USA > Massachusetts > Berkshire County > Pittsfield > The Berkshire jubilee > Part 5
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CIII.
Daughters of Berkshire! To such fields ye fly: Thus are ye scatter'd as the lights of earth,- As stars of goodness in the evening sky,-
Beyond all praise and worthy of your birth!
CIV.
Our Fathers! Here they lived and here they died, -- Adorn'd with virtue, pious, faithful, free ;--- Bequeathing us, as they death's path-way tried, The precious, glorious boon of Liberty!
CV.
Then we, their Sons, no recreants will prove, Apostates from the path, in which they trod,- Nor ingrates to the sacred names we love ;- But followers in their steps, which lead to God!
CVI.
Ne'er shall their Sons the truth's they loved, despise ;- Redemption by the heaven-descended One, Though slain, yet soon up-rising to the skies, -- O'er death and hell the matchless victory won :-
CVII. The Holy Spirit's renovating power, With love to God and man which fills the heart ;--- The guard of Providence each circling hour ;-
A heavenly Home, where friends shall never part!
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CVIII.
Our Fathers' Sepulchres! farewell! farewell! Thus too may we find peaceful, glorious rest! And as our children on our memories dwell,
May they too thrill with joy and call us blest!
L
NOTES.
STANZA VI .- Saddle-Mountain, lying in Williamstown and Adams, is the highest mountain in Massachusetts, being about 2,800 feet above the valley at the college and about 3,580 feet above tide water at Albany. As seen at the north from Pitts- field at the distance of 20 miles, it is an object of great beauty.
STANZA VIII .- The venerable Elm, which stands in the centre of the public square in Pittsfield, is 126 feet in height, and its trunk is 90 feet ere the limbs branch out. It was a tall forest tree, when the town was first settled nearly a hundred years ago, and was spared while the trees around it were cut down. At that time it could hardly have been less than 100 years old. Possibly its age now may be 250 years.
To the great grief of the citizens, especially of those, who were born beneath its shade, it was struck by lightning some years ago and a strip of bark was torn off its whole length. Some of the branches also exhibit marks of decay. Yet it may live for years to come. An oak in Russian Poland, cut down in 1812, was estimated to have a thousand rings or layers, or to be a thousand years old.
STANZA XXXV .- Greylock is the highest peak of Saddlc-Mountain at the northern extremity of the county. Mt. Washington is the highest of the Taconic range of mountains; it lies at the south-western corner of the county, west of Sheffield, and is about 2,400 feet above the valley, and 3,150 above the tide water of the Housatunnuk river.
STANZA XXXVII .- The Indian name Housatunnuk is written in different ways,- Housatonic, Houssatonnoc, Housatonuc, and Hooestennuc. This last form is preferred by Dr. Dwight, who, in his Travels, says it means over the mountain; but this is proba- bly a mistake, for the Stockbridge word for mountain is W'chu, or in the Mohegan of Eliot's Bible, Wadchu, the plural of which is Wadchuash. This has no resem- blance to Hooestennuc. Moreover Hubbard, in his Indian Wars, writes the name Ausotunnoog, which seems to be the pural of some animate word,-the plural of which was formed by og, ug, or uk, as the plural of inanimate words was formed by ash. It is remarkable, that none of the teachers of the Indians have in any of their writings given the meaning of the word. As to its form, it was written Housatun- nuk by Sergeant, their first teacher, and by Mr. Hopkins in his Historical Memoirs of the Housatunnuk Indians, published in 1753.
STANZA LXIII .- The Pilgrims, who commenced the settlement of New-England at Plymouth in 1620, may be considered as the representatives of all the early settlers of New-England, and thus be regarded as the fathers of all, who descended from any of the early settlers.
STANZA LXXVIII .- Col. Ephraim Williams commanded a regiment in the second French War, and at the head of a scouting party of 1200 men was killed by the French and Indians in an action near Lake George Sept. 8, 1755, aged 41. Though his
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party retreated to the main army, a memorable victory over the enemy was gained on the same day, the Baron Dieskau being taken prisoner. Col. Williams gave a liberal bequest to found a free school in Williamstown, which was converted into a college, bearing his name. Very recently the generous donation of ten thousand dol- lars has been made to this college by Mr. Amos Lawrence of Boston.
