The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1889-05-08
out to the stand. The religious exercises

3.-PSalm LAAA:4 4.
4.-First lesson, Ecclesiastes XLIV.
Ste Deum.
6.-Second lesson, St. John VIII.
7.--Benedictien.
S.-Creed and prayer.
9.-Address by the Rt. Rev. Henry
C. Patton, Bishop of New York.
10. -Recessional hymn.
Hamilton Fish, Sr., opened the exer-
cises by introducing Eldridge 7. Gerry,
chairman of the committee on literary
exercises, who addressed the assemblage
as follows:
FELLOW CITIZENS: One hundred years
ago. on this spot. George Washington, as
oath Of Office upon the Holy Bible. That
sacred volume is here to-day, silently attest
ing the basis upon which our nation was
constructed and the dependence Ct our peo-
pie upon Almighty God. In the words, then,
Of one Of the founders Of the government,
! with hearts overflowing with gratitude to
our Sovereign Benefactor for granting to US
existence, for continuing 1t to the present
period, a0d for accumulating on us blessings
| spiritual and temporal through life, may we
with fervor beseech Him so to continue them
best to promote His glory and our vel
fare.'"
Mr.. Gerry then introduced the Rev.
R;chard 7. Storrs, who delivered -she
invocation in very clear voice.
Clarence W. Bowen. secretary of the
Centennial committee, was next intro
duced. He read John G. Whittier's
poem, composed for the occasion. 1t is
as follows
THE VOW OF WASHINGTON.
The sword was sheathed: in April's sun
Lay green the fields by Freedom won;
And severed sections, weary of debates,
Joined hands at last and We're United States.
0 City string - IL Sea!
How proud tte Gay that dawned on thee,
When the new era, long desired. began,
And, in It's need, the hour hid found the
man.
One thought the cannon salvos spoke.
The resopant bell-tower's vibranG stroke.
The voiceful streets, the paudit echolng
halls,
And prayer and hymn Dor heavenwa,d d
tom St. Paul's!
How fel. the land in every part
The strong throb OF nations neart,
As its great leader gave, with reverent awe,
His pledge TO Union, Liberty and Law!
That pledge the heavens above him heard.
That VOW the s:Sep of centuries stirred;
In worldwide wonder listening peoples
bent
Their gaze on Freedoms great experiment.
Could It succeed? OF honor sold
And hopes deceived all history told.
Above the wrecks that strewed the monrnfu
past,
Was the long dream Of ages true at last!
Thank God the peoples choice was just,
The one man equal to his trust,
Wise beyond lore, and without weakness
good,
Calm in the strength OF fawless rectitude.
His rule of justice, order, peace,
Made possible the worlds release;
Taught prince and Serf that power Is but a
trust,
And rule, alone, which serves the ruled, is
just;
That Freedom generous is, but strong
In hate Of fraud and selfish wrong,
Pretensc that turns her holy truth to lies,
Aud lawless license maskingin her gulse.
Let thy great ssrerhood rejoice;
A centpry's suns DER thee have risen and set,
And, God be praised, we are one nation yet.
And still, we trust, the years to be
Shall prove his hope was destiny,
Leaving our flag with all its added stars
Unrent by faction and unstained by wars.
Lo! where with patient toll he nursed
And trained the new-set plant at first,
The widening branches of stately tree
Stretch from the sunrise to the sunset sea.
And in its broad and sheltering shade,
Sitting with none to make afraid.
Were we noH silent, through each mighty
limb,
The winds OF heaven would sing the praise of
him.
Our first and best.-his ashes lie
Beneath his own FirgInian sky.
Forgive, forget, G true and just and brave.
For, ever in the awful strife
And dark hours of the nations life,
Through the fierce tunult pierced his warn
ing wor0,
Their fathers voice his erring children heard!
The change for which he prayed and sought
In that sharp agony was wrought;
No partial interest draws its alien llue
'Twixt North and South, the cypress and the
pine,
One people now. all doubt beyond,
His name shall be our Unlon-bond;
We lift our hands to Heaven, and here ana
now,
Take on our lips the old Centennial VOW.
For rule and trust must needs be ours;
Chooser and chosen both are powers
Equal in service as in rights; the claim
Of Duty rests on each and all the same.
Theh let the sovereign millions, where
Our banner floats in sun and air,
From the warm palm lands to Alaska's cold,
Repeat with US the pledge century old
At the conclusion of the reading. the
assemblage gave Whittier three cheers
and a tiger.
Hon. Chauncey N. Depew, the orator
of the day, was next introduced. Ee
received a hearty greeting, and when
this had subsidized he proceeded to deliver
bis oration.
In the midst of the enthusiastic cheer
ing that followed Mr.. Depew's sitting
down, Eldridge T. Gerry, said, The
President of the United States will now
address YOU
President Harrison then arose from his
seat, placed his hat on the chair in which
he had been sitting, and advanced to
the front of the platform. This was the
signal for grand outburst of cries. A
dozen cameras were pointed at him from
the surrounding housetops, and he stood
still for moment, unconsciously giving
the photographers an excellent opportu