The New York Herald Newspaper, April 16, 1875, Page 3

WHO FIRED IT? We Mean “The Shot Heard Round the World.” CONCORD VS. LEXINGTON. The First Battle of the Revolution Being Fought Again. DID PARKER'S MEN RETURN THE FIRE? The Lexington Massacre and the Concord Fight. Bancroft and Washington Irving Enlaurel Lexington. Mr, Frederic Hudson Claims the Honor for Concord. MR. G. W. CURTIS CROWNS BOTH. Opinions of the Oldest Inhabitants of the Two Towns, INTERESTING SKETCH OF CONCORD, A Lecture by Dr. Storrs on the Great Open- ing of the Revolution. Boston, April 15, 1875. The rival celebrations of Concord and Lexing- ton are based upon the idea of each town that the war began witnin its limiis., This point being in dispute, | called to-day upon some of the leading titizens to ascertain their views in regard to the matter at issue. WHAT MR. CHARLES HUDSON SAYS. The first person to whom I spoke was Mr. Charles Hudson, of Lexington, a very prominent man, and the historian of that place. Mr. Hudson said that upon one point—viz., that the firat blood shed on the 19tm of April, 1775, was In Lexington—there was no dispute. He said be beheved, however, that Concord claimed that the volley fired by the British on Lexington fommon was not returned, This was a mistake. There is ample testimony to show that the fire on that day was returned. Elijah Sanderson made but the case very clearly in 1827, and it seems Feasonably certain that Pitcairn’s horse was Wounded by one of the shots irom the retreating Patriots, Not only did Solomon Brown repeatedly fre at them irom Buckman’s Tavern, but many other shots were also ores, WHA? MR. MULTE SAYS, Alter conversing with Mr. Hudsoa I spoke to Mr. Muzzy, onc of the encyclopedias of the town, who merely laughed very heartily at the idea that there could be any dispute in regard to the point. He said the first biood shea between the British and the srmed Americans was shed at Lexington. WHAT MR. JAMES 0, MELVIN SAYS, Subsequently I conversed with Mr. James 0. Melvin, of Concord, on the same subject. Mr. Melvin drew a very funny picture of the | Gevices of the Lexington people to secure for themseives the chief glory of the 19th of April, @nd saia that Concord never claimed that the | first blood shed in the Revolution was spilled in | ‘hat town. Undoubtediy eight patriots were Killea by the British in Lexington before Davis and Hosmer lost their lives at Concord Bridge. WHAT CONCORD CLAnas, It must be remembered, however, tbat there ‘were massacres by the British troops before the Massacre at Lexington, though none were so effective in arousing the American peopie. What Concord claims is, that the first armed re- sistance was made in that town; that the fight at Concord North Bridge was the frst time the Amer- ieans met the British grenadiora in arms, and, | consequently, toat that battle, as glorious in itself Mmost as in its consequences, was the actual be- sinning of the War of the Revolution. FREDERIC HUDSON’S OPINION. ConcorD, Mass., April 16, 1876, Yo Tae Epiton oF Tus AeRALD:-- T see by the Henatp of this morning that you Rave some doubts in regard to where the shot Was fired in April, 1775, which was “heard round | the world.” It is strange that @ journal so well u¥ormed on all subjects should nave o single doubt on this important event. There are two points in the progress of events on the 19th of April, 1775, clearly blished:— First—That the Concord fight, whien opened | the war of the Revolution, took place at the Old North Bridge in Concord, a: half-past nine o'clock ia the morning, Second—Tuat the batue of Lexington, so-called, took place after tbe British bad been driven out | of Concord, and at two o’clock in the afternoon, | nd on the arrival of Liagh Peroy’s reinforcement from Boston, The latter, in fact, was simply a Continuation of the Concord fight, but assumed | larger military proportion by mcreased sirengtn on both sides and the presence of two pie or artillery with Percy's troops. Ia your editorial remarks you ignore the claims | of Concord and give all the glory to Lexington. ‘This seems to me UNJUST TO CONCORD, There is no doubt that the first American blood ‘Was shed in Lexington, There was ® massacre there “un the gray of the morning,” but the first British blood was shed in voncord, wd the frst effectual resistance to England was wade in that town. TH® EVIDENCE, / 1 sepd you the sworn statement of Captain Parker to sh? # you what was done in Lexington on the arrival of the cnemy :— JOHN PARKER'S AFFIDAVIT, LEXINGZUN, April 25, 1775, J, Jobn Parker, of lawfui age, and commander | Of the militia In Lexingiou, do testiiy and declare ‘Wat on the 19th tnst., im the moruing, avout oue “the clock, being miormed that there were a “eamber of t war oMcers ridiug up and down me fOad, stopping Add insulting people as they | monizing and all-embracing opinion of George | sat, sarrounded by his books and pictures, and | disper | did so a few returned the Britisn dre, At Concord | The affair at Concord was deliberate, intentional, | were ta advancing at Concord. NEW YORK HERALD, FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 1875.