Col. Mark Hopkins of Great Barrington, the grandfather of President Hopkins of Williams College, was an able lawyer, who engaged earnestly in the defence of his country. He died at White Plains, Oct. 26, 1776, aged 37.
Col. John Brown, of Pittsfield, a lawyer, was distinguished in the revolutionary war. He was killed in an ambuscade of the enemy at Stone Arabia in Palatine, New-York, Oct. 19, 1780, aged 36. Of his children there survives only Mrs. Huldah Butler of Northampton, now at an advanced period of life, but who was present at the Jubilee. His son Henry C. Brown, who died in 1838, was Sheriff of the county.
There was yet another officer of merit, who died during the war, Lieut. Col. Tho- mas Williams of Stockbridge, the son of Dr. Williams of Deerfield: he died at Skanesborough July 10, 1776, aged 30 years. Capt. Chapin was killed at Williams- town in the French war July 11, 1756; and Rev. Whitman Welch of Williamstown, a chaplain, died near Quebec March 1776, aged 36.
STANZA LXXX .- Some of the conspicuous soldiers and patriots of Berkshire, who survived the campaigns in which they served their country, are the following :
Gen. Joseph Dwight of Great Barrington, commanded the artillery at the capture of Lewisburg in 1745; he died June 9, 1765, aged 62. He was judge both of the county court and of probate. He married the widow of the Rev. John Sergeant.
Dr. Timothy Childs, a surgeon in the army, and a distinguished physician, died at Pittsfield Feb. 20, 1821, aged 73.
Col. Joshua Danforth, of Pittsfield served as an officer during the revolutionary war; during his whole life he was engaged in various public offices, the duties of which he discharged with great fidelity. He died Jan. 30, 1837, aged 77.
Gen. John Fellows of Sheffield commanded a regiment in 1775. He was sheriff of the county. He died Aug. 1, 1808, aged 73.
Col. Simon Larned, of Pittsfield, was an officer in the war of the revolution and sheriff of the county. He died Nov. 16, 1817, aged 61.
Gen. John Patterson of Lenox commanded a regiment of minute men in 1775, and marched to Cambridge after the battle of Lexington. He assisted in the capture of Burgoyne.
Col. Oliver Root of Pittsfield was with Col. Brown at Palatine in 1780. He died May 2, 1826, aged 75.
Gen. David Rossiter of Richmond commanded a company of minute men in 1775. He died March 8, 1811, aged 75.
Col. Benjamin Simonds of Williamstown was a soldier in the French war of 1746. He died April 11, 1807, aged 81.
There were also two Indian captains, Daniel Nimham and Timothy Yokun, who did good service to their country.
STANZA LXXXI .- The following were some of the judges in Berkshire :--
Theodore Sedgwick, L.L.D. of Stockbridge, was a judge of the Supreme Court of Massachusetts. He had been a distinguished member of congress. He died Jan. 24, 1813, aged 66.
Judge Daniel Dewy of Williamstown, was also a judge of the Supreme Court, and was a representative in the 13th congress. He died May 26, 1815, aged 49.
Judge John Bacon of Stockbridge was the minister of the old South Church in Bos_ ton from 1771 to 1775. He was afterwards a member of congress and presiding judge of the court of common pleas. He died Oct. 25, 1820, aged 82.
Judge Nathaniel Bishop of Richmond was for many years register of probate, and
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NOTES.
judge of the court of common pleas from 1795 to 1811. He died Feb. 1, 1826, aged 75.
Judge William Walker of Lenox was many years judge of probate and judge of the county court. In his old age he made great efforts in the cause of temperance. He died a few years ago.
These faithful magistrates were fresh in the memory of the writer; but there have lived many others, as judges Dwight, Williams, Woodbridge, Ashley, Marsh, Whiting, Skinner, and Noble, who in a history of Berkshire will not be forgotten.
STANZA LXXXII .- The following is an alphabetical list of most of the deceased Ministers of Berkshire. It will not be inferred, that all of them died in the towns of which they were once the ministers. An account of the remarkable influence of reli- gious truth under their faithful preaching, would make an interesting volume. In one instance eighty persons, at the same time and place, made a public profession of their belief in Jesus Christ and were received as members of the church.
