The order of the procession is too long to include in this narrative. It is sufficient to say that it included three companies of Infantry, Battery A, twelve bands, five Grand Army Posts, delegations from ten societies and associations, five commanderies of Masons, ten Masonic Lodges, two Encampments of Odd Fellows, six lodges of Odd Fellows, and three Fire Departments. It was planned that the seventh division of the procession, composed of five hundred school children, should be seated on the slope of Cole’s Hill, and join in singing appropriate hymns, while the procession passed.
The dinner tent holding two thousand, was full to the last seat. Governor John D. Long, the president of the Pilgrim Society, had on his right Lieut. Governor Brackett, Adjt. General Samuel Dalton, John Boyle O’Reilly, Grand Master Henry Endicott, Hon. Wm. Cogswell, Hon. Frederic T. Greenhalge, Hon. Charles S. Randall, Hon. Wm. G. Russell, Hon. Wirt Dexter, Wm. T. Davis and Myron W. Whitney, Esq., and on his left, Hon. W. C. P. Breckinridge, Hon. Geo. F. Hoar, Hon. Henry Cabot Lodge, Hon. John W. Candler, Hon. Elijah A. Morse, Hon. Henry B. Pierce, Hon. Wm. W. Crapo, Roland Mather, Esq., Rev. Joseph H. Twichell of Hartford, Hon. William E. Barrett and Hon. Charles F. Choate. Among others seated on the platform were the Mayor of Boston, the Mayor of Brockton, the chairmen of the Boards of Selectmen of Plymouth, Kingston, Duxbury and Plympton, Rev. Samuel Hopkins Emery of Taunton, Hon. Stephen Salisbury of Worcester, Hon. John Winslow of Brooklyn, Justin Winsor, Abner C. Goodell, Samuel C. Cobb, Hon. John E. Russell, Hon. Albert Mason, Prof. Lemuel Stephens, Prof. E. N. Horsford, Lt. Col. Thomas F. Edmunds, Major Dexter H. Follett, Lt. Frederick I. Clayton, Francis Bartlett, Esq., and Rev. Charles P. Lombard. A blessing was asked by Mr. Lombard, and after an opening address by Hon. John D. Long, President of the Pilgrim Society, the oration by Mr. Breckinridge, and the poem by John Boyle O’Reilly followed. After the poem an address of welcome was made by myself, which was followed by speeches by Lt. Gov. J. Q. A. Brackett, Hon. George F. Hoar, Hon. Henry Cabot Lodge, Hon. Wm. Cogswell, Hon. Elijah A. Morse, Hon. Frederick T. Greenhalge, and by the singing of “Breaking Waves Dashed High” by Myron W. Whitney, Esq., and by a musical selection rendered by the Temple Quartette Club of Boston. The decorations along the route of the procession exceeded in appropriateness and good taste any ever before seen in Plymouth, and the five arches on Court, North, Leyden, Summer and Pleasant streets were pronounced by competent critics as models in proportion and adornment. The press was represented on the occasion by two members from Plymouth, one from Brockton, one from Burlington, Vt., one from Troy, ten from Boston, five from New York, and by the Associated Press. The number of visitors was estimated at fifteen thousand, and as compared with the celebrations of 1853 and 1859, was from three to five thousand larger than that at either.
In writing chapters of Plymouth memories it seems unnecessary to include a celebration as recent as that in 1895, but a complete record of the observances conducted by the Pilgrim Society may aid future historic explorers and writers. In the above year the Society held its celebration on the 21st of December. Arthur Lord was then President of the Society, and he and Wm. T. Davis, James D. Thurber, Wm. S. Danforth, Charles C. Doten, Charles B. Stoddard and Gideon F. Holmes, were appointed a committee of arrangements. Col. Wm. P. Stoddard was appointed Chief Marshal, with Winslow B. Standish and Wm. Hedge as aids, and a committee on the ball was appointed, consisting of Edgar D. Hill, Charles A. Strong, James Spooner, Henry J. W. Drew, Alfred S. Burbank, W. C. Butler, A. E. Lewis and E. A. Dunton. Hon. Geo. F. Hoar and Richard Henry Stoddard, who had been invited to deliver respectively an oration and poem, accepted their invitations. The Society met at Pilgrim Hall, and with the orator and poet and invited guests proceeded to the Armory, where exercises were held, consisting of an overture by the Plymouth Band, anthem by the Plymouth Musical Club, prayer by Rev. Charles P. Lombard, ode, “Sons of Renowned Sires,” poem by Richard Henry Stoddard, ode, “Breaking Waves Dashed High,” sung by Myron W. Whitney, oration by Hon. Geo. F. Hoar, ode, “The Pilgrim Fathers Where are They,” benediction by Rev. Ernest W. Shurtleff.
