The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-04-19

Its history and kindred associations have already
been luIIy described IN the HERALD This evening
the spirc showed form Its lanterns the same as a
hundred years arc tonight. Within there were
commemorative and appropriate exercises. cnief
among which was the following address by Presl-
dent Loring, OF .ha Massachusetts 5enate:-
GEORGE D. LoRHG's GRAFTON.
FELLOW CITIZENS: 1t seems to have fallen to
my lot, on this centennial year OF the earliest
steps Of the great American Revolution, to dis
cuss those significant and heroic events which
attended the opening OF the conflict, and which
first gave evidence OF the defiant spirit OF free
dom which characterized the fathers OF the
Republic. 1t is but few weeks since was
called on to present the picture OF revolutionary
Salem, and to pay tribute to her magninlty
and her honor, when her zone hundred and
twenty-five patriots declared in written address
that they had common cause with the oppressed
town of Boston, and would in no way take adj
vantage OF the prohibition OF her trade" and to
summon the attention or grateful people 70
the brave stand taken by Pickering and his men
at the North Bridge. at an hour when British
power was yet considered supreme and Ameri-
can yalor was yet untred. And IN this service
do indeed rejoice. 1t was the dawI
o great heroic chapter in histor
marked by the most brilliant and e
streaks of light, and which charms t N4sU
with the freshness and vigor OF ulris4ns day.
The heroes who set the first watch-itres are The
heroes whom we love. We indeed admire the
majestic march Of great armies and are i'm
pressed with the thunders OF the captains and
the shouting; but now our very hearts move
within us as we contemplate the midnight
march of the little band, which, unaided by
civil power, without an inspiring past or
supporting present, or even an open
ing future, sales forth, strong itself
alone, to strike the first blow and to set the first
inspiring example. 1t is SO great and noble to
lead the way that we worship him who does 1t.
He who starts forth in o holy cause without fear
of consequences or hope of reward Is crowned
at once as the hero or is cherished as the martyr.
And the simple vaior OF the opening conflict rs
far outsnines the imposing tunlult Of great bat
ties and the glittering pageantry OF victory as
the glory OF the morning rises superior to the
blaze OF MONDAY or the mild light OF the setting
sun. We do indeed rejoice over the dav at York
town, but we linger around Pickering at North
Bridge, and Parker at Lexington, and Davis at
Concord, and Prescott ut Bunker Hill, and we
listen aud listen and listen to the words OF
Quincy and Otis and Adams and wander along
The dark passages of the town with Dorr and Re-
we're, and climb the mysterious starways with
the sexton to hang out the signal lantern from
the North church steeple, and muse with ever
new delight upon the thoughts and emotions
winch inspired the heroic actors in these tas-
cinating scenes.
AND so IT COMES TO PAs9
that the event which we have met TO comment
crate is full Of charm and meaning, and arrests
our attention with force which cannot be re-
sisted. The part performed by the community
which hundred years ago occupied the spot
where we have now assembled has 4 deep and
profound interest, equs!led only by the deUds
which rendered Marathon aud ThernsIpyla, and
Client, and Burgess, and Plymouth the immortal
names Tor herclsm and sef-sacritce. The feeble
ray shed rom this church spire on the night OF
April Is, 1775, shone not simply to warn the mes
sengers Of their duty toward the slnmbering
patriots along the road to Lexington and Con-
cord, but II streamed across the land Us signal
from revolutionary Boston to people determined
to be free. Ali eady was tho town fixed as the
North Star OF freedom in the ornament or
the heavens. Not populoas. she was already
great and powerful. Her churches ana her
schoolhouses were even then her pride. Her
people had Tor generations manifested q lofty
tone OF character, and had been guided by that
integrity and honesty which has always marked
her career. Her prosperity was universal. Her
popular leaders we're men OF great power OTIS,
with his flaming tongue; Samuel Adams,
with his deep aud untlring courage
and sagncity; John Adams, with his imretuous
impulse; Hancock. with his dignity and dea-
ance; Joseph Warren, with his fresh and vigor-
Gus enthusiasm and his manly deses rainatlon;
Josiah Quincy, Jr., the silver-toagued orator OF
freedom, and Paul Revere, "the great leader OF
mechanics" and tho vigilant and bloRploss de-
fender of popular right. Her dlvines. Chsuncy
and Cooper and Eliot aud Lathrop, thunderec
from their pulpits in the cause OF Freedom, so
that tho enemy said OF "Sogne Of the
ministers arc continually In their sermons stir
ring up the people 70 resistance, an instance OF
which lately happened in this neighoorhood,
where the minister, 10 get his hearers to sign
some iDAammatory papers, advanced that the
signing OF them was . material circumstance 70
their salvation, on which they few TO the pom
with an oaRernsss that sufficiently testified their
belief 10 tter phstor." or hor mechanics
rockingham eloqnenty says:--"The Boston
mechanics, as . general thing, were the early
and steady supporters OF the patriot cause. No
temptation could allure them, no threats could
terrlry them. no tory argument could reach
them. In vain did the loyalisss endeavor TO
tamner with them. They certainly carry al be-
fore them, letter says.
A THE TROOPS rarcxENrD N BOSTON
some hvIng in town and some non the country,
without much thought, accepted the chances to
work on barracks for their accommodation. 1t
did not, however, last long. Thus morning,
Naval writes S,1terlber "a 1774 all tho caroen-
tiers OF tee town aud country that we're employed
in building barracks for tine soldicry left or
work at the barracks.' British god could not
buy Boston labor. New England holds out
wonderfully, letter in September says, not
understanding hundreds are already ruined and
thousands halt starved Loyalisis from abroad