Springfield 1636-1886, History of Town and City, by Mason A. Green ...

SPRINGFIELD, 16S6-1886. 555
After Dr. Buckingham's prayer came music, the mak' chorus of the
Orpheus Ckib singing the "Chorus of Pilgrims," from Tannhauser.
Judge Knowltox. — The town of Springfield, adopting the fashions of
modern times, lias become a city, and she boasts a maj'or, a board of aldermen,
and a common council, which administer her government wisely and honestly.
She will now speak words of welcome by the lips of her mayor, Edwin D.
Metcalf.
Mayor Metcalf. — Mr. P resident. Ladies and Gentlemen. — Two hundred
and fifty years ago, after braving the dangers of the unbroken wilderness that
separated the Massachusetts bay and the rich valley of the Connecticut, a colon}%
small in numbers, but strong in hope and courage, began the settlement of
Springfield. Surrounded by inhospitable forests and hostile savage tribes, amid
want, danger, liardships. and sore privations, these early colonists founded here
a community that has changed the aspect of nature, filled this valley, and covered
these hills with a numerous and happy people, rich in all those possessions and
blessings which flow from industry, good government, universal education, deep
and abiding principles. All that we enjoy is fruit from the seed they planted. It
is to their courage, their industry, their love of freedom, their faith in and
reverence for God and his word, that we in a large measure owe our abundant
prosperity.
In grateful recognition of our many obligations to them, to give pul)lic ex-
pression of our respect for their virtues and achievements, to show our devotion
to the principles they illustrated, to quicken our zeal for future endeavors, and
refresh the recollections of the history of the past, our citizens have assembled
for the second time in this century to celebrate the anniversary of its settlement,
and welcome home all its sons and daughters.
It IS not Springfield's anniversary alone. Many other towns are entitled to
share with us in all these hallowed memories. For more than a century Spring-
field exercised jurisdiction over all the territory originally assigned to her first
settlers ; but in process of time, as new centres of population were formed and
new interests developed, new towns were organized, so that Springfield now
covers but a small portion of its original territory. All these towns, though
independent of us, are yet closely bound to us by the ties of a common origin, a
common history, and common interests. They have gone forth, as the grown-up
daughters of a house, to establish new homes and new centres of growth, and
their progress has been watched by us with such care and interest as only a
mother can have for her children, and now it is with great pleasure that we