The trustees of the Society, with the chief marshal and aids and members of committees and guests dined at the Samoset House, where speeches were made by Lt. Gov. Roger Wolcott, Hon. Winslow Warren, Hon. Samuel R. Thayer, and Hon. Robert S. Rantoul, and the dinner closed with a song sung by Myron W. Whitney.
In addition to the above the anniversary of the Landing was celebrated by the Plymouth Fire Department, Dec. 21, 1886, by a procession, dinner and a ball, at which the Boston Cadet band furnished the music. John C. Cave and Henry Harlow were chairman and secretary of the committee of arrangements, and I was invited to preside. After my address speeches were made by Chas. H. Howland, Chas. G. Davis, Rev. F. N. Knapp, Rev. W. P. Burnell, Daniel E. Damon, Albert E. Davis. Wm. H. Nelson, James Morton, John C. Ross, Edward B. Atwood. Other celebrations not already mentioned in these memories have been the following, of which I have space for only superficial notices. The Fourth of July, 1825, was celebrated by the citizens of Plymouth. Hon. Wm. Davis presided, assisted by Joseph Thomas, Coomer Weston, Pelham W. Warren, Bridgham Russell, Joseph Allen, and Samuel Doten, vice presidents, and an oration was delivered in the First Church by Wm. Thomas, Esq., of Plymouth. In 1826 the Fourth of July was again celebrated. Hon. John Thomas of Kingston presided, and an oration was delivered by Hon. Charles Henry Warren of New Bedford, a native of Plymouth. A ball in Pilgrim Hall closed the observance of the day. The Fourth of July, 1828, was again celebrated by citizens, with Hon. Nathaniel M. Davis president of the day, assisted by Nathan Hayward, Ezra Finney, Abraham Jackson, Isaac L. Hedge, James G. Gleason of Plymouth and Jonathan Parker of Plympton. Hon. John A. Shaw of Bridgewater delivered an oration, and a dinner and ball were held in Pilgrim Hall. In 1832 Washington’s birthday was celebrated with an oration by Hon. Solomon Lincoln of Hingham. Capt. Samuel Doten was chief marshal, and Hon. Isaac L. Hedge was president of the day, assisted by Jacob H. Loud, Nathaniel Wood, Thos. Paty and John Bartlett as vice presidents. In 1865, Independence day was celebrated by the citizens, the features of the celebration being morning salutes, the ringing of bells, and a march of the ancient and horribles, followed by a procession, and an oration by Rev. George H. Hepworth of Boston. Hon. Jacob H. Loud presided, and Thomas Loring was chief marshal, assisted by John T. Stoddard and Albert Hedge as aids, and Barnabas Hedge, George G. Dyer, Thomas Pierce, Warren Macomber, Frederic W. Robbins, Charles Burton, George L. Baxter, B. H. Holmes, T. B. Atwood, Aaron Cornish, Gustavus D. Bates and Nathaniel C. Lanman, marshals. Among the features of the procession were the Plymouth Lodge of Masons, the Mayflower Lodge of Odd Fellows, a car of liberty, and the army and navy, represented by Ignatius Pierce, Jr., M. A. Diaz, Jr., Wm. W. Brewster and Herbert Morissey, and five hundred public school scholars. The services were held on the grounds of the Samoset House, and at their close the scholars enjoyed a collation at Goddard’s grove, the general public in Samoset house orchard, the Odd Fellows at Pilgrim Hall, and the Masons at the Winslow House on Winslow street.
