Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1879-07-11
THE GLORIOUS FOURTH.

has come and gone, and our village
will not soon cease to congratulate
itself upon the pronounced success.
Hundreds upon hundreds came in from
all parts of the country round, some
by rail, some on foot and some by
teams The weather was not all that
could be desired, and promised at one
time to interfere seriously with the ex-
ercises of the day. One or two rain
storms and heavy blow of wind and
the weather continued fine for the re-
'Inainder of the day. The celebration
opened with colnmendable q prompt
ness, viz: 1890 A. NJ, IL number of boys
parading the streets with all sorts Of
.contrivances for making night hidcous
with their noise. At sunrise IL cannon
already priIned was shot off with loud
Fechoings through our quiet streets and
continued for time that sleep fled af-
frighted, and quiet was murdered by
noise.
The first event in the exercises of the
day was the procession of the Antiques
and Horribles, which paraded through
the streets at 5 o'clock, to the great
amusement and entertainment of the
people, who applauded and gave APP
plause to the weird and grotesque creaI
lions which rode or marched in the
Zine. The whole country had evident
'ly been secured for broken down and
'deformed equineS, and the shambling,
rattle-boned steeds' which appeared in
the procession werein fitting harmony
with the ''wobbIing" wheeled vehicles
which they drew and the sorrowful
looking specimens of disguised human
-ity which they carried, The prize Of
fered by the committee was awarded to
Leonard Steady. Honorable mention,
was made of the @ifappy Family"
Minstrel Band" and'on OK tealn.
The athletic sports were opened with
a sack race, in which there were six
contestants, the first prize being award
ed to r. Ducharme, second to G.. f..
Taylor, and third to 'Chas. Gonya.
This race was followed by potato
race in which there We're seven con
testants, the first prize falling to w.
Brown, p. Foley second, and J. Long
ley third. The rain which had been
Threatening to descend now poured
down with right good will, and it
appeared at one time as though the
celebration was at an end, many faces
wearing an evident dissatisfied look.
But old Sol appeared once more and
the sports were again ontinued. The
tEree-legged race was next on the pro-
gramme for which there We're four en-
tries made. Messrs. Gum and Dunn
took first prize, C. f. Taylor and J.
Longley second, and j. Barnes and j.
Riggles third. A 200 yards dash was
next in order for which eight contes-
'tants appeared. The prizes We're won
in the following order: G. Gonya first,
A. billiard second, r. Ducharme third.
This concluded the sports Tor the fore
noon, and an adjournment was made
to allow the vast aSsemblage to procure
dinner. Precisely at p. NJ. after mus
ic by the Band and a few remarks by
the President of the day, q. NJ. Mansur,
Esq, the Rev. Il. l.. Bruce opened the
afternoon exercises with prayer. While
- engaged the wind which had been
freshening up had now worked itself
into thorough gale, and blew with
terrible force for short period. After
the gale had spent itself, the exercises
were proceeded with by A. II. Bonett,
Esq, reading the Declaration of indie
pendence. The President then intro
duced the Rev. G. G. Torrey, who spoke
in substance as follows:
1t is the part of patriotism to think well of
the republic, to rejoice in her prosperity, to
glory in her renown and to desire to hand
down her institutions, not only unharmed but
Improved not only safe but secure. TO do
this we must recognize her faults as well as
her virtues her weakness as well as her
strength, the perls as well rs the promise of
the future. This day should not then be an
occasion of congratulation merely we may
well be thankful for those blessings which
distinguish us from most of the nations, our
ibioad domain with its fertile fields and the
richer mineral wealth beneath the surface
our great lakes and navigable rivers, our
means of education and the enjoyment of our
civil and religious rights, and looking back
upon our history may rejoice that 'the past at
least is secure" But as the shp-master for
gets the course already passed over, in his
care for the present and his anxiety orthere.
.nainder of the voyage, so 1t becomes us rs cit
liens to watch the wind and currents, and to
allow no threatening cloud to escape our no.
tice, remembering that the price of liberty / s
eternal vigilance There are problems await
ing us that will tax our wisdom and virtue to
the utmost, problems which unaided human
wisdom cannot solve. Mormonism has plant
Ud itself like n huge cancer Mt the very heart
Of the continent now remote, but soon to be
the centre of our population. Communism
has made its first feeble attempt to throttle the
nation, by selling the railroad and telegraph
the nerves and arteries of the body polite
lntemperance is filling our poor houses and
prisons and demoralizing large masses of
men.
American liberty is yet an experiment We
have only started on the voyage. We have
encountered storms and weathered them, but
there are new perils, and we are sailing over
an unknown sea. The world is entering upon
anew era. Man is seizing upon the forces of
nature and penetrating her secrets as never
before. Thosources of the Nileare discovered
and the northwest passage achieved; the