The Portland daily press., 1877-08-17
BENNINGTON CENTENNIAL.
A Monster Procession and
Banquet.
Speeches by the President, Secretary
Evarts, Attorney General Deyens and
Postmaster General Key.


tanning the visiting military from New York
arrived two hours late, but in time to take their
place In the fifth division of the procession.
The trains all come in loaded, AID the crowd is
fearful. The weather was rainy this morning,
but about II o'clock the skies frightened and
lovely day ensued.
1t is safe to say that more distinguished
people are here to-day than graced either the
centennial celebration of Concord or that of
Lexington. Among the notable persons par
ticipating are President Hayes and his wife
and two sons, Hon. William M. Evarts Hon.
Charles Devens, Hon. George w. McCrary
and Hon. David M. Key of the Cabinet.
Vice President Wheeler is not present. All of
Vermont's distinguished men are here.
The procession was formed in the order
stated in the Chief Marshars circular, and
moved Immediately on the arrival of the New
York visiting military. 1t was over four miles
in length. and contained at a reasonable esti-
mate 5000 persons, while the imposing parade
was witnessed by over 10000 people. Nothing
approaching the success of this centennial ceie-
bration was ever witnessed in this state.
The principal feature was the Presidential
party. The reception of the President and his
ride in the procession have partaken OF
triumphal nature. Enthusiasm ran wild, and
deafening cheers from assembled thousands
greeted him in one continual roll along the
entire route Secretary Evarts and his accom-
panying associates also created much enthu-
sasm.
In the carriage with President Hayes rode
Governor Fairbanks of Vermont. OF the
governors of New England, who were recog-
nized by the people, were those who spoke
yesterday, Governor Prescott OF New Hamp..
shire and Lieutenant Governor Knight of
Massachusetts. The legislatures of Vermont
and New Hampshire walked the entire distance
in the procession. Nothing seems to touch the
people SO much as the march of the Vermont
and New Hampshire veterans. There were
5000 of them in line to-day, and as each COM
pany passed triumphal march of hats was
raised.
Many distinguished officers of the war of
the rebellion were recognized and loudly ap-
plauded.
A great feature of to-day's procession was
the two six-pound brass cannon captured from
the British by General Stark. The Putnam
Phalanx, as yesterday, presented fine appear
ance Seldom has there been witnessed in the
country, in time of peace. SO much of wars
pageantry and imposing parade as on this
occasion.
The great central feature of the decorations
on the line of march was triumphal arch at
the crossing of Main, North and South streets.
When the procession arrived at. the Centennia
fields, it passed in review before the President,
Mrs. Hayes and the Cabinet
President Hayes welcomed the procession at
the reviewing stand with brief remarks, in
which he congratulated the state of Vermont
| upon the felicitious beginning and progress of
this centennial occasion, and referred to the
evident interest taken in her one hundredth
anniversary of two prominent events by visit
ing officials of sister states, military and thou
| sands present.
| Secretary Evarts then introduced Mrs. Hayes
| very happily as President Hayes Molly Stark.
| Great enthusiasm was kindled by these ex-
| pressions.
After the review exercises in pavilion tent
| commenced, Chief Marshal Valentine and staff
escorted the President and Cabinet, the Cover
nor of Vermont and executives of other states,
| chaplain and orator of the day and other dis
tinguished guests to seats upon the platform.
| The services began with prayer by Rev. Jno.
| Wheelock Allen, grandson of fighting Parson
Allen Of Bennington battle memory. Gen. e.
j. Phelps, President of the centennial commit
| tee, then introduced Governor Fairbanks, who
| gave short address of welcome.
Mr.. President and ladies and gentlemen:-It
| is well and we are glad that this remarkable
| occasion should be honored by the presence of
| the citizens and Chief executive officers OF so
many OF our sister states, and especially by the
| presence of the President of The United States
| and his Cabinet. The heroic deeds of one hun.
| dred years ago were not done to achieve the in
/ depence or liberty of any colony or state but
to achieve the liberties of America. Fellow
citizens of this great republic. and patriotic
1 soldiers. lovers of human rights and liberty, in
the name of the state of Vermont bid you a
| most hearty and cordial welcome to these COM
| memoratve services and hallowed associations
| Well will it be if from them we catch and car
| ry away in some measure the same patriotic de-
| votion to universal freedom which inspired
those brilliant heroes on yonder battle field one
| hundred years ago.