Caleb Alexander, D.D., New Marlborough, died 1828, aged 70 or more.
Thomas Allen, Pittsfield, died 1810, aged 67.
Joseph Avery, Tyringham, died 1814, aged 70.
David Avery, Windsor, died 1819, upwards of 70.
Adonijah Bidwell, Tyringham, died 1784, upwards of 60.
Gideon Bostwick, Episcopalian, Great Barrington, died 1793, aged 50.
Sylvester Burt, Great Barrington, died 1836, aged 54.
Jacob Catlin, D.D., New Marlborough, died 1826, aged 68.
Daniel Collins, Lanesborough, died 1822, aged 83.
John De Witt, D.D., Lanesborough, died 1831, aged 41.
Edwin W. Dwight, Richmond, died 1841, aged 50.
Jonathan Edwards, Stockbridge, died 1758, aged 54.
Ebenezer Fitch, D.D., president of Wms. Coll. died 1833, aged 76.
Ralph W. Gridley, Williamstown, died 1810, aged 46.
Edward D. Griffin, D.D., president of Wms. Coll. died 1837, aged 67.
Theodore Hinsdale, Hinsdale, died 1818, aged 80.
Samuel Hopkins, D.D., Great Barrington, died 1803, aged 83.
Jonathan Hubbard, Sheffield, died 1765, aged 61.
Alvan Hyde, D.D., Lee, died 1833, aged 65.
Ephraim Judson, Sheffield, died 1813, aged 76.
John Keep, Sheffield, died 1785, aged 35.
Walter King, Williamstown, died 1815, aged 57.
Aaron Kinne, Alford, died 1824, aged 79.
John Leland, Peru, died 1826, upwards of 70.
John Leland, Baptist, Cheshire, died 1841, aged 85.
Joseph L. Mills, Becket, died 1811, aged 58.
Zephaniah S. Moore, D.D., president of Wms. Coll. died 1823, aged 52. David Perry, Richmond, died 1817, aged 71. John Sergeant, Stockbridge, died 1749, died, 38.
Thomas Strong, New Marlborough, died 1777, aged 61.
Job Swift, D.D., Richmond, died 1804, aged 61.
Seth Swift, Williamstown, died 1807, aged about 55.
Whitman Welch, Williamstown, died 1776, aged 36.
Peter Werden, Baptist, Cheshire, died 1808, aged 80.
Stephen West, D.D., Stockbridge, died 1819, aged 83.
Elijah Wheeler, Great Barrington, died 1827, aged 53.
Samuel Whelpley, West Stockbridge, died 1817, aged 51.
These ministers differed in their philosophical theories, or in the metaphysics of theology ; but they agreed in what they regarded as the elementary and chief princi- ples of the Gospel, and in preaching them faithfully. Several of them were learned and eminent writers. Indeed, it is believed, that in the little territory of Berkshire
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of the extent of 50 miles by 20, there have lived ministers, who have produced more books on metaphysical theology, than have been produced by all the other metaphy - sical writers of this western continent. I have reference to the writings of Dr. Hop- kins, of the two Edwards', of Dr. West and Dr. Griffin, and to three volumes by Rev. Henry P. Tappan.
STANZA XCIV .- To prevent misapprehension it may be proper to mention, that the author preached his first sermon in his Father's pulpit, July 29, 1804, more than 40 years ago; but, spending afterwards a few years at Cambridge as an officer of the College, he was not settled at Pittsfield as the successor of his Father, until Oct. 10, 1810. Asking a dismission in 1817, his successors in the ministry have been Rev. Heman Humphrey, D.D., subsequently the president of Amherst College; Rev. Rufus W. Bailey, subsequently the head of a Seminary in South Carolina; Rev. Henry P. Tappan, subsequently a professor in the University of New-York; Rev. John W. Yeomans, D.D., subsequently the president of a College at Easton, Pennsylvania ; Rev. H. N. Brinsmade, D.D., now of Newark, New-Jersey; and Rev. John Todd, the present minister, all of whom are living.