—TRIPLE SHEET. ~ passed on the road, and also was informed thats number of the regular troops were on their march from Boston, in order to take the Province stores at Concord, ordered. our militia to meet on the common in said Lexington to consult what to do, and concluded not to be discovered nor meddle or make with said reg- ular troops, if they should approach, unless they should insult or molest us, and upon taeir sudden approach 1 immediately orderea our militia to disperse and not to fire. Immediately said troops made their appear- ance, and, rushing turiously, fred upon and killed efgut of our party, without receiving any provo- cation therelor irom us, JOHN PARKER. What was done in Concord? I send you the aMfdavit of Colonel arrest, which speaks for ttself:— oH? oh COLONEL BARRETT’¢he ceIDAVIT. Lex ‘ON, April 23, 1775. . Somes Barrett, of Con\"fd, colonel of a regl- Ment of militia in the ccunty of Middlesex, ao testify and say that on Wednesday morning last, about daybreak, | was in‘ormed of the approach of anamber of the regular troops to the town of Concord, where were some magazines belonging to this Province. When there was assembied some of the militia of this and the neighboring towns, I ordered them to march tothe North Bridge, 80- called, which they had passed and were taking up. lordered said militia to march to said bridge and pass tne same, but not to fire on the King’s troops unless they were first fired upon. We advanced near said bridge, when the said troops fired upon our militia and killed two men dead on the spot and wounded several otners, which was the first firing of guns in the town of Concord, My detachment then re. turned the fire, which «killed and wounded several of the King’s troops. JAMES BARRETY. These sworn statements wero made before committee of the Provincial Congress specially elected for the purpose. I do not wish to take one tittle from the good and patriotic name of Lex- ington, Her sons were as gallant and as brave as the best in the Revolution, I hope she will have 4 SPLENDID TIME NEXT MONDAY. My only purpose 1s to show you that what Ihave detailed in the sketch of the Concord fight pre- pared'for Harper's Magazine, which you have 80 kindly noticed, are facts not to be controverted. FREDERIC HUDSON. VIEWS OF GEORGE W'\uLIAM CURTIS. As the question whether cord or Lexington can claim the honor of hav’ ¢ fired the first snot in the cause of American 1 -pendence 1s one of peculiar interest just now, '.¢ writer sought to obtain the views of 8 man + » is pre-eminently qualified to judge of the me) ts ofeach claim, being one of the profoundest of American scholars and thinkers and one who has made the history of bis native country an especial study—George William Curtis. Mr. Curtis has been selected to deliver the centennial oration in Concord on Mon- day next, and would undoubtedly devote particular attention to the solution of this vexing question—vexing because it has kindled @ spirit of rivalry and jealousy which the American patriot can only deplore. At least this is the light in which the great savant looks at it, At the same time his opinion is one calculated to restore peace and concord to Concord and Lex- | ington by distributing the glory between both claimants. This view he does not express merely | for the purpose of ending the disagreeable | strife, but because it is absolutely founded on pis- torical facts, A la Beecher, he answers, when asked whetoer Concord or Lexington deserves the wreath {national glory, “No and yes,” and makes both cities happy at the same time. Air, Curtis is @ student of the great wars which have rent this Contwent, and itis gratiying to be able to state on his authority that the present | rivalry between the two birthplaces of Awerican Uberty will not, in bis opinion, result in fratri- | cidal bloodshed, At the same time he holds out | no delusive hope that the controversy will ever be satisiactorily settled so as to merge fature | celebrations of the great event into one. Concord | nd discord are both to flourish in the future, un- | less the two cities clasp hands across the William Curtis. Mr. Cartis does most of his writing at his pretty | residence in Bard avenue, New Brighton. The | house stands