The star. (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1874-1875, 1875-04-19
TIL. Contsnnis, Celebration To-day.


being celebrated the centennial OF the
fret battle Of the Revolution, which oc-
curred on the 10Th OF April, Its. These
towns are rivals In the claim for the
honor Of firing the first gun of the Reyo.
luton. The people of Lexington claim,
and quote history to back their claim,
that the first glln was fred at that place,
and the. first blood shed in defense Of
American liberties, while those Of Com
cord advance similar claims and present
as striking historical proof.
An affidavit OF Captain Parker, Of Lex
ingtOn, ia exhibited, to the effect that the
British attacked the militia at tLexington
on the 10Th and killed eight persons.
The Concord people, on the other hand,
exhibit an affidavit Of Colenel Barrett OF
that place to the effect that on the 18th
an engagement took place between the
militia and the British iorces at Concord.
in which two of the militia and four of
the tired coats" were killed and several
wounded. .. .4
The two towns have heretofore united
in celebrations of the day, but to-day
being the centennial, the rivalry has
arisen to such an extent that each place
is holding celebration Of its own, with
PROFESSIONS, speeches, firing of cannon,
and demonstration of like nature.
The details OF the proposed celebra-
tioDs are thus given by the New York
Herald, of Thursday last. The arrange-
ments at Lexington are on a grand scale.
An immense pavilion has been erected
on the green capable of seating $500 per-
sens at dinner at u single service. 1t
has sold nearly 1000 tickets for the meal.
1t has no end OF aftek-dinner arrange
ments, and its speakers would talk peo-
pie to death with their patriotism and
egotism and their threadbare history, a
little the worse tor the many hands
through which it has passed, did not q
substantial dinner precede the post prdn-
dial exercises.
MIR. Charles Hudson, an old resident
of the place and the historian OF Lexing-
ton, is to deliver the address on the occa-
sion. The GRAFTON will be delivered by
Mr.. Richard Henry Dana, jr. There is
to be a poem also, believe, and pro-
cession, as a matter of course, and the
President and the Cabinet and the Gov
ernor and the Legislature-General
Court, l think, they call it in~Massachu-
setts-are to come down from Concord
and take part in 1t and in all that fol-
lows. ....
They wanted General Grant in the
morning, but Concord also wanted him
at that time, and believe has secured
him. Indeed, tue bitterest part OF The
struggle was over the possession of His
Excellency, and though the town is
ueaten in this respect L should not won-
der il the Presidential eyes would see a
bigger demonstration in Lexington in
the afternoon than at Concord in the
earlier part of the day. The whole affair
is to be altogether grand and excep-
tional.
Concord, too, has made preparations
on as grand scale as those OF LeXing-
ton. The programme is very elaborate,
and the details for the whole day are
well marked out. Of course there Will
be the inevitable salute OF hundred
guns and the ringing OF every church
6elI in Tire town at daybreak.
Tire next event in order will be the for
nation OF the monster procession, which
is set down for 8 O'Clock. EFne escort
of the PROCESSION will consist of the
Fifth Massachusetts Regiment, and the
whole Will be under the nafshalship Of
General Francis Z. Barlow. There will
he no less than five divisions, and as a
civic and military spectacle it will
probably surpass anything ever' betvre
Witnessed III MASSACHUSETTS. e..-l.
The First division will be made up of the
regiment Of escort, and the n0taDiities
in line will consist of all those who are
the day, together with the several COM
mittees, the Judges of the Supreme
Court, the Governor and other State
and the members of both
branches OF the State Legislature, the
latter being under escort of the Boston
Cadets and the Newburyport Veterans.
In the second division will be the Presi-
dent and Vice President OF the United
States, members Of the Cabinet, Justices
Of the Supreme Court, General of the
United States Army and STAFF, Admiral
Of the. United States Navy and staff,
Senator's and Representatives and other
officials OF the federal government, the
escort consisting OF the old Concord Ar
tillery. The third division will comprise
The New England Governors.
The Fourth division will embrace the
College dignitaries and repre-
of various Massachusetts as
soclations, escort duty being performed
by the old Sixth. Regiment Association
and the active Minute Men,. The Fifth
and last division will be made up OF citi-
zens generally, and il is anticipated that
the procession, as a whole, Will be sew
eral miles in length.
After visiting the monuments at OLD
North Bridge the line of march will be
taken up to a pavilion on the Provincial
Parade Ground--ln other words, the bat
tle-teld of 1775, where the statue OF a
man." already in position, is to-
be unveiled, with an address by Ralph
w Waldo Emerson, and where there are to-
be heard an GRAFTON by Geo. William Cur
It's, and poem by James Russell LOWELL
and possibly an atter-dinner etfusioh by
Henry Wadsworth Longteilow.
the statue, Is a work Of exceptional in
tefest, and, it is claimed, OF exceptional
merit. 1t is cast in bronze from cannon
voted by Congress, and was designed
and modelled by Mr.. ID. Z. French. Ii is
,he picture OF all ''embattled farmer''
eaying his plough to enroll himself
among the high spirits of liberty. The
is description OF this work OF
art: .l..
1t is of semi-heroic measure, somewhat
more than seven ieet in height, gener-
,usiy proportioned, and is elevated upon
! fine pedestal 0tgranite.. 1t represents
| young man turning at The hurrying
,all of the messenger from his labors
n the field and instantly ready for
iuty. His LETT hand rests a moment
IN O, handle of his abandoned plow.
across whose upper brace his coat
IS flung; his right hand grasps the old
iint-lock musket; he rests on his lett
DOT, while his right is just leaving the
ground behind-the whole attitude fndi-
eating a moments pause, as if to listen.
The 1igure Is atlired in the traditional
ontINAutal eoa atlIma, and will nraaorvo