New-York tribune., 1877-08-07
THE ADDRESS OF WELCOME.

THE ADDRESS OF WELCOME.
| NEw-YoRK HISTORY WORTHY OF MORE STUDY.
At o'clock the address of welcome was pro-
nouuced By Horatio Seymour. He described Sew-York
the central point in the Of the Revolutionary
Wa and the Colonial capital and said that us history
should be diligently studied than it j.. to UNDER
stand the histories OF other states rightly His address
fol Ows:
All who are the glory country; all who love 70
study the history OF the events which have shaped our
civilization, Government and laws all who seek 20 life
uD the virtues Of our people by filing up their ninds
with 10 fty standards OF patr osm. Will rejoice that we
here to-day this battlefield to honor the
devotion displayed here one hundred years ago,
The sacred duty in which engaged does not
merely concern the memories OF the dead 10 tea chos
the duties and eeyates the charact OF the living Tho
command that honor fathers Is not only gori:
requirement. but it Is grand maxim OF iarisT-
Those who think and speak Of virtue and patrl
otism in their own and the minds Of others, tie
seeds Of yrtue and patriotism. The OF
Mohawk will be wiser and better FOR this gathering upon
the spot where their fathers fought and SUI
| cred and bled to uphold the cause OF this country.
The preparation for this celebration ~ the events of the
day. the facts which will be brought to liglt and tho
duties wnicn VIII De taught. vii, In some degree, tell
upon tie cii'accr 9I every i' Dfoi9 ne 4"t5 wv
do more. They viii revive the legends 0f tha past in
every h0usenO IN tins valley. They viii give them cur
r,ucy among al classes and weave them INTO tle wool
ana warn OF popular EhoNI u-e 9Llth lt' "'s if,hs
viii be revived AID stamped upon the memories 0f the
!
and streams teachers of virtue II gives new interest
the Of our Iyer ana our valley for henceior
thcy Will recall minds more clearly the cv nts OF
the past Every SPOT noted Tor some stirring act VIII
hereafter, pass them by, Remind MS of Tie deeds
- fathers Tie Old churches and homes built when
var when nm. valley was desJated by torch aud toma
haWk, Will grOw more sacred in our eyes Their tmo-
walls VIII teach us ~ tbeir silent way 10 thlnk
OF suffering. OF biOodshed, Of ruthless nyases moro
dreadful and prolonged than were endured elsewhere
during the Revolutionary struggle. - -
IN their ue night Historins Eaye done nuch ana Wen
IN making the records Of tie past But ner rcalFhaye
not yet become they should be- part OF the general
intelligence Of people. Views are distorted by loo al
or Tit proper pcr,prctiyes THIS is mainly due o tho
neglect o. history by NeW-iork There Is dlmness
in the popular vision ABOUT thi3 great central source
and theatre OF events which have shaped the ciy-
| tnzaton, usag's and government oi ms Cohu-
nent. This 5 not only wrong 10 cur state, bat 10
our Uuio. II has left the annals o other sections DIS
jouted from relationships 10 the great body II
our traditions TINS want Oi AN UNDERSTANDING ot the
affairs OF New York has been % the history o our con-
! Try wat the conquest BY Britain of rs stonghohs
during Revolution would have been to the American
cause. 1t has br, ken its unity 1t has made Oroai
ned OF separation between ia paths, which ba, made 70
difficult to get clear conceptions oil us uy and lis CEN
Let u.s. VINO live along the course Of the Mohawk. now
upon duty OF making its history As familiar as
n9riot are narsc by monuments Let suiteb struc-
lures tell the citizens Of other states and c0unit "a, ihey
pass aJu tnOrOughlre, where It's great events we're
enro,, arts a. ana a. ,drs,tS o,r MINIS In n moi be
by OF act Of te Legislature, but 10y virtue
Of our own efforts and PATRIOTISM Let Us Mt ook
Oues OF those who here served their country.
