Knoxville Whig and chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1875-1882, 1875-04-28
MISCELLANEOUS.
CONCORD LEXINGTON.
Reviving Revolutionary Traditions.

ANV'ANAhS hVNVluOlOHdly AloulbAVho'
In Concord the day opened cool but
pleasant. A full platoon of artillery
fired salu Z at dawn near the old
North Bridge. The reveille gun was
responded TO by the ringing of bells
and the beating of drums, aud an hour
after sunrise the inaugural feature of
the observance was concluded. The
morning salute was fired 10y battery A =,
OF the first light artillery, in com
mand of Captain +. G. Langley, Of
Boston. The town is Overw helmed by
people, aud the trains can not accom-
MEDIATE the extraordinary rush. The
railroads temporarily ceased to sell
tickets, aud they were at premium.
The exercises according 10 the pro-
sgra ume progressed smoothly amidst
the greatest enthusiasm.
THE GATHERING CROWD.
The crowd OF carriages anu teams
from the neighboring towns and viii
lagos began to arrive as early as half.
past six, and from that time to noon
there was hardly any cessation in the
continuous stream of travel which set
into town from all directions. BY 10
O'Clock there were on the lowest esti-
mate as many as 10000 people in the
streets along which the procession was
TO pass. Most of the spectators massed
themselves In streets aud fields near
the Fitchburg depot. from which the
line was to start. Remarkably good
order was preserved. ..s....
A procession was formed, prominent
in which was President Grant, Vice
President Wilson, Geu. Burnside, and
other prominent men. An. address
was delivered by Ralph Waldo Emer-
son, and an GRAFTON 10y George William
Curtis.
Before the Grafton was concluded the
chilliest of winds began to blow, and a
large portion of the audience dispersed.
All the Settles gave way under the
great pressure. The President left
before the Grafton was concluded, and
was driven, at his own request, in a
private carriage to Lexington, Gov.
Castor and staff going by train.
THE BIG DINNER.
BY the time the people had crushed
into the dinner tent, little before two
O'Clock, the day was excessively cold
with snow falling occasionally. Judge
E. r. Hoar presided. On his right
were Ralph Waldo Emerson, the Rev.
Grindall Reynolds, chaplain of the
day, and Gen. Hawley; on his left
were George William Curtis, Speaker
Blaine and Senator Boutwell,. The
Governors of the New England States
occupied tables near by, with their
stats.
THE ToAsTs, ETC.
After dinner was disposed of, Judge
Hoar made an address and gave the
first regular toast: 1.-The nineteenth
of April, 1775." In the absence OF the
President, Speaker Blaine responded
in patriotic speech.
a Paul Revere's ride was toasted, and
q grandson of Mr.. Revere was called
out Mr.. Wood responded for Acton.
Senator Boutwell, was then called out,
and was followed by Governors Inger-
soil, of Connecticut Peck, of Yer
mont, and Dingley, of Maine. George
William Curtis responded for Rhode
Island. Gen. Hawley, of Connect
cut, also spoke. Judge Hoar made an
address on some relics, and exhibited
them. and to close, read a letter OF
Frederick Douglass, which breathed the
true spirit of the occasion. This
brought the exercises to close.
At Lexington the day was ushered
in with cloudless SIX y, and the Their
mometer at twenty degrees. At five
O'Clock the town was instinct with life
and hustle, resonant with ringing bells
and booming cannon. Long before
day carriages, wagons and pedestri-
ans began pouring in. Booths and ex-
tempOrized restaurants went up on
every corner, and conspicuous in the
patriotic hubbub shone the national
instinct for gain. By nine o'clock the
scene was inspiring, the thousands of
people, the flying banners, muster
tents and general hustle conspiring to
have grand effect. The monster tent
in which was served the centennial
dinner presented astriking appearance.
1t is 40 feet long and 20 feet wide,
with central wing $50 feet long, and
with plates for $40 persons. Every
seat had been disposed of this morn
ing, and most exorbitant prices were
asked and offers made by those who
had and those who had not tickets.
The main tent, in which the Grafton
was delivered and the statues of Han
cock and Adams were unveiled, had
seats for 1000. Trains from Boston
and everywhere else came crowded to
the town, and it is estimated from
forty to fifty thousand persons were
present before the procession moved.
The statute of Hamilton was unveil-
ed by Frederick Hudson after which
Richard II. Dana delivered an grafton.
The exercises closed with a grand din
ner at which toasts were proposed and
responded to by various gentlemen.
In response to the toasts VIM. +. Bart
lett, of Massachusetts, said
GAS an American / am as proud of
the men who charged so bravely with
Pickett's division on our lines at Get
tysburg as / am of the men who brave
ly met and repulsed them there"
Men can not always choose the right
cause, but when having chosen that
which their conscience dictated they
are ready to die for it, if they justify
not their cause they at least ENABLE
themselves, and the men who. for con-
science sake, fought against their gov
eminent at Gettysburg, ought easily to
be forgiven by the sons of men who,
for conscience sake, fought against
their government at Lexington and
Bunker Hill.
ooh, sir. as Massachusetts was first
in war, so let her be first in peace, and
she shall forever be first in the hearts
of her COuntrVmen y