in @ beautifully cultivated garden, | and its interior is replete with ali the evidences of scnolarly taste and literary culture. The study is | to the right of the entrance, and there Mr. Curtis | wielding that instrument which in his hand is certaiwly mightier than many & sword—the pen. The room is literally walled with books, and tne familiar faces of Charles Sumner, Ralph Waldo Emerson and otber distinguished trends of Mr. Cortis, iooked down from the mantelpiece, on which # number of | photographs were arranged. Mr. Curtis’ man- ner is that of the polished, courtly gentleman of the old school, and when requestea to embody bis views in a brief letter to the Henan, he im- mediately wrote the following, in which he dis- | poses of the question in his terse style:— MR, CURTIS’ LETTER TO THE HERALD. Wast New Brioutoy, BTATEN IstaNb, N.Y April 10: 1878, } To Tie Eprron or tas HERaLp:— You wish me to say whether ! think that Con- cord or Lexington can claim the first shot in the war of the Revolution. At Lexington the militia, sixty or seventy in number, were drawn up in jine, and, refusing to at the British summons, were fired upon by the British, at least €00 strong. Then the Awericans were ordered to retire, and as they the Americans resolved to cross the Old North Bridge, which was held by the British, an¢ were advancing for that purpose when the British fired. | Then the Americans Were ordered to return the fire, which they did, and the British retreated. organized resistance. At Lexington it was a mas- sacre, at Concord @ battle, and the Americans Were as wie in retiring at Lexington as they Respectrally, GEORGE WILLIAM CURTIS, LEXINGTON TECHNICALLY RIGHT, The explanations incident to the writing of this er led to some pregnant remarks by Mr. Curtis. | m general my understanding of the jacts,” he observed, ‘agrees with that of Mr. Frederico Hudson, whose article | have read with great pleasure, and who has undoubtedly furnished us by iar the best account O/ the great events of the day we have had, If 1 dider with him, it is only in | a matter of detail, namely, In the conviction that the Americans did fire some straggling snots at the British at Lexington. Hence, aithough the | battle actually took piaco at Concord, and the en- | counter at Lexington was but a very insignificant | affair as compared to that, the latter piace ) must be awarced the paim in the technical issue | as to which fired the first shot. Ofcourse, it was | merely & proiiminary skitimisd, a prelude to the battie of Concord im Which the Orat victory was yours, FIRST BLOOD AT LEXINGTON. ii ais Pcs W493, We Li = The above cuts, portraying the scenes at the openicg of the Revolutionary War, are illustrations of Mr. Frederic Hudson’s interesting article in Harper’s Magazine. The scene at Lexington is that at the moment the British regulars fred upon’ the dispersing militia under Parker; the scene at the Concord Bridge is at the instant the militia, ander Colonel Barrett, returned the fire of the British. Whether Parker’s men did or did not return the fire is the question between Concord and Lexington just now. won, so that it 1s Concord, after all, which sub- stantially carries off the honors of the day.” MR. CURTIS’ AUTHORITIES. Mr. Curtis pointed out that Mr. Hudson in speaking of the skirmish at Lexington makes no mention of the firing by the Americans. ‘Captain Parker,’ thus Mr, Hudson concludes this portion of lis intensely interesting narrative, “the com- mander of the (American) militia company, ordered his men to disperse and not to fire.” He omits to addthatin theteeth of this order they 4id fire, Mr. Curtis said that ooth Richard * Frotningham and Edward Everett, who were very careful and accurate authorities, agreed that there were scattering shots from the Ameri- cans. Mr. Curtis readily pointed out the passages in both authors alluding to this event. In bis H oration at Lexington of the 20th of April, 1835, Everett says:—“Captain Parker now felt the necessity of directing bis men to disperse, but It was not until several of them bad returned the British fre, and some of them more than once, that bis handful of brave men were driven from the field.” And Richard Frothingbam, in his “His- tory of the Siege of Boston and of the Battles of Lexington, Concord and Bunker Hill,” says:—“A few of the militia who had been wounded, or wno saw otbers killed or wounded by their side, no longer hesitated but returned the fire of the regu- lars.” AN INTERESTING NOTE, And in & marginal note the Distorilan says:— “The contemporary evidence of this return fire is too positive to be set aside, In the counter mani festo to Gage’s prociamation, prepared in June, 