Thar 1Int 9nose circe has been broken by death 10 let
strangers come in aud perform the last sacred once 10
departed kindred Lot our colleges teach their stu
dents the history OF the jurisprudence OF Nc"loik and
it will make them citizens when they enter upon
the duties Of life. Let our more youthful scholars 30
taught the events ana traditions Mhcn mtAe
our hills instinct with glowing interest let
tho family circle by ihe hfssue s nI earn ui1S iHS
glowing pride tell TO her offspring what tnose OF thelr
own blood and huease ana Tor tnelt COUNTY, @eiare 80
tnat patriotism should be kind,ed al eaeh h,'iSone:
Let man give OF hls abundance ana tie poor
what he with willing heart and then when monu-
mens shall stand on TINS hed ana on olhei spots eohso-
cIaed by the ashes u those VINO persisted for tcr cou'
try, such monuments VIII not only show tlat tae memo
the dead have been hunOIed but that tie living
are Intelligent, ylrtuous and patriotic
the region stretching from the Atlantic TO the Mississippi
from tie Great Lakes To he present satc OF North Caro-
lima, under the control OF the lIOquoIs. Ihey gained
t strf From taep. thSy followed ine dycPeEg val.
which gave them pathways ipO the country OF their
enemies, div lded by the cham OF mountains
which separated the after they lad taken tueir
courses the highlands of New York FormOre than
canary conquest m acns and diplomacy was carried on
between Great Britain ana France for the control of tho
system mountains aud rivers OF this State, which made
oquois tine masters OF all the adjacent tribes. Al
banyat the confluence Oh tue Mohawk and Hudson De-
the colonial capital OF the BRUSH settlement IL was
the pont from which, DUNG tie ons course OF me French
war; most ol the hlhtfy eNpcul'ons were sem Ioih 10
| was the place Icld the meetings Of ths
agents tie several colonies and AT hich they learned
the value of cOOI erdOn ana Ell the IDEA Oi union
colonies. Most Of tho revolutionary struggle
gain control OI the commanding positions o. tns state
When independence was achieved ie valleys which
/ II
became tue great thorOushares tArOugh winch the sill,
migticr ar OF nls grafton from EuIope and the East
filled the interior OF continent At rail-
roads aud water routes that have been Tor series OF
years the hOrOugErcs FOR vast currcct OF commerce,
/ aud the greatest movement OF the human
recorded III ITS history All other mOyeusnts
are lns SlnD IN comparison VITA The
| beIs that have passed along the borders of this
! battlefield 10 nnd homes IN tue great plains Of
the West. to organize social systems at1 10 build up
great states. the histories OF count which lal
sct forth clearly tue events OF tins great central
point a obscure and defective as would be an
| attempt 10 describe the physical aspects OF the
county and YET should omit mention oi the great
of land, which How into cold waters Of
the Gulf OI st Lawrence, into The tepd of tho
Gull Of Mexico, the great bays OF NeWlOrk; OF iho
Delaware aud the Chesapeake. Currents events hch
Distinguish our histories Ike the currents Of
have largely had their origin In our territory.
To the ceremonies OF this day, in honor those who
battied for American liberty the past IN the fatn
that this day proceedings will promote pari-
otism III the future We extend welcome all
tendance here 10 the state officials honor us by
their presence to the citizens and soldiers who manest
| their gratitude 10 those sacrificed so much
| no ordinary feeling that the desceip-
dants of those who fought the battle II
Oriskany OF The most a. and bloody OK
| the Revolution. AS VIC saw them coming along lno
course OF the Mohawk the past seemed be recal ed
When We look at the array from the Upper Valley and
those who sailed from Fort Stanwlx 10 Join here wa
feel reinforced by friends fathers from the
same Qunrters- We welcome oil TO tLs celebration Of
patriotic service aud sacrifice. When Is closed shs
bid you God speed " your several homes. WITH u