STANZA XCVIII .- The following Missionaries were natives or citizens of Berkshire :
Frederic Ayer, to the Ojibwas. Nathan Benjamin, at Athens, in Greece, 1838.
Josiah Brewer, at Smyrna, 1826. J. C. Brigham, South America. Dr. Elizur Butler, Cherokees. Daniel S. Butrick, Cherokees.
Cyrus Byington, a lawyer, Choetaws.
· Josiah Hemingway, Cherokees.
Harvey R. Hitchcock, Sandwich Islands.
Ebenezer Hotchkin, Choctaws.
Benton Pixley, Osages. David White, died at Cape Palmas, 1837.
One of the earliest and most eminent missionaries to the east, Gordon Hall, was educated at Williams' College, and was a preacher at Pittsfield in 1810. He embarked in 1812 and died in 1826.
STANZA XCIX .- Sylvester Larned, the first minister of the First Presbyterian Church in New Orleans, was the son of Col. Simon Larned of Pittsfield. During my ministry in that town he made a public profession of his belief in Jesus Christ, and became a member of the church in 1813. He died at New Orleans of the yellow fever on his birth day, Aug. 31, 1820, aged 24 years. " His Life and Eloquence," by R. R. Gurley was published in 1844; nor in that book is there any exaggeration of his remarkable talents, and endowments, and qualifications to do good in the great city of the south. There was a remarkable cluster of young men, the graduates of Middlebury College, who died in early life ;- Rev. Sylvester Larned, Professor Solo- mon Metcalf Allen, Rev. Levi Parsons, Rev. Pliny Fisk, and Rev. Joseph R. Andrus : to these, and to Professor Alexander M. Fisher, his friends, Rev. Carlos Wilcox, a writer of great merit, who himself died in 1827, alludes in the following elegiac lines,-regarding them as once assembled at Andover Theological Seminary.
" Ye were a group of stars, collected here, Some mildly glowing, others sparkling bright ; Here, rising in a region calm and clear, Ye shone awhile with intermingled light ; Then, parting, each pursuing his own flight O'er the wide hemisphere, ye singly shone ; But, ere ye climbed to half your promised height, Ye sunk again with brightening glory round you thrown ; Each left a brilliant track, as each expired alonc."
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NOTES.
STANZA C .- Probably the following is not a complete list of the Daughters of Berk- shire, who have gone out as missionaries :-
Anna Burnham, to the Choctaws, 1822. Mrs. Eunice G. Jones, wife of Abner D. Jones, Choctaws. Mrs. Elizabeth M. Rogers, wife of Edmund H. Rogers, Sandwich Islands. Emily Root, N. Y. Indians at Seneca.
Mrs. Mercy Whitney, wife of Samuel Whitney, Sandwich Islands.
Mrs. Judith Wisner, wife of Samuel Wisner, Cherokees.
Besides these, Miss Salome Danforth, the daughter of Colonel Joshua Danforth of Pittsfield, is at the head of a flourishing female Protestant Boarding School in the village of Bournabut, six miles from Smyrna-the only school of the kind in the Turk- ish empire ;- and the chief patrons and supporters of this school, it is believed, are ladies of Pittsfield.
LAST NOTE .- In the delivery of this Poem a few stanzas relating to the living sons of Berkshire were introduced, by the advice of a friend, in order to promote the good fellowship of the occasion; but, after answering this temporary purpose, they are properly omitted in this publication, as they were not designed to be a part of the poem. Some introductory lines are also omitted; and some names, which were interwoven in the text, will be found in the notes.
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PUBLIC EXERCISES.
8. HYMN. TUNE-Old Hundred.
(The whole Congregation uniting.)
Command thy blessing from above, O God ! on all assembled here; Behold us with a Father's love, While we look up with filial fear.
Command thy blessing, Jesus, Lord ! May we thy true disciples be : Speak to each heart the mighty word, Say to the weakest "Follow me."
Command thy blessing in this hour, Spirit of Truth ! and fill this place With humbling and exalting power, With quickening and confirming grace.
4
O thou, our Maker, Savior, Guide, One true, eternal God confest; May nought in life or death divide The friends in sweet communion blest.
