Lowell railroad officials estimate the
transportation of 100000 souls over their road to
aud from Lexington and Concord during the
day.
CONCORD, April 19-The day opened cool
Init pleasant. A full platoon of artillery fired
a salute at dawn near the old north bridge.
The reveille quo was responded to by the rug
ing OF bells and beating OF drums, and an hour
after sunrise the inaugural feature OF the Cd
servance was concluded. The morning salute
was fred by battery A LIST light artillery, IN
command of Captain e. Q. langley OF Boston.
People poured in by every conceivable avenue
and the town was soon full. Procession started
about half past 10 and was about two miles
long, about 5000 people participating. Process
sion passed down Main street to the square ana
thence over the historic road to battle ground,
where the French monument OF the minute
man was unveiled amid firing of guns. The
procession was magnificently brilliant and was
in five divisions
The first contained the 9Th Mass. Regiment
and escort to all the commanders on monument
and day, the independent corps of cadets, and
Governor CASTOR of Massachusetts and staff.
Then come the LIEUT. Governor of Mass. and
members of council, state officers, Sheriff of
Mi6dlesex, Judges of Sup. Jud. Court Judges
of Superior, Probate aud other courts, New
buryport Veteran Association, President of
Senate of Mass, Speaker of House of Repre-
sentatives of Mass. joint committee of Senate
and House of Representatives, members of the
Senate of Mass. and Gouse of Representatives
of Mass.
la the second division came the q. S. Marine
Band aud Concord Artillery as escort to the
President of the United States. General Grant
was accompanied by Vice President Wilson,
Secretary Fish aud General Babcock Besides
these were Secretaries Belknap, Deano and
Richardson, aud Postmas er Jewell. Then
there were Senators Dawes aud Boutwell,, Gen.
Burbank, Commodore Nichols and Representa-
tives Burleigh Of Maine, Hoar of Mass. and
Others Then came U. S. Judges.