The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-04-27
The Justifiable Rebellion OF a
Hundred Years Ago.
The Old North Church.
Success the Test Of Merit.
The Celebration at Concord.
The Homes Of Alcott, Emerson, Thoreau
and uawthornc-A Ride in a
Peanut WagO,.
The Old North Church.
Success the Test Of Merit.
The Celebration at Concord.


Boston, April 20, 1875.
Dear Bulletin The telegraph and Associated
Press dispatches have doubtless informed
every one in New Orleans of the grand cen
tennial celebration of the 10Th Of April in
Concord and Lexington and Of the things done
and said by the celebrities present, but it may
not be uninteresting to read about the expe.
riences of one party of people who were de-
tcrmined to be patriotic in honor Of the oc.
casion. For myself, it has been many weary
years since patriotic fervors had stirred my
soul, aud twas in search Of an almost forgot
ten sensation joined the excursion party.
We were seven-three ladies. two gentlemen
and two boys. Like the travellers in the Can
terbury Tales, we were for the nonce mem
bers Of one family, and for the past ten days
we-representatives of the far West, of Lou
isiana, of New England-mads the story Of
1875 the subject of our table talk. One had
a great-grandfather who fired one of the
never to-be-forgotten shots; another told q
narrowing tale Of suffering endured on board
la prison ship by a maternal ancestor, while
yet another boldly boosted of Tory ancestry
and uttered reasonable sentiments against
sham republics All were agreed, however,
that it was the duty of the hour to see what
was to be seen, and do as nearly as possible
all that was done by everybody else
OF course we began to be patriotic on Sum
day, and sought out churches where the
sermons were not specially directed against
the sins Of the present, but rather recounted
| the virtues and prowess of ye olden time.
The most interesting service of the day was
that held in the old North Church on Salem
street. Here it was on the 18th Of April,
1775, the sexton of the church hung out two
lanterns to tell the watching Paul Revere
that the British were en- route for Concord by
land. We stood o moment outside to look at
the historic tower. A quaint, old-fashioned
steeple lowered gray in the moonlight, and
the shadows played with the moonbeams
over the graves of the pilgrims, who have
slept quietly near the church for two hum
dred and fifty years. How still their sleep
In this unrestful present, how one envies
their repose!
The lanterns-in memoriam hung on
the steeple, in exactly the same spot from
which they had ono hundred years ago sent
warning light. The chimes rang out just as
the lanterns were put in place, and our hearts
were moved by the music of lang syne,
played upon bells. sent to America as a gift
by George II, Of Great Britain, and Of the
colonies Of North America. The church was
very beautifully decorated, national colors |
and State flags were in graceful festoons |
round the walls, and superb flowers, in large
quantities. were tastefully disposed about the |
chancel. These flowers were the gift of the |
family Of Paul Revere. A grandson Of
the famous Paul was present and |
made o speech. The communion table was |
resplendent with the magnificent set Of |
plate presented to the church by George II,
and the SEINE king was the donor of the large |
bible and prayer books used Sunday night |
During the time of this monarch, friendly re-
lations existed between the mother country
and the colonies; it remained for George III,
with Dutch obstinscy, to demand through his
generals, increasing taxation upon the colo
MES. The Constitutional Gazette, published in
New York in 1775, tells the story in this wise:
'.Rudely forced to drink tea, Massachusetts,,
in anger, spills the tea on John Bull. John
falls on to slaughter Massachusetts, engaged,
calls her neighbors to aid, and gives Master
John severe bastinade. Now, good men of
the law pray, who is in fault The one who
begun or resents an ASSAULT"
This same assault began the rebellion, and
the Confederate States claimed their freedom
under the title of United States of America
Oh how that word confederate carries my
thoughts back, and live over again the weary
time Of unsuccessful yet heroic struggle, when
for principle and property our Southern Con-
federacy fought the world. Success seems
the test of merit. Yesterday all the world was
IN sympathy with America. kilograms were
received from nearly every nation in Europe;
cannon was fired, tocsins were sounded, bells
rang out their chimes speeches were made
md dinners eaten, all in honor of successful
rebellion one hundred years ago, and yet to-
lay Louisiana is in chains. Vampires fatten ,
IN her body polite; the tax-gather and usurer
it in high places; the central government is I
rushing courage and energy out Of our peo-
,le, and why? All because Of an unsuccess-
ul rebellion scarce a dozen years ago Some
lay. perhaps, we will be one people, and know I
10 North or South. La
But l have wandered far from the Old 8
lorth Church. 1 hasten back to tell you of !,
he crowd, so closely packed there was scarce
'reathing room, Of the memory-stirring vol t
ntary "Auld Lang Syne" on the organ, Of !
he grand chorus, $40 thee, oh country, i
rent and free"
My pen cannot do justice to the agreeable
peeches Of Col. Walker, DR.. Loring, and i
theirs, who were listened to with marked at c
ention during the evening. Suffice to say
red party reached home at 10 p. NJ, de-
outly thankful that the first part Of our
programme was completed. G
After an early breakfast on the never-to-be- v
,rgo,ten 10th of April, We were ready to take e