1775, which was not published at the time, it is said that the British “in @ most barbarous and infamous maoner fred upon ® small number of the inbabitants and craelly murdered eight men. The fire was returned by some of the survivors, but their number was too inconsiderable to an- Roy the regular troops, who proceeded on their errand, and upon coming up to Concord,” | &c. I copy from MS. m Massachusetts aronives. Gordon, May 17, 1175, says that James Brown insormed bim that, “being got over the wall, and seeing the soldiers fire pretty freely, he fred upon them, and some others did the same.” Deposi- tion No, 8, 011775, is clear:—“About five o'clock fn the morning We attended the beat of our drum and were formed on the parade. We were faced towara the regulars then marching up to us, and some of our company Were coming to the parade with their backs toward the troops: and others on the parade began to disperse, when the regu- lars fired on the company before a gun was fred by amy of our company on them.” The great point was asto who fired frat, Clark says:—“‘S0 far from firing first upon the King’s troops, upon the most careful inquiry it appears that but very jew of our people fired at all, and even they did not fire till, alter being fred upon by the troops, they were wounded themselves,” &c, Phinney’s history contains the detaus, with depositions, which, as to the main fact, are sup- ported by the authorities of 1776, All the British accounts state that the fro was returned, or rather they state that it was begun by the militia, ‘This last assertion, made in Gage’s handbill, ‘Was contradicted. Much controversy took place about it, and the Provincial Congress’ account was prepared in reference toit, As late as May 3, 1776, aLondon journal says:—‘It is whispered that the Ministry are endeavoring to fix a cer- tainty whicn party fired first at Lexington, before hostilities commenced, as the Congress declare, if it can be proved that American blood was first shed, it will go a great way toward effecting a reo onciliation with most savorable terms.” Even William Gordon, the British historian, says in his account of the encounter:—“individu- als (meaving Americans), finding they were fread upon though dispersing, had spirit enough to Stop and return the fire.” id THR GABAT POINT. “The great point,’ remarkea Mr, Curtis, apro pos of these statements, “is that at Lexington the Americans did not fire as a line, but simply as in- dividuals, while dispersing.” “But as far as the honors of the first shot are concerned you award them to Lexington ?”” “Oh, it was practically one affair,’ Mr, Curtis re- pled, with @ deprecating smile; “the British troops only tarried twenty minutes at Lexington and then marched on to Concord, where they found it was quitea different affair. Had it not been for Concord the day would have marked a mas- sacre if not a defeat of the Americans.” And thus Mr. Curtis, who was evidently born to be a diplomatist, distributed the laurels equally be- tween both rivais, adding, in @ tone of good. natured regret, “It's really very disagreeable that there should be this friction.” “And do you not think the controversy will be settled one of these days?” “Oh, no,” Mr. Cartis returned with a laugh; “seven cities claimed Romer, and why should not two claim the first shot in the War of Independ- ence?” ‘This question was unanswerable, and the inter. view very suddenly collapsed. WHAT THE HISTORIANS SAY. In view of the controversy that has arisen among the several towns in Massachusetts more or less connected with tno honor of having “flrea the first shot that was heard around the worid,” at the beginning of the American Revolution, it may be interesting to refer to contemporaneous history touching upon the subject. For example, in Irving’s “Life of Washington,” vol. 1, pp. 430-431, we tind: WASHINGTON IRVING'S ACCOUNT. On the bt of the 18tn of April, 1775, Dr, Warren sent of two messeagers, by different routes, to give the alarm that the King’s troops were actually saliying forth. The messengers ge out of Boston just before the oraer of jenerai Gage weat into effect to prevent any one Irom .eaving the towo. About the same ‘ime a luutern was Duog out of an upper window of the North Churen im the direcuoo of Cnariestown. ‘Tais Was a preconcerted sigaal to the patriots of | glited daugnters, that place, Who instantly despatched swiit mes- sengers to rouse the country. in eantime | Culowel Smith, tae British comm: tout on nis nocturnal m: Unirequepted path across marsnes, where at times | the trvops had to wade througn water. He bad Proceedea but @ few miles when wlarm guns, vooming through the night air, and the clang of Villaze