The first celebration.—Lorenzo chairman of committee.—Description of Escort—Moves from Bowery to President Young's.—Receives the Presidency.—Returns to Bowery.—Singing by the way.—Cheers.—Hymn.—Prayer.—Declaration of Independence read.—Speech by Silver Greys.—Ode sung by Silver Greys.—Shout of hosanna.—March to the dinner tables.—A rich feast.—Thousands of the Saints partake.—Gentiles en route to California, partake.—Scores of Indians partake.—Grandeur in Simplicity.—Gratitude to God.
The first celebration in the valleys of the mountains was held on the twenty-fourth of July, 1849—the second anniversary of the entrance of the pioneers. In this, Lorenzo had much to do. In fact, the originating and compiling the programme for the exercises of the day, was the product of his fertile brain. The occasion was one which called into requisition his inventive abilities, and exhibited his taste and skill as an organizer; also the wonderful power of co-operative effort in carrying concerted plans into execution. Truly, it was not creating out of nothing; but when we take into consideration the circumstances of the people at that time—driven from their homes—robbed and plundered, and so recently located in a sterile waste, one thousand miles from all supplies, except what they extracted from a long-barren soil; it will be at once realized that it required no small stretch of thought and ingenuity to organize, and with appropriate honors, celebrate a day of so much historical importance as the one in question. But they had "the right man in the right place;" for in this instance, as in everything he undertook, Lorenzo verified the adage, "What is worth doing, is worth doing well." And, to make a success of whatever he undertook, he neither spared labor nor application.
Although, since that early day of our mountain home, as circumstances have changed—means been multiplied, and foreign resources brought within the reach of this once isolated people, insomuch that in more recent celebrations of that ever memorable day, the twenty-fourth of July, mammoth displays have been crowned with wealth and magnificence, this first, the opening one—this display of civilization in a desolate wilderness has never been eclipsed.
As it may be interesting to many of the coming generation, we will here give a brief description of the celebration, as follows: The inhabitants were awakened by the firing of cannon, accompanied by music. The brass band, playing martial airs, paraded the principal streets of the city, in a gaily decorated omnibus, with prancing steeds, and with banners flying, returning to the Bowery, from whence they started.
The Bowery was one hundred feet long, by sixty wide; it was built on one hundred and four posts, and covered with boards; but for the services of this day, a canopy or awning was extended about one hundred feet from each side of the Bowery, to accommodate the vast multitude at dinner.
At half-past seven, the large national flag, measuring sixty-five feet in length, was unfurled at the top of the liberty pole, which was one hundred and four feet high, and was saluted by the firing of six guns, the ringing of the "Nauvoo bell," and soul-stirring airs from the band.
At eight o'clock, the multitude was called together by music and the firing of guns—the Bishops of the several wards arranging themselves in the sides of the aisles, with the banners of their wards unfurled, each bearing an appropriate inscription.
At a quarter past eight a grand and imposing escort was formed, under the direction of Lorenzo Snow, Jedediah M. Grant and Franklin D. Richards, in the following order, to wit: (1) Horace S. Eldredge, marshal, on horseback, in military uniform; (2) brass band; (3) twelve Bishops, bearing the banners of their wards; (4) twenty-four young men dressed in white pants, black coats, white scarfs on the right shoulder, and coronets on their heads, each carrying in his right hand a copy of the Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution of the United States, and each wearing a sheathed sword by his side—one of them carrying a beautiful banner, on which was inscribed, "The Lion of the Lord;" (5) twenty-four young ladies dressed in white, with blue scarfs on the right shoulder, and wreaths of white roses on their heads, each carrying a Bible and a Book of Mormon, and one carrying a neat banner, inscribed with "Hail to our Captain;" (6) P. P. Pratt, John Taylor, Charles C. Rich, Daniel Spencer, David Fullmer, Willard Snow, Erastus Snow; (7) twenty-four Silver Greys, led by Isaac Morley, Patriarch—each carrying a staff, painted red on the upper part, with a bunch of white ribbon floating at the top—one of them carrying the "Stars and Stripes," bearing the inscription, "LIBERTY OR DEATH."
The escort marched from the Bowery to the residence of Governor Brigham Young, and, at nine o'clock, when Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball had taken their position in the procession, in front of the Twelve Apostles, it moved forward, led by the committee, while the cannon roared, the musketry rolled, the "Nauvoo bell" pealed forth its silvery notes, and the air was filled with the soul-stirring strains of the brass band; and, as a soft, sweet and soothing refrain, intermingling harmoniously as they marched, the twenty-four young ladies and twenty-four young gentlemen sang the following, composed by Apostle P. P. Pratt:
THE MOUNTAIN STANDARD.
Lo! the Gentile chain is broken—
Freedom's banner waves on high.
List, ye nations: by this token,
Know that your redemption's nigh.See, on yonder distant mountain,
Zion's standard wide unfurled;
Far above Missouri's fountain,
Lo! it waves for all the world.Freedom, peace and full salvation
Are the blessings guaranteed;
Liberty to every nation,
Every tongue and every creed.Come, ye Christian sects and pagan,
Pope and Protestant and priest—
Worshipers of God and Dagan,
Come, O come, to Freedom's feast.Come, ye sons of doubt and wonder,
Indian, Moslem, Greek or Jew;
All your shackles burst asunder—
Freedom's banner waves for you.Cease to butcher one another—
Join the covenant of peace;
Be to all, a friend—a brother,
This will bring the world's release.Lo! our King, the great Messiah,
Prince of Peace, shall come to reign;
Sound again, ye heavenly choir,
Peace on earth, good will to men.