Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-07-05
OFF TO WILLIAMSBURG.
The Scene of the Grandest Picnic
and Barbecue Yesterday.
5000 PEOPLE In M'KEE's GROVE.
Hon. John Dalzells and Rev. Father Lam
bing's Festival Speeches.
DEAF AND DUMB WERE ALSO THERE.

Citizens of the Borough Of Williamsburg,
as it was heralded, was very great success
During the entire morning all the east
bound trains on the Pennsylvania Railroad
were crowded with passengers, whose desti
nation, invariably, was Williamsburg. Over
5000 people, it was stated, had come
to participate in the great barbecue,
and whether they all got a taste of the
roasted OK or not they nevertheless seemed
to have enjoyed themselves more than
ordinarily. The villagers meant to make
this, their first general picnic, memorable
affair, and they had done everything to guar
antee their guests day never to be forgotten.
All the houses were prettily decorated with
flags, bunting and banners, the public build.
ings especially showed up in very conspicuous
manner.
About 10 o'clock the guests and the local
paraders assembled at the corner of Wood
street and Penn avenue, but 1t took nearly an
hour before they were all present. At last the
musical bands started up to play marching
Through Georgia" and the stirring music OF
the well known march was the signal for the
people TO fall into line and form the marching
column.
THE PARADE COMMENCED.
Among the uniformed parties were the Wash.
ington Infantry, the Wellsville Guards, the VII;
kinsburg Sabers and number of the mem
bers of the Grand Army as well as Sons OF
Veterans. The parade moved along all the
principal streets, and the marching of some OF
the companies was very favorably commented
upon. The Williamsburg Sabers especially dis
tinguished themselves. In their handsome
uniforms n black coats and
white helmets, they presented very striking
appearance, and wherever they passed cheers
greeted them from all the spectators. At ll:3O
the parade arrived in McKee's Grove. and
after the weary travellers had been taken care
of by the Ladies' Committee of Williamsburg
and regaled with cooling refreshments and ap-
petizing delicacies for hungry stomach, DR..
John Semple, the Burgess of Williamsburg and
Chairman of the Committee on Arrangements,
called the assembly to order. After congratu-
lating his fellow citizens and the visitors upon
the auspicious outlook for successful day of
pleasure. the Rev. Freeman offered up prayer.
Then the children's choir, composed of Will
kinsburg Juveniles, rendered several patriotic
songs, which were heartily and deservedly ap-
plauded The next number on the programme
was marked as an oration by the Hon. John
Dalzell. The speaker upon being introduced
to the audience said:
MR.. DALZELL's SPEECH.
Felle W Citizens. Ladies and Gentlemen:
Iprotest that am not here to-day to deliver an
oration, nor come to indulge In what might be
called an address. 1 am here simply to exchange
greetings with you and to rejoice at the auspicous
surroundings amid which we celebrate our ma
tional holiday. thought to be a matter of gratif-
cation that there is one day in the year when we
can all think alike, can meet on common ground.
rejoice in a common history, recall common ira
ditions and join in looking with pride on the
starry banner which means to us one common
country. For to-day we have put aside differ
ences, shaken of prejudices, forgotten disputes;
we are not Republicans nor Democrats, nor Mug
Roman. but only Americans worshiping at one
common altar, moved by one common patriotic
Why is it that we meet to- day? of what signii-
canee are are these reloicin1gss Why this marital dd
men and maidens. of young men and matrons, Of
the farmer from his field, the blacksmith from his
@s4 his What fnD pp s
means, my countrymen, that we hold in glad re-
Of and the
defense and propagation Of the principles Of ciTn
az aEd nd tn tnas lives IN thoss
who more than 100 years ago dared all things for
liberty's sake we gather inspirstion and courage rage
the same precious heritage the declaration of
that we celebrate the, value Of an idea. We cele-
brate an act whose Characteristic is moral, not
nor Of any achievement depending on physical
force. Our hearts leap and our pulses thrill in
HEARD ROUND THE WORLD,
and, as we read OF Lexington and Concord and
Bunker Hill. Our sorrow is excited as we recur
to Valley Forge and that awful winter when de-
spair had almost strangled hope. Our hearts leap
again at the thought of the surrender at York
town. Yet none of these events do we celebrate
as we celebrate year by year the day on which the
Centennial Congress passed q simple resolution.