bells showed thas the news of his approacn was travelling Leiore him and the people were He now sent back to General Gu Major Pitcairn ie i$ tO press forward and secure tue bridge at Concord, Pitcairn advanced pidly, capturing every on: tbe met or over+ took. Within a and @ half of Lexington, however, @ Lorsemun Was too quick on the spur for bim, and galloping to the Village gave the alarm that the coats were coming. Drums were beaten, 3 Dred. By tl ime thas Pitcairn entered tae village about ity or eighty of the yeomunry, 10 willitary array, were musteved ou the green, tue churen, It was | n & part of toe ‘Constitutional Army,” pledged to resist by 1orce any open hostility of British troops. Besides ¢ there were a namver of lookers-on armed aad unarmed. e sound o| drum and the array of meu im arms indicated & nostiie demonstration. Pitcairn nalted lis men within stance Of the Canren, and ordered them to prime anu ioad, They thea ‘advanced at doubie quick tme, tae Major riding sorward aod ordering the reves, as he termed them, to dis pe! Other officers echoed tis words as they advanced, ‘Disperse, ye vitlains!’* “Lay down your arms, ye rebvcis, aud disperse!’ The orders were disregarded. A scene of col rasion eusued, With fring on commen: both side: it has been a matter of When he saw @ asa jo the pau irom the countryman posted behind @ wali, au an of aimost app was wounded, 48 was also his norse ciose vy Lim. His troops rusnhea on and ‘cuous fre took piace, tuough, as ne dk ‘ed, he mude Tre jd signais wit his sword jor bis meo to forcear, Tue firing ot Americans irreguiar aud wi mach effect; that of the British was more 11 Common, fred # volley, and eb jor one of & most ingioriou: truus triumpus ever achieved oy British arms, BANCROF?’S ACCOUNT. In Bancroit’s “History of the United States,’ Vol. Vil., Pp- 202-203, the following version of the me affair 13 gi The last stars were Vanishing from night when i by Pitcairn, & major of ) Was discov advancing quickly and in suence. Alarm guus were fired, und the drums beac, DOL & call to Village bhusbandmen oniy, Less than seventy, ed im two runks # lew rods nortu ot \ * * * The Britu | with the par: from Lechmere Yoiat by an | closely followed by the Grenadiers, Pitcairn rod in front, and when within tive or six rods of tl minute map, cried out:—‘Disperse, ye villains; ye rebels, disperse; lay down your urms; why don’t you jay down your arms and disperse?’ The main ‘part of the countrymen s%0od motionless lu the ranks, Witnesses against aggression, too few to resist, too brave to fly, At this Piteaira discharged a pis'ol, and with a loud voice cried, “Fire!? The order was instantly tollowed, first by a few guus, which did no execution, and tien | by @ heavy. close and deadly discharge of musketry. In the disparity of numbers, tue Common was @ | field of murder, not of battle. Parker, therelore, ordered nis men to disperse. Thea, and not till then, did alew of them, on their own impulse, retura the british fire, These random shots of fugitives or dying men did no harm, except that Pitcairo’s horse Was, perlaps, grazed, aud a prix vate in the Tenth light imantry was toucued sligntly in the leg. | BOSTON BESTIRRING HERSELF. Boston, April 15, 1875, The interest in the approaching Concord and Lexington Centennial absorbs every otler topic, | and the outpouring of the peopie on Monday next will be unexampled. The statues of Jobn Han- cock and John Adams, both of whicn are to be unveiled at Lexington, will arrive in time, That Of the former is below, on the brig J. L. Bowen, and that of the latter 19 on the Cunard steamer Parthia, which is due to-morrow. The Marine Band arrived to-day on the United States steamer Tallapoosa, THE TOWN OF CONCORD. ConcoRD, Mass., April 14, 1875. Concord 1s indeed a pleasant town, and though Mr. James Russell Lowell has sung of its modern population that ——nowadays the bridge ain’t wat they show So much ez Em’son, Hawthorne anu Thoreau, it is the grandest village in all America in its past as well as its present, ‘Concord fight’ has given it a history which no other town cau justly claim, and it has, besides, maintained itself so well in bearing its proud pre-eminence that nobody will deny that it is in every way worthy of its history, People who naye been sounding the praises of New England have made tt typical of New England towns in general; but the truth is itis as much un- like the manufacturing Villages as the adobe ham- lets of New Mexico, In the Jactory towns the houses are not built in streets, but set up In rows, Une dwelling is as much like another as the brother tenpins in a bowling alley, Iu Concord each house betrays the taste of its owner, and