History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts - citizen hylbom blog

ciliatory character ; and -(vhile we have heard with
pleasure the tone of hiter celebrations, and the
voice of the press, we can congratulate ourselves
that the fraternal, forgiving manifestation here dis-
played was touching the key-note which has proved
acceptable to all the lovers of national harmony.
The attendance at our celebration vastly exceeded
our expectations. The President and his cabinet,
and distinguished guests from every section of the
country, honored us with their presence; and legions
— for they were many— flocked to our town, and so
blocked our streets that they were for a great part
of the day impassable for carriages. It was esti-
mated by the best judges that there were in the
town that day at least a hundred thousand people.
The day was unusually cold for the season, — the
thermometer ranging from 24 to 28° above zero.
Such numbers disappointed most of our guests and
greatly mortified us at the time, because we could
not accommodate them as we desired. But on
further reflection we, and we believe the intelli-
gent portion of our guests who were incommoded,
rejoiced rather than otherwise that the crowd was so
great. Though this was rejoicing in tribulation,
this gatliering by thousands showed that the spirit
of 1775 was not extinct. And it became manifest
to all that the story of the 19th of April, and
the results and associations connected therewith,
had produced such a grand swell of patriotism, such
a feeling of gratitude to our Revolutionary fathers,
such a deep sense of the worth of our institutions,
as would insure the perpetuity of the Republic.
We have endeavored to show the interest taken
by the citizens of Lexington in the events connected
with tlie opening scene of the American Revolution;
and to claim the honors justly due to her for the
part which occurred in our town. But we do not
rely upon the locality of the occurrences. It is not
the soil that imparts glory to the transactions of
the day. If the honor was territorial, then Acton
and Danvers, whose gallant citizens performed so
conspicuous a part on that day, would be robbed
of tlie honor so justly their due. No ; the honor
is due to the deeds and to the brave men who per-
formed them, and not to the town in which they
happened to occur. There need be no jealousy be-
tween any of the towns through which the British
passed, or whicli participated in the affairs of that
day; the glory is sufficient for each locality and
for every actor on the occasion, and cannot right-
fully be monopolized by any one town.
We are satisfied with the share of honor awarded
LEXINGTON. 33
to us by the public ; and we cannot better close
our remarks than by sliowing the appreciation at
the close of the eighteenth century of the fame of
Lexington by the state legislature, which made an
appropriation for the Jirst monument in lionor of
t\\e first eff'ort by ihe first martyrs of Libertv.
The following is the language of the appropria-
tion : " For the purpose of erecting in said town a
Monument of Stone, on which shall be engraved
the names of the eight men, inhabitants of Lexing-
ton, wlio were slain on the morning of tlie 19th of
April, 1775, by a party of British troops; together
with such other inscription as, in tlie judgment of
the Selectmen and the approbation of the Governor
and Council, shall be calculated to preserve to jws-
terity a record of the first effort made by the people
of America fur the estatjUshiaent of their freedom
and independence."
The inscription upon the monument was furnished
by tlie patriotic Mr. Clarke, and met the approba-
tion of the governor and council. It is so replete
with devotion to tlie cause of America and the love
of freedom and tlie rights of mankind, and so true
to history and the spirit of the day, that we will
give it entire —
:
"Sacked to Liberty and the Kights of Mankind! I
The Freedoji and Independence of America.
Sealed and defended with the Blood of her Sons.
This Monument is erected
By the inhabitauts of Lexington,
Under tlie patronage and at the expense of
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts,
To the memory of their fellow Citizens,
Ensign Roljert Miinroe, and Messrs. Joms Parker,
Samuel Hadlei/, Jonaltiun Harrington, Jun.,
haac Mil::;/, Cale/j Harrimjton, and John Brown,
Of Lexington, and Asaliel Porter of Woburn,
Wlio fell on the Field the First Victims to the
Sword of British Tyranny and oppression,
On the Morning of the ever memorable
Nineteenth of .\prd An. Dom. 1775. '
The Die was cast ! I !
The Blood of these Martyrs
In the cause of God and their country
Was the Cement of the Union of these States, then
Colonies, and gave the Spring to the Spirit, Firmness,
And Resolution of their Fellow Citizens.
They rose as one Man to revenge their Brethren's
Blood, and at the point of tlie sword to assert and
Defend their native Rights.
They nobly dared to be free !
The contest was long, bloody, and affecting,
Righteous Heaven approved the solemn appeal,
Victory crowned their arms ; and
The Peace, Liberty, and Independence of the United
States of America was their Glorious Reward."
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