On the 9th of July, 1869, the dedication of the Soldiers’ monument on Training Green, was celebrated under the direction of the Soldiers’ Monument Association. As President of the Association I presided at the ceremonies. A large tent was erected around and over the monument, and there after my own address, an oration was delivered by Hon. Joshua L. Chamberlain of Maine. Hon. John Morissey was chief marshal, assisted by Albert Mason and Charles H. Drew as aids, and the following marshals of divisions, Charles Raymond, James D. Thurber, Charles B. Stoddard, Alvin Finney, Henry W. Loring, Thomas B. Atwood, assisted by Wm. E. Barnes, Elkanah C. Finney, Stephen C. Drew, B. A. Hathaway, George Finney, Charles Mason, J. Frank Churchill, A. Merritt Shaw, Robert B. Churchill and Alexander Atwood. Among the invited guests present were: Governor Claflin of Massachusetts, Governor Stearns of New Hampshire, Lt. Gov. Tucker of Massachusetts, Hon. James Buffington, Thos. Russell, General Benham and members of the executive council. Among the associations were Collingwood Post G. A. R., the McPherson Post, the Old Colony Encampment of K. T., the Samoset Chapter of Masons, the Mayflower Lodge of Odd Fellows, the Bay State Lodge of Lynn, the Palestine Encampment of Lynn, and the Fire Department. The Standish Guards and the Bay State Guards of Carver performed escort, and the music was furnished by the North Bridgewater Band, the Weymouth Band, the Abington Band, the Lynn Band, and the Plymouth Band.
The reception at Plymouth of Louis Kossuth, May 12, 1852, though not a celebration, may properly be recorded here. The committee of arrangements were Capt. John Russell, Andrew L. Russell, E. C. Sherman and Moses Bates, and Mr. Bates presided with John D. Churchill, chief marshal. At a dinner at the Samoset House, after the address made by Kossuth in the First Church, speeches were made by Mr. Bates, Gov. George S. Boutwell, Stephen H. Phillips, and by M. Pulzzly and M. Kocielski.
There was a celebration in 1849, which though not a public one, I may be permitted to include in my narrative. A party of gentlemen, all of whom were special friends of Daniel Webster, came to Plymouth and dined at the Samoset on the anniversary of the departure of the Pilgrims from Old Plymouth. The departure occurred on the 16th of September, but as that day in 1849 fell on Sunday, Monday was the day of the dinner. The dinner was proposed by Mr. Webster, and he presided. The occasion was a memorable one, including among its guests leading professional and business men of Boston, New York, Providence and New Bedford. At that time I was living in Boston, and through the kindness of my uncle, Chas. Henry Warren, who made up the party, I attended the dinner, the youngest man at the table, and now the only one living. Such men as Josiah Quincy, Rufus Choate, Edward Everett, John H. Clifford, George S. Hillard, Benjamin R. Curtis, Sidney Bartlett and Nathan Appleton were there renewing allegiance to him from whom some had been alienated by his patriotic refusal to leave the cabinet of John Tyler, and others by his reluctant support of the nomination of Zachary Taylor for the presidency. Mr. Webster’s speech was eloquent and pathetic, feeling as he did, with the increasing infirmities of age, that it might be the last time he should address those who had put their trust in him, and on whom he had leaned for support. It was my privilege to hear Mr. Webster probably more times than any man now living, and of the thirteen speeches I have heard from his lips, this was the most tender and eloquent. Nathaniel P. Willis, in a letter to his journal in New York said in describing it, that, “it was the most beautiful example of manly pathos of which language and looks could be capable. No one who heard it could doubt the existence of a deep well of tears under that lofty temple of intellect and power.”
Before closing the account of celebrations I ought to say that the old Standish Guards, which was organized in 1818, made its first public parade as an escort to the procession on the 22d of December in the above year. They continued to perform escort duty at the Pilgrim celebrations until they were disbanded in 1883. After the change was made in 1870 of the celebrations from the 22d to the 21st of December, the company continued its celebration, not of the anniversary of the Landing, but of the anniversary of the company’s first public parade. From 1883 to 1888, there was no military company in Plymouth, but in the latter year the present company was chartered, not as Co. B, third Regiment, like the old company, but as Co. D, 5th Regiment, having no more connection with the old Standish Guards than the present Old Colony Club on Court street has with the Old Colony Club which was organized in 1768, and went out of existence at the beginning of the Revolution. There seems, therefore, to be no reason why the present company should keep up the observance of a day with which it has no connection, as the 22d of December is neither the anniversary of the landing, nor of its first public parade, which occurred in 1888, and not in 1818.