Omaha daily bee., 1898-07-03

dence, and toasts we're drunk and responded
to at the dinners. which were provided on
every village green or city common. George
Washington" The Constitution" THE
United States and THE Daughters OF
America" came in for a goodly share OF at
tention in Grafton and in toast. Squirrels,
chickens, green corn and vegetables Of the
season" were piled upon the tables, and
were free to all, while lrewater as well as
fireworks abounded. The introduction OF
the "oration," however, chiefly distinguishes
the celebration Of 1888, and dates from that
time.
This was the Jubilee" and was the most
elaborate OF all celebrations up to that time.
Three Of the signers OF the declaration we're
still living, although the weakness OF old
age prevented them from taking an active
part in the festivities. The struggle OF
the South American countries to throw off
the yoke of Spain. and the popular sympathy
with Greece helped to inspire the american
people. Bands, bells, cannon and process
sions abounded, and the grafton held a con-
s%picuous part. Josiah Quincy was the ora
tor in Boston, Edward Everett in Cam
bride, while in Washington an honorable
member" delivered a great speech before
a greater crowd from the steps Of the cap
itol. New York had not yet made SO much
Of the grafton as had some OF the other
cities, but did not lack in enthusiasm. A
long procession marched from the Battery
to Washington square, and was there re-
view by Dewitt Clinton, the governor oil
the state. Ten thousand people were in the
assembly and aided in disposing Of the OK
FEAST which had been provided. The en-
thusiasm throughout the land was intense,
The Monroe doctrine" the liberty OF
A. - Aa,NA ~ "a ~
were expressions used not only by the ora
tors, but by all men. Doubtless the
Jubilee" provided a mighty impulse for
the nation, then just passing out from its
childhood.
The Centennial.
Marvellous were the changes which the
fifty years had witnessed since the jubilee
but they we're no greater than the changes
in the method OF celebrating the great event
in American history. Noise Of bells and
cannon was still retained, to the mex
, pressible delight Of young America, blu
science, art and literature all received theil
due share OF attention. Upon the very spo
where the republic was born Hon. JOSEPH
, r. Hawley extended a welcome to TIT
friends Of all nations there, ant
then resigned the chair to the vice presi
dent of the United States. William M
EyartS delivered an OTdtlOn upon VIVA
= the Age Owes to America" poems b!
= Holmes and Bayard Taylor were read ant
- "Our National Banner a Grand Triumpha
: March," written by Dexter Smith, was rem
. dered. Great as was the enthusiasm mani
tested in the quaint old Quaker town, l
q was but little in advance of that displaye'
o in every city and village in the nation. TIL
Centennial will be remembered not onl
for it's material display, but for its Grafton
u and poems as well. Among the variou
t Fourth of July orators on that occasio
y we're Richard S. Storris, Henry War
Beecher, George William Curtis, Horati
t Seymour, Lucius e. Chittenden, Henri
l. Barnard, Cortlandt Parker, John A. Dis
Fernando Wood, Leonard Bacon, Robert {
Winthrop, Charles Francis Adams and in
Z Vulnerable other lesser lights.
II or poems, William Cullen Bryant, job
q Greenleaf Whittier, oliver Wende
n Holmes, Bayard Taylor and others fur
nisbed their best. Perhaps the poems {
Bryant and Whittier will live longest, an
that Of Bryant especially was not only his
toric, but also prophetic. He celebrated
the past and did not forget the future, a
he wrote:
k And thou, the new beginning age,
n Warmed by the past, and not in vain.
N Write on a fairer, whittier page
The record of thy happier reign.