The Sentinel. [volume] (Trenton, N.J.) 1880-1882, 1881-10-22
The Yorktown Centenary


Layiaz the Cornerstone Of the Msnament.
The following il detailed account Of the
laying Of the cornerstone Of the monument ~
IoiktOEn IN counenoration Of Cor1wzllis'
surrender.
In the morning al was hustle and sctivisy.
A iew drops Of rain fell, and the sky was
alternately bFizh. and overcast When the
sun shone il Vas extremely hot. The Rhode
Island regiment and the Nichigznders, accom-
panied By taeis governors, wound their way TO
camp ever the dusty plain Company after
company poured in rom .,orfolk, Richmond.
Stanton and other cities Of YIrsinia. Cover
nor Holiday had arriy-d dsring the night He
visited Governor Cornell AID other State
governors, and welcomed them. The river
was covered with shipping. The msn-of-Ear,
steamboats,, and . th0u-snd small craft were
decorated wiit bunting Boais from Baltimore,
Norfolk and Richmond landed hundreds OF
pa-sen sers- All was bsls.le and activity.
AIS n 4 the roar Of artillery drew hundreds
70 ts.e verge of the bluffs- The horizon down
the river vas black with the smoke Of incon-
ing stezners- The torpedo boat Alarm and q
dozen reveuue cutters ran up opposite the
bluffs aud anchored. Salute afer sslate was
fired The French fngste M2gicienne came
up the river and swung into line. Eight Amer
lean neu-of-var sens the Freuch flags to their
peaks and poured forth another eziute. Gen.
erxl Hancock. batteries Joined in, and the din
recalled the din OF q century ago. President
Arthur arrived On the Despatch Just befre
noon, and vas greeted with renes ed roaring
OF artillery. Zach vessel and each battery
thapdered szlute Of t.enty-one guns. The
yards Of the men-of-war were manned BIZ IL
sailors, who sHsrned up the rigging ike bses
and shouted vfIc- me. Spectators fringed
The bluffs for two miles. Secretaries James.
Hunt and Linroln accompanied the President.
the party was received On board the ST. john
ty General Hancock and staff in brilliant uni
form, and was afterwsrd driven through clouds
Of dust TO Lafayette hall, on the Outskirts Of
yorktown, near the site Of the proposed Con-
greSslonal monument. The Congressional dele
cation and Governor Holiday had preceded
the President,
Lafayette hall, adjoining the grounds Is q
low, squaty structure On the verge of the
blum. a grand reception vas held in large
room tastefully decorated with the French and
Amrrcan colors, and garianded with ever
green's Scores Of richly-dressed ladies fropa
Washington, Richmond, New York, PhiladeI-
phis, baltimore and other cities were present
Inc nvIted guests were received BY Cover
not holiaay, cf virginia. Among those pres
cns were President Arthur and mem bers OF his
cabinet, Senator'S Davis, Bayard, Hosr. Wade
HzmF0n. Warner Miller and Aldrich Cover
nor and MIRA Cornell Ge7ernor Bell. of Sew
Hampshire; Governor Farnurn, Of Vermont ::
Governor Lttlefeld, OF Rhode Island Dir.
i.oDert =. winthrop, the orator Of the ce8ebrs-
Iion Dir. Nicholas Fish, Governor Hamilton
OF Maryland Mr. 3. 2. Henry, of Sou.,, Caro-
lima; Governor Jerome, Of Michigan Mis-
Sel5.n IA granddaughter Of the comma der Of
the fiig inia militia at the siege of Yorktoyn
70 whom everybody was introiucedj, Colonel
Tighmann, Of Virginia "a great-grsndson of
the American colonel who carried the pevs of
CORVALLIS surrender to Congress at Philsdel-
phia, and who wore the epauiettes worn by his
ancestor at the siege, and the sword presented
by Congress TO him, and who besides had with
him badge of the Order Of Ciucinnatus pre-
scented to his grandfather by Washington
and the letter inclo.ing III Senator Mcdonald
and Professor Charlier IA greai-grandson OF
Patrick Henry and descendant Of Caesar
Rodney. General Hancock and Rear Admiral
Weyman and their stats were in the hall for q
few minutes. Shortly after the Presidents ar
rival tie music Of the Masonic band was heard
and the company went TO the platform.
After short leYee procession, headed by
President Arthur, and followed by the COVER
more Of ten States and Congressional delega-
tion, marched out the front door of the hall in
view IT 1000 spectators, around TO the spot &C.
lected for the laying Of the cornerstone Of the
monument. The stone was set with Ma
sonic ceremonies, under the direction Of the
Grand Lodge Of the Free and Accepted Masons
OF Virginia.
There were about 500 slasons and about the
same number Of knight Templars, all in full
regalia. Before starring, Acting Master Cor
bin Of Washington Lodge, Of Alexandria, at
tired Grand Master Peyton SEipwith Coles, Of
the Virginia Grand Lodge, with tue sa-h and
apron worked by Nine. de Lafayette and pre-
scented by her to Washington at Mount Vernon
in 1884. In 1872 these articles were given to
Washington Lodge by La renee Lewis,. ash
lngton's nephew. Ex-senator ithers, P. G.
u was grand marshal of the procession. Ar
irving at tbs platform, Colonel Peyton sat iu
the East On carved oak chair presented by
Lord Botetourt to Williamsburg Lodge. Grand
Junior Warden Murray was in the South aud
Past Grand Master Talaierro in the West. 1t
was clork when Senator johnson, OF Viz
GINA, chairman Of the Congressional commits
sion, celcd the meeting to order and intro
onccd Rev. Robert Nelson a descen iant of the
colonial governor and for twenty-five years. o
missionary to China
Mr.. Nelson in his PRAYER thanked God for the
one hundred years Of blessing vouchsafed to
this country, for Washington. or our allies and
tor our victory, and prayed that the people of
this land might not pride themselves too much
upon their ogn achievements and prosperity,
but that they might thank an trust the Lord
At the conclusion Of the prayer the band
piayei The Star-SDsngled Banner and
there was an artillery accompaniment.
Governor Holiday, the orat r of the day. re-
vlewcd the events leading up to the surrender
~ WI 1iii SfDht IL l;IHNl Oh the mar
Vicious progress made BY the Union since tho %
lays. He concluded bis address. by giving
cordial woe m - tie, ,.ennIe Of tie sister
S'afes and Territories, ard citizens or foreign
countries, who had come to participate in tho
proceedings OF this historic day. 10 the de.
scendants OF Steuben, who drew his sword in
behalf OF freedom, and who commanded an
important part of the forces under Washington
one hundred years ago, he gave kindly greet,
ing. To the descendants of Lafayette and the
representatives of France "withont whose aid
neither this day nor this movement coul,i have
been possible" the government of the United
States by its high officials aud the people of the
United States by it's representatives, babe all
nan and welcome. =" On this spot" he eaid
ono hundred years ago, your sires
and ours united and accomplished work
which started q civilization with untold posi-
bllities on the new continent and revolution
lzed tho civilization Of the cll. None copld
Then estimate its far-reaching sweep or the I'M
numbered blessings it carried for mankind
we Dulid this monument to perpetuate the
recollection of that work. We will guard Il
with pious hands and hearts and TRANSMIT it to
the Countless generations who will follow ,,s Ia
show how in Gods WAYS brave and noble
deed evolves its own triumphs. So NAV The
principles this monument is intended to rem
resent not fail from the memory of men,"
The French viritors arrived TOO late To mar.
tcipate in the exercises Senator Johnron NJ
Virginia. chairman of the Congressional dill