nearly every dweling has ita tradi- tious and its story. Coming into the vil- lage by the Lexington roagd—the way the grenadiers came in 1775—the frst build+ ing of note is the Wayside School in the house built by Hawthorne when he determined to desert the Old Mans, It is a wooden structure, two sto- ries in height, and is surmounted by a little box overlooking tbe roof in which the sky romancist bad bis study. This box was accessible only by a trap, upon which the novelist placed his liorary chair, and, by thus keeping toe world as bay, jus- tifled the lines of the poet in which he 1s descrived as one —with genius so shrinking and rare bie Ne hardly at drst see the strength that is there. A little further on and still nearer the village is Alcott’s residence, the home also of hig two It is an old house, negiected in appearance, but surrounded by ample grounds, which are capable of being made very lovely in the springtime and summer. A rustic Jence, now also much in decay, built of pipe and cedar | r | vuritanism; but it 1s, I thins, conc:usive proof branches, gathered irom the neighboring thickets and woven togetner by Mr. Alcott’s own hands, encloses the grounds and separates them from the street. Across the way and still a little nearer the village, just before the turn of the road and the ridge, which forms the background of all this picture, reveals the more tnickly set- tled part of the towa, is the dwelling of Ralph Waldo Emerson, it 1s @ square house, without pretensions, and lacks charms of "any kind im its situation and surroundings, The ground | on which it stands is low and almost marshy, and | being across the street it has not the ridge benind it as Dave the others to lend it picturesqueness. Then comes the village proper, hugging the bill on the north and east and kissing the river to the south and west. Here the main street intersects the road, extenodiug trom a pomt oppoaiie the oid graveyard, which forms the centre of the mdge, almost in the direction of the old Souta Bridge, held by 8 company of British gr 1775, while toeir comrades were being beaten mile below, On this street is tne house where next Sunday President Graat, like Hosea Biglow, is to go —a-visitin’ the judge, Whose garding whispers wit the river’s edge. Near to Judge Hoar’s is the rural retreat of Mr. Frederic Huasop, whose “History of Journalism in the United States” is a proud monument to nis own achievements in the journaiistic projes- Sion, Thoreau, who was a recluse, lived iartner away at Walden Pond, while near the North Bridge, where the first batue of the Revolatiun took place ts the Old Manse, celebrated as the residence of the Rev. William Emerson, the grand- tather of the Carlyle of Concord and the minister here in the Revolutionary era, Mr, Emerson witnessed the battle between the men whom his grandson has so grandly named the “embattied farmers” and tne British grenadiers from an upper window of bis nouse, which commanded a view of both positions, and he testified in his diary that aiter toe invader discharged bis first shot he ‘‘was uneasy till the fire wae returaea, than treble ours.” THE PROVINCIAL PARADE The spot overlooked by the bold and patriotic Concord clergyman, soon to become so famous in history, 18 now known as the Provincial Parade Ground, Tne English were trst on the ground | and beid the town. It was a long wait which the patriots nad that night, ior Mr. Longfellow has | tod us in his cantering verse of the midnight ride of Paul Revere that— It was one by the village clock When lie galloped into Lexingion. And the poet added, with sometuing of poetic license, 1t must be coniessed, that— It was two by the village clock, When he came to the bridge in Concord town, He heard the bieating of the dock Blowing over tne It Paul Revere nad reached Concord at all that night be would nave come to the towa before he | got to the bridge; but the truth is that be was captured at Lexington, and the rest of his self- imposed daty was performed by Samuel Prescott, & young doctor belonging to Concord, who carried the news of the affray on the green to bis towos- man, Buc this is history, and we have only to do | j@ ground, where the provinciais | | marched down from the contiguous siopes to | | Teawaken in my imagination, | hignway, has been bullt over their grave, and a@ pattie for their country. Itis a beautiful spot by nature, and capable of every adornment which art can bestow. The lazy stream creeps idiy by, and on its banks, where they ‘ell that day, sleep the two British soldiers, the first of the enemy to rs April 19, | | Of bus life. v Under the trees at the turn of the road, And only pausing to fire and load. UNCHANGING