9. POEM, by PALMER.
M
THE MOTHER . LAND'S HOME. CALL.
BY WILLIAM PITT PALMER.
WE miss the swallows' graceful wing When autumn leaves grow pale and sere, But with the first soft gale of spring Her purple plumes again appear : Green isles that crown the southern main Smiled sweetly on their minstrel guest; Yet all their gorgeous charms were vain, To wean her from her mountain nest.
1
But ye whose truant feet have coursed Afar o'er alien lands and seas, By no imperious instinct forced To seek for sunnier skies than these-
Why turn ye not ? ah! wherefore let Strange scenes your charmed fancies bind ? Ah, why for long, long years forget The homes and hearts ye left behind ?
O spurn at last ambition's chain Around your better natures wrought, Nor longer swell the eager train Of fame or fortune's Juggernaut! Return, and boyhood's faded spring Shall bloom round manhood's homeward track;
And memory's refluent sunshine fling The shadow from life's dial back!
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BERKSHIRE JUBILEE.
The grove's lone aisles shall ring again With music of their vernal choirs, While gaily on from glen to glen The wild brooks sweep their silvery lyres: And love shall ply her tenderest art, Sweet home her sweetest aspect wear, That wearied mind and wounded heart May find a sure Bethesda there.
Come seek the scenes of boyish glee, The haunts of youth's sedater hours, And, dearer yet, the trysting-tree Still wreathed with love's immortal flowers: Come muse where oft in years gone by O'er kindred dust ye bent the knee, And feel twere almost sweet to die, Since that green turf your couch shall be!
RESPONSE OF THE HOME. COMERS.
BY WILLIAM PITT PALMER.
HAIL, Land of Green Mountains! whose valleys and streams Are fair as the Muse ever pictured in dreams; Where the stranger oft sighs with emotion sincere,- Ah, would that my own native home had been here!
Hail, Land of the lovely, the equal, the brave, Never trod by the foe, never tilled by the slave; Where the lore of the world to the hamlet is brought, And speech is as free as the pinions of thought.
But blest as thou art, in our youth we gave ear To hope when she whispered of prospects more dear, Where the hills and the vales teem with garlands untold, And the rainbow ne'er flies with its jewels and gold.
Yet chide not too harshly thy truants grown gray In the chase of bright phantoms that lured us astray; For weary and lone has our pilgrimage been From the haunts of our chidhood, the graves of our kin.
Nor deem that with us, out of sight out of mind Were the homes and the hearts we left saddened behind: As the hive to the bee, as her nest to the dove, These, these have been ever our centre of love.
Yes, when far away from thee, Land of our birth, We have mused mid the trophies and Tempes of earth, Our thoughts, like thy spring-birds flown home o'er the sea, In day-dreams and night-dreams have still been with thee.
11. DOXOLOGY.
12. BENEDICTION.
SECOND DAY.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 23D, 10 O'CLOCK, A. M.
1. SINGING. ODE-" The Pilgrim's Return."
BY HON. EZEKIEL BACON. [Written for the occasion.] I.
Hark ! from our " Father-land " we hear, Its fond inviting voice ; " Haste to your natal Jubilee, And with my sons rejoice."
II. We come, we come, from distant climes, With joy to greet the day, And in thy sacred temples here Once more our vows to pay.
III. [We come from Maine's stern rock-bound coast, From homes upon the deep, From where the Vine and Olive blooms, The balmy zephyrs sleep.] IV. [Where'er our wandering feet may roam, Where'er our lot is cast, To thee, dear land, our hearts still turn, Our first love,-and our last. |
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V.
[For on thy fair and fostering soil Our cradled limbs were rocked ; To thee our early years were given, Our ripe affections locked.]
VI.
And though the bosoms kind that nursed Our infancy may rest Within their " dark and narrow bed," In clay cold vestments drest ;
VII.
The temples where we humbly knelt No more may lift their spires ; And in the old paternal halls May cease their wonted fires ;
VIII.
Yet long those sainted names shall live, " The memories of the just ;" The holy Fanes our feet have trod, Though mouldered long in dust.
