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

562 SPRINGFIELD, 1636-1886.
offshoots from the parent stem ; but as a group, and especially as associated with
the mother town, they together make up one of the noblest garden spots of the
world.
A territory watered by noble streams, covered by a rich and responsive soil,
displaying nearly all varieties of scenery to charm and delight the senses, dotted
all over with churches, school-houses, and institutions of beneficence ;
with numer-
ous busy hives of industry whose productions, useful and beautiful, are known
as widely as civilization extends ; and more and better than all, a territory abound-
ing in the happy homes of an industrious, self-respecting, intelligent, and Adrtuous
people, — truly can we all say that " our lines have fallen to us in pleasant
places," and "we have a goodly heritage."
Mr. Mayor, in behalf of these thirteen outlying towns, I beg to assure you
that we all reciprocate the feelings that prompted you to utter your words of
hearty and sincere welcome to us, and we here and now join with you and the
beautiful city over which it is your high duty to keep Avatch and ward, in acknowl-
edging the debt of gratitude we all owe to those early colonists who, through
liardships, the story of which has been but half told, and through great tribula-
tion, redeemed this fair heritage of ours from savagery, and dedicated it forever
to freedom and the blessings of a Christian civilization.
The relation of the Springfield of to-day to these outlying towns is aptly char-
acterized, I think, by the simile you have yourself so happily chosen,— the simile
of a queenly mother to her fair and comely daughters ; and on this most inter-
esting occasion, this two hundred and fiftieth anniversary, we, the daughters,
gather from all points on the outer circle at this maternal home to say Hail
and God bless ! — not to a venerable and wrinkled dame, stricken in years
or by decrepitude, but rather to a stately matron, clothed to-day Avith more
queenly grace and beauty than ever before, and still blooming with virginal
charms.
And if continued lack of appreciation at the White House in Washington
shall forever debar this good old mother town of ours from becoming a port
of delivery ; if no stately custom-house is ever to vie in goodly proportions
Avith the great arsenal on Aonder "heaven kissing hill"; if no dignified col-
lector of the port is ever to become a prominent figure in her social circles ; yet
she Avill ever have the fuller satisfaction, one that no veto from any quarter can
ever deprive her of, that she is surrounded with a galaxy of thirteen beautiful
and dutiful daughters, all proud of her honorable history, all jealous of her good
name and fair fame, and who Avill ever affectionately regard her as the peerless
queen of the Connecticut valley.
!