The poem Of VIM. Cullen Bryant was read
by Prof j. w. Churchill of Andover, Mass,
/ with thrilling effect. President Hayes, Secre-
tary Evarts and Attorney General Devens were
then each called out by the assembled multi
tnde amid great applause and responded beau
tifully. These services were enlivened by ex-
cellent music AT the conclusion the multitude
adjourned to the banquet tent where Vermont
dignitaries and guests sat down to banquet.
| This was an elegant and graceful affair, the
| guests being waited upon by Green Mountain
| girls. AS 100 years ago the grandmothers of
| these ladies prepared food for the use of the
Green Mountain boys, New Hampshire troops
and Buckshire county men, while the Benning-
ton battle was fought SO in the time Of peace
on this centennial OCCASION do they volunteer
to wait upon the distinguished guests. Presi-
dent Hayes being called for loudly spoke as
follows:
Ladies and Fellow Citizens,-I need not say
to you that am grateful for this greeting. l
am greatly obliged to those who had charge of
this celebration for their courtesy in giving me
an opportunity to enjoy with them the cere-
monies of this day. am quite sure none of
us can ever forget its occurrence, the notable
event, the battle of Bennington. so great an
event towards national independence. 1 am
sure we feel it has been fifty celebrated here to-
| day. Only think Of the procession that we be-
l held an hour or two ago. the citizen soldiers 30
disciplined. Soldiers from Vermont, from
Connecticut, from Massachusetts and New
Hampshire were here. (Applause.) But more
touching than all was the long procession of
the veterans of the Union army, the survivors
l OF the 1000 battles that saved the nation and
made liberty throughout the world forever pos
| sible. (Applause,) But my dear friends,
| must not detain you. 1 recognize that among
the pages Of the speech to which we have lis
| tened, packed full as each page was with inter-
estlng matter touching on that great event of
LOO years ago, that no one page in it was more
valuable than this, that one hundred years ago
| 1t was meritorious to be minute man to fight
in the cause of independence. Is there not
some merit in my becoming a minute man.
/ (Applause.)
| At the close of President Hayes speech
Secretary Evarts was loudly called for and re-
| sponded as follows:
| Mr.. President, Ladies' and Gentlemen-It is
| fair that should warn you that though I am
| slow to begin speech, I am much slower to
| end it, and know your only safety is in my
retiring before commence. (Applause)
Secretary Key being called for, responded as
| follows:
My Dear Friends-Ths call is grateful to
NE. do not accept it as a personal compll-
ment to me, but as an indication of fraternal
feeling on the part of our Northern friends to
their erring Southern brethren. Applause. }
Attorney General Devens was then called
for Smilingy advancing, he said: 1t is said
/ to be one OF the maxims OF the Chinese phil
| osopher Confucius Il have never read him) to
| put few words in your speech that more may
be remembered, SO l will follow the example Of
| my predecessors, but will detain you few
moments to tell you short story-a story with
a moral. Perhaps had better tell the moral
| first, for know that in studying Esop we
| used to skip the moral. The moral of the
story is simply this, that in the cause of
patriotism, however weak, we may all do
something. The story is this: Although 10th
to confess this in the presence of so many
ladies, it was something more than thirty years
ago that /, young lawyer, was invited to
deliver an address on the 4th of July before
my fellow citizens of the State of Vermont at
Brattleboro'. There were still left at that time
few of the survivors of the great revolution
airy army. Three or four were waiting in the
hotel where was stopping, with my Grafton
simmering inside of me, great deal embar-
raised, as 1 am now. (Applauss.) Consttu-
tional bashfuDess 1 shall never get over.
There came into these three or four old gentle
men one somewhat younger than they, but
still considerably over 20. Gentlemen, he
said, am not Revolutionary soldier, but L
should like to ride with the Revolutionary SOL
disrs to-day. l would like to explain my posi-
tion and to ask if I have not a right OF
course they readily gave him permission.
He went on to say that when he was boy
aho uaors old his fathar kant farry oopoo.