CONCORD. Few battle scenes have undergone so few changes. In twelve years the marks of the great struggle at Gettysburg have been more obiiter- ated than the fleld of Concord fignt tn a hundred, But Concord 1s siow to change in any respect. It clings as tenaciously to its ola customs as to i old memories, Sv strikingly is this Jact illustrated that tt almost a Puritan village to-day. True, the Irish have come here as they come every w where they are needed—Pat to do the farmwork, which Joon Hancock, a3 a boy, Would hardly have deigned toreiuse, and Bridget todo the cooking aud basing, in which Dorothy Quincy was au adept; and they have built the:r snug livtle Cath olic cnurch, surmounted with tue symbol so burt Jul to the Puritan conscience, right in whe heart oF the village. So also the poet could sing with trou of Emerson, who is te great bigh priest of Com cord puilosophy to-day, a8 his grandiather wat the epief judge and arbiter of Concord theology @ hundred years ago, that ‘Tig refreshing to old-fashioned people tke me To meet such a primitive pagan as be, In whose mind all creatiou is daly respected AS parts of himseli—just a licile projected, But, im spite Of its Catholic church and itt Unitarian departure from old-fashioued Presby- terianism and its pagan philosophy, Concord is still, as 1 said before, ajmost 4 Puritan town, and in proot of it I submis the following curious docu. ment, which 1 encountered everywhore in my rambles over the village MASSACHUSETTS. MIDDLESEX, 83. ‘To either o the Constables of th¢ Town of Coucord, GREETING You ave nereby author}: and wara the qualitied vot FIRS? PARISH 1 in saic, County of Middlesex, to me of the Meeting House o: on MONDAY, the 12th day of April lust., at seven and one-hali o'clock in the evening, them and there to act and vore uvom tae folowing articles, to wit:— 1st—Yo choose a Moderator, 2d—To hear aud act upon the report of the Parish Comumitree, 3d—To hear and act upon the report of the Trustees of the Congregational Mmisterial Fund. d4ta—To caoose ull Parish Oflicers tor cle ensuing ear, z h—To see if the Parish will dispense with the Evening Service auriay tue summer montns, 6th—Lo ruise mouey for all Parochial purposes for tbe ensuing year. Tih—fo see Ui the Parish will 1x apy time for the Payment ol Taxes, or uct in any way in regard to the same. And you are hereby directed to serve this war- Tan by posting coptes thereo!, by you attested, in atleast taree pubdiic piacesin sald town, one ol which spall be at door 0; the Meeting House, eignt days and including two Sundays belore sald ath day of April, and to have this Warrant, With your avings tuereon, at sald meeting. | Witness our. bands this thirdday of April, t the year of oar Lord one thousand eight nundre and seventy-live. and directed to notify JOHN BROWN " HENRY F. suira,¢ Parish GEORGE P, now,’ ) Committee, Atrue copy: Attest. The Constable attests this with his own hand and pablisies it, and all the members of the First church are a3 much bound by itas the people of New York are bound by the action of the Tax Com- missioners or whatever body it is that hag authority tu assess them, 60 thatit will be seen that ion Concord religion is still a matter of the State of which the minions of the law have officiay cognizance. Only one or two parishes besides probably only Qnincy—stiil retains tals relic of that Concord is unchanging Concord, ‘£2 TOWN LIBRARY OP CONCORD. But if Concord is slower than most placesin some respects it is also faster than all other towns in others, It bas, for instance, the best town Mbrary in the United States; the most unique, the handsomest and the airiest building; the best selection of books and the largest number and best set of readers, The building 1s the gift of Wiliam Munroe, who was a Boston merchant resi- dent in the town. He planned and butit it at his own expense, and left @ sufficient iund to pre- vent it from ever going to decay, and then did not even ask or consent thatit should be called by his name, Mr. Muoroe’s bust has been placed mm the brary aparcment, just in front of the alcove devoted to “Concord authors,” and this is the only evidence of bis munuificence to be seen anywhere about the buliding, The Concord @leove contains the writings of kmerson, Haw: thorne, Thoreau, the Alcotts, father and daughtery | Mrs. Jane Austin, and others of scarcely less note | than some of these. Among the curiosities of tall alcove 18 a volume of sermons preached in Com cord more than 230 years ago, The title of tals book 1 follows:— THE GOSPEL COVENANT; OR, THS GRACE OPENED— wherein are explau 1. The difference between the covenant of grace and covenant of works. 