IX. Still in these pleasant, peaceful vales, Temples more glorious rise, As through their hallowed portals pass Fresh PILGRIMS to the skies.
2. PRAYER, by Rev. D. D. FIELD, D D.
PUBLIC EXERCISES. 103
3. SINGING. SONG. Tune-"Come to the Sunset Tree." - BY À LADY.
[Written for the occasion.]
Come to the old roof tree,- To thy childhood's happy home,- To the hearts which beat for thee,- Beloved wanderer, come !
Come ye of the unbowed head,- Ye of the joyful breast,-
Come where your feet have sped In childhood's sweet unrest.
Come to the purling stream, Come to the pebbly shore,
Come, for the sunny beam Laughs brightly as of yore. 1 Come to the old roof tree, To thy childhood's happy home, To hearts which beat for thee,- Beloved wanderer, come !
We know that on many a heart Sorrow hath left its trace ;-
We know that care hath robb'd The bloom from many a face ;- But come to the father's door, Come to the mother's love, For here is joy once more Meet for the blest above. Come to the old roof tree, &c.
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Perchance the grave is green Of those you held most dear ; But come where their love hath been- For their spirits linger near ! Come to the sacred mound,- 'Twill raise the heart above To the better home they've found With the pure and true above. Come to the old roof tree, &c.
Come, though the gray-hair'd sire Sleep 'neath the coffin lid,- Come, though the mother's grace From thy longing gaze be hid ; Come to the old roof tree And bend the knee in prayer,
Thou shalt go forth more pure For having worshiped there. Come to the old roof tree, To thy childhood's happy home, ---
To the hearts which beat for thee, Beloved wanderer,-come !
4. ORATION, by Hon. JOSHUA A. SPENCER.
---
---
-
-
SCHOOL GROUNDS OF THE PITTSFIELD YOUNG LADIES' INSTITUTION
.
AN ORATION,
PRONOUNCED AT PITTSFIELD, AT
THE BERKSHIRE JUBILEE, AUGUST 23, 1844.
BY JOSHUA A. SPENCER.
ORATION.
WE have come in answer to a Mother's call. The . dispersed sons and daughters of Berkshire have return- ed to their own hill country, and to their early kindred, and we have altogether come up to our Jerusalem to worship. It is a meeting of kindred spirits which has broken up the deep fountains of our hearts, and they are gushing forth in streams of love, and joy, and gra- titude.
Filled with these emotions, in justice to my own as well as to your feelings, I can address you only as
Fathers, Mothers, Sisters, Brothers,
Friends ; for in these relations alone have we been welcomed, and none beside can feel our joys. Since our return we have seen the sun rise, and set where it rose and set to the eyes of our childhood - have looked upon the green hills "which we beheld in the days of our youth," have visited the old dwellings of our fathers, looked into the well and seen face answering to face in water, but not to the face of youth ; we have drank from the old moss grown bucket, "trod the path- way to the old pasture, to the orchard, to the mea- dow; have rambled over our old nutting and hunting
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and fishing grounds; "Slaked our thirst at the same perennial spring or gurgling rill, and tasted the winter green plucked from the woody hill side- we have loitered around the old school house, looked into it, but saw not the smiling school-dame," nor our little school fellows. We have ran over the racing ground of our boyhood, and bathed in the same stream. We have worshiped in the same " meeting house," and heard preached the Gospel of peace. We there met a few familiar faces, many half recognized countenan- ces, but more who were strangers unto us. In early morning, or in the evening twilight, we have gone to the resting place of our departed friends, read there the inscriptions on monuments erected in parental, fra- ternal, and filial affection, listened to the " small still voice " speaking from the grave, and our hearts held sweet, silent converse with their blessed spirits which seemed hovering there. In all these scenes has indeed been awakened
" The memory of joys that are past, Pleasant and mournful to the soul."
Until this our return, we did not fully realize how ardently we love "our own, our Native land," and our " kindred who have remained here to beautify the old homestead," while we have gone out to expend our energies in other portions of this land. We have come to rejoice with you while "we are gathered at the hearth of our Mother to hold a day of congratulations and sweet recollections." And with grateful hearts have we found that you "love us none the less be-
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