ssResolved, That these united colonies are and Of
rio u0ht IN he rec indenPDdPnt
that they are absolved from all allegiance to the
British Crown, and that all political connection
between them and the State Of Great Britain is
and ought to be wholly dissolved" We can hear
1t yet that simple resolution ringing across more
than a century of time since its passage on the
second day Of July, l76 For although the formal
reasons justifying its passage were not promul-
July O. Sturdy. COURAGEOUS old John Adams,
looking with prophetic eye down The coming GEN.
sat 'f the DAY T IS past july 177s ' will be the
most memorable epoch iu the history of America.
a5 70 as re Tee ee
festival. 1t ought to be commemorated as the day
6y % be scss 81 agved0I t TO Ga
and parade with shows. games sp sports guns
this continent to the other from this time forward
Shades Of John Adamsi and so # has been, and
1t shall be as long as men love liberty and hate
fkis Declaration OF ofIndependence when made was
the natural and necessary result of the ideas and
opinions which brought the first pilgrims TO our
in propagation of new notions but in defense Of
old ones. What the colonists fought for was simply
Charta and all the succeeding safeguards Of iber-
ty to be found in English history. A separate
Of the coionists struggle than was the destruction
q slavery the original 4 end and aim of Lhe late
LORD Chatham that though he had Travelled 'eso ex-
tensively in America he had never heard from any
person; drunk or sober: mint o. separation from
US back to April 1T7 SO that more than three
years Of war were to bring & our to
ITS CHIEF SIGNIFICANCE.
And so the Declaration of Independence. assert
ng the equality of man and his inalienabe right
% life, liberty and the pursuit OF happiness, has
is greatest significance in the fact that 1t renders
q new form Of government hitherto un-
ried in the worlds history. 1t was not change
10 much as 1t was growth. Its greatest glory lay
n the possibilities that 1t created 1t inaugurated
he great experiment Of mans ability to govern
himself.
And now, after q hundred years of experience
what shall we say as to the fruit? Looking back
% the original Fourth of July; what things can
we ascribe to it for which the world is betterY 1
aid that would not deliver oration, and
will not. The day would be far spent ere could
wen catalogue the great results whose
oots reach back to that day. First of all
1 gave tne WOrlu Tue Feuerhi CONSTITUTION. Ou
viii remember that succeeding the Declaration OF
our fathers tried the experiment
II . confederacy and failed. and that brought
bout the Constitution and the Union.
This Constitution, the greatest of living English
men, Mr. Gladstone, declares to be the most won
derful piece of work ever struck of at given
lime by the brain and purpose OF man. Through
peace and war, through trouble and debate, In
torn and sunshine amid domestic broils |
throughout ar entire history this great charter |
las. been and still continues to be the sheet |
.nchor of our safety.
1t gave us the Republic itself as nation in its
,oitical structure and character. with Its nice |
hecks and balances, as time has developed II;
unctions, separate and distinct each from the |
ther, working in perfect harmony to a common |
nd and purpose, Ike the Complementary parts Of |
perfect machine.
II has given us q hundred years Of history /
He'd with great names and great deeds; with SOL |
iers and statesmen. orators authors. artists, in
entors, benefactors Of the race. A hundred 1
ears Of stupendous growth, In which the scanty |
opulation Of our beginning has grown to 60. 00o.
)O.. and the struggling States that lay like /
rfnge along our eastern boruer have grown to the L
.merican Union, stretching from hither to far /
her sea, and washed by the waters of the St. Law
snce and OF the Cuff. and yet destined, as we /
erily believe, finally to cover the continent.