2. The diferent administration of the covenant belore and since Christ. 3% ‘The benefits and biessings of it, 4 Toe condition. 6. The properties of it. | _ Preached in Concord, in New England, by Peter Bulkeley, sometime feilow of Jobu’s Colledge, in Cambridge. Puvliated according to order. | Londva, printea by M. S. for Benjamin Alle! and are to be sold a¢ the Croune, in ropenead Alley, 1646. This old book was picked up in London by Mr. George F. Hoar, member of Congress from Wor cester, and by him it was preseuted to the library | Of his native town two years ago. In such a town, | with such @ library and such associations and such great men, it is no wonder we should bt told— Yonder, calm as a cloud, Alcott stalks in a dream, | And fadcies himseit in thy groves, Academe, With tue Partheaon nigh and the olive bees o'et And T 4 fact to perplex bim or bore him, win ug room St Piato’s when night comes te walk to, And people irom morning till midnight to talk to, The inbaoltants are as remarkable as the town itself; but it would take a volume to tell even half of what 1 know abous them. CONCORD CRLEBRATIONS IN THE Past. As Concord fight began the American Revoin tion, so Concord town bas been celebrating it ever since. In 1825, filty years aiter the condiot at North Bridge, the corner stone of a monument was laid in the centre ol the village to comm orate the event, Edward Everett, then in the Ireshness and splendor o/ his powers as an orator, delivered the oration—one of the greatest efforts Tn 1886 the modest monument on the site of the British position was erected, and it was for that occasion Ralpa Waido Emerson wrote the splenaid hymn now so oiten quoted. In 1860 there was general celebration at Coacord of all wm towns, Lexington participating. Ontbis ovcasif Robert Rantoul, Jr., of Beverly, was the orator, and Everett was present and made one of the aiter-dinner speeches. Raius Choate was alsa COVENANT 03 | @mong the guests, and responded to the toast of “Lexington Common and Concord North Bridge,” closing with bis famous sentiment of “American Nationality.” On the platiorm were Jonathan Harrington, of Lexingtoo, 4 ninety-two, and fallin the struggle for Amerivan Independence, A stone wall, extending from the river to the rude stone, rudely carved, ia the place of their sepuiture. Near by is the votive tablet raised in 1836 to commemorate the deed, | anid across the stream, now as then spaaned by a simple bridge, is the spot Where the ‘“‘ombatiled farmers” stood and Davis. and Hosmer fell, Tne new statue of the “minute man” leaving bis plough tuined in the furrow, bat bearing his trusty rifle with bim, been erected here; and here, in sight of the hills irom which the provin~ | cials fied two and two to the music of the ‘White Cockade,’? is will be unveiled on Monday, The | scene has changed but littiein a hundred years, and the spirit which animated the American people then | stil survives to ind expression on tas spor. hilly ana flelds are still the same, a 1ew jences more and a few stone: being the only changes Wrought by time in the arena of the Concord fignt, As | stood on this Disturic ground this mornin, the eariy sunsuine bathing the hiils with life and hight, and recalled all that had ever been told me Of toat giorious day, tne woole scene seemed to 4 1 could almost see the astonished grenadiers turn and flee by the road they had come, while Tne | Amos Baker, of Lincoin, of the age of ninety-iour, | dota participants in the events of that grana 19th of Apri. Saker was in the Sight at the bridge, and Harrington the flier of the Lexington company. Both now sleep with thelr comrades who had gone before, and thi are few even of tne children of these grand old patriota left 10 participate in the centennial of their glory. When the next ceuten ni aniversary of the “Concord fight" is reached, none of those Who now celebrate its first century of plessings will be alive to commemorate the sec ond ; but Who can doubt that out of these patriotic festivities, and those which are to jollow im the | Dext eight years, liverty will take @ new birth and our grandchildren and great-grandchildren re ceive through us the gift which came from our grandfathers and great-grandfathers. It is a con summation most devoutly to pe wished, and we can omy pray that the exclamation of Samusi Adams, when he heard the guns at Lexington, “This is @ glorious morning!" may prove as traiy propnetic in the suture as they have proved in the past, DR. STORRS’ LECTURE. Is isa singular thing that the older Powers of Europe will baraly acknowieage tne existence of an American nation, They sucer at what is termed if DeW-langled uationalityevay thas CONTINUED ON TENTH PaGh