Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1883-05-18

John Adams, one of the signers OF
the Declaration of Independence, re-
ferring to the adoption by the Con
gress of the resolution of indie
pendence, wrote as follows, under
date of July Sd, 1776:
"The day is past. The second day
of July, 1776, will be memoir
able epocha in the history of Amer
!" lea. ! am apt to believe it will be
" celebrated by succeeding genera
tons as the great Anniversary Fes-
tival. 1t ought to be commence
rated as a day of deliverance by
" solemn acts of devotion to Al
" mighty God. It ought to be sol
" emnized with pomp, shows, games,
sports, guns, bells, bonfres and il
luminations from one end of the
continent to the other from this
time forward forever. You may
think me transported with enthu-
siasm; but | am not. | am well
" aware of the blood and toll and
=" treasure it will cost us to maintain
" this declaration ard support and
" defend these states. Yet, through
all the gloom | can see the rays of
" light and glory. l can see that the
" end is worth more than all the
" means, and that prosperity will
" triumph, although you and may
rue, which | hope we shall not"
The cause of liberty triumphed.
The 4th of July, the day on which
the whole Declaration of Independ-
ence was agreed upon and publicly
read to the people, was adopted, and
has since been observed, as the great
anniversary festival" And the peo-
pie of Mineral Point have determined
to observe our one hundred and
seventh anniversary festival in a
manner worthy of the historic event
which we thereby commemorate.
The second meeting for the carry
ing out of this most noble and glori-
Gus purpose was held at the Opera
house on Tuesday evening, May Is.
The meeting was called to order
by DIR. H. Van Dusen, who was
elected chairman at the previous
meeting.
1t was then announced that the
reading of the report of the commit
tee of arrangements was in order,
and the following report submitted
by the committee was read by Sec
rotary n. H. Snow.
Your committee appointed for the purpose OF
making preliminary arrangements for celebrat-
ing the coming Fourth of July, respectfully rec
ommend firstly, the selection OF the following as
officers of the day:
President-IIon. J. NJ. Smith.
Vice Presidents-lion. Geo. G. Cox, Hon Jas.
Ryan. Hon. w. L. Rowe, Hon. J. w. Rewey, Hon.
Richard Kennedy, Hon. Thos. Sheldon, Hon T.
Parkinson, Jr., Hon. 7. A. orion, Hon. George
Paulson, Hon. F. w. Stratman, Hon. r, S. Smith,
Hon. Frank Cunningham.
Marshal of the Day-Capt. Thomas Priestly.
Assistant MarshalsI7CaptS; John GRADER, Ed.
Devlin, S. T. Shepard, and Peter Grimm.
Chaplain-Rey. J. n. Elliott
Reader of Declaration-P. Allen, Jr.
Your committee further recommend the ap-
poIntmeut of the following committees:
on Fnance-W. A. Jones, Jas. A. Oven and j..
on Music-T Scott Anslcy, S. T. Osborne and
]. A, Spratler.
Selection of Orator-Alex Wilson and Calvert
Spensley.
On Ordinance and Fire Works-Dr. ]. II. Wv
ian Major John Clowney and Jack Lanyon.
ON Professionalism. lriestey, c. Gilman,
Dr. Patterson, J. w. Hutchison and n. II. SNOW
On Grounds-W. J. Healey, Geo. Jeuck and
+. W. Sylvester.
The report was enthusiastically
adopted.
The report of the finance commit
tee was called for, when Mr.. James
A. Owen, chairman, reported that
a fund of $4,000 had been al
ready collected, and vote of thanks
was thereupon rendered to the COM
mittee for the able and jealous man
ner in which they conducted the
canvass.
A motion was then made and car
ricd that the committee on arrange
ments have full power to fill any
vacancies, add further names and to
complete entire arrangements.
A motion was made that the sew
eral committees be requested to
meet at the Council chamber on Sat
urday evening, May ~, 10 make ue-
finite arrangements for the celebra-
ton.
The meeting then adjourned.
The $500 together with the sum
already put up by the Driving Park
will make grand total
of more than $1,000, and if old John
Adams could rise from his grave and
be here on the next Fourth of July
he would be more than ever con-
WINGED that he was right when he
said that he was not transported
with enthusiasm when he declared
that the event would te celebrated
as the great anniversary festival.
Further progress in regard to the
celebration will be duly reported in
the columns of The Democrat.