Phenix Gazette

POETRY.
NINETEENTH OF APRIL.

Boston, April 22.—We are indebted to the editor of the Boston Gazette for the following account of the late public ceremonies at Concord.

The fiftieth anniversary of the memorable battle at Concord, in 1775, was celebrated in that town on Tuesday last, by a military parade, public oration, and other interesting exercises; which called together a numerous and highly respectable assemblage of ladies and gentlemen—among the latter we noticed the Hon. Mr. Webster, Hon. A. H. Everett, His Honor the Mayor, and other distinguished citizens. At half past ten o'clock, a procession was formed, which proceeded, under escort of the Acton Blues and the Concord Light Infantry and Artillery companies, to the public square, where the corner stone of a Monument in memory of the battle and of those brave men whose blood sealed a nation's independence, was laid in masonic order by the Corinthian Lodge, assisted by a number of the fraternity from Boston: the ceremony was eminently interesting and impressive. Soon after the laying of the corner stone, the procession was again formed, and conducted to the meeting house, where an appropriate prayer was offered by the Rev. Dr. Ripley of Concord, after which the Hon. Edward Everett delivered an Oration, in his usual eloquent and happy manner. He spoke upwards of two hours, during which time not the least uneasiness was perceptible among his auditors, but all appeared to listen to him with attention and admiration. The oration will probably be published for it is worthy of its author, and the great occasion that elicited it. The oration was succeeded by a patriotic ode from the pen of Dr. Percival, which we have given below, as well as a Hymn from the pen of the Rev. Mr. Flint.—

After the ceremonies at the meeting house, the procession proceeded to the hotel; where about three hundred partook of an excellent dinner. The celebration ended by a public ball, which was numerously attended by the ladies and gentlemen of Concord and the neighboring towns; we have conversed with a friend who was present, and he informs us that they kept it up until four o'clock in the morning: We had almost forgot to mention that we counted in the meeting house about seventy of the surviving patriots of the revolution, many of whom took an active part in the Concord Fight, and could testify to the fidelity with which the orator pourtrayed the eventful scenes of the 19th of April, 1775.

The following Hymn, written for the occasion, by the Rev. James Flint, of Salem, was sung by a select choir—Tune "Old Hundred."

O GOD, SUPREME o'er earth and skies,
To THEE our fathers' suppliant eyes
Were rais'd for help, when loud the alarm
Of battle call'd the Brave to arm.
Here, on this consecrated ground,
Where sleeps their martyr'd dust around,
Their sons exulting raise to Thee
Their grateful hymn of JUBILEE.
Thou did'st inspire the patriot band
Thy breath the Flame of Freedom fann'd,
And bade her banners glorious wave
To marshal here the free and brave
In that dread hour, when needed most,
THY MIGHT was with the gathering host,
When first the royal hireling brood
Provok'd resistance unto blood.
The blood that dy'd that day the field,
A nation's INDEPENDENCE seal'd;
That blood sent up its cry to thee,
A nation's pledge of VICTORY.
Our fathers' deeds, in deathless song,
Time in his course shall bear along:
Their sons, still happy, brave and free,
Shall own their boundless debt to THEE.

The following Ode was written by Dr. J. G. Percival, of this city—Tune, "Adams and Liberty."

When first from the land of the TYRANT and SLAVE
[ocean,
Our Fore-fathers ventured to cross the wide
'They kneel'd as they came from the perilous wave,
[petition;
And utter'd their vows with an earnest pe-
"BRIGHT SPIRIT in THEE
We will ever be free,
While the sun gives his light
To the land and the sea,
And here on the storm-beaten rock we unite :
To conquer or die for our God and our right
Then deep in their bosoms they nourish'd the flame,
[of danger,
That burst from their hearts in the moment
When proudly the minion of TYRANNY came,
Polluting their homes with the foot of the stranger:
Then they flew to the fight,
Where LIBERTY'S light
Call'd the bold-hearted yeoman
To rise in his might,
[gave
(And the land lord of haoor undaunted
the weleome of death to the murdering slave.
Here, first in the field of the battle they stood,
And fearlessly gather'd the HARVEST OF GLORY;
[in BLOOD,
Here they first stamp'd the seal of their union
And imprinted their names on the records of story;
Here proudly again
We meet on the plain,
Where ENGLAND first tried
, To enslave us in vain,
[furled
And firm in their purpose our fathers un-
Bright LIBERTY'S FLAG to a wondering world. :
Here flush'd with high hopes of FREEDOM we join
In an act of the deepest and purest devotion:
O! long may our children be drawn to THIS SHRINE,
[cean;
By an instinct as pure as the tides of the o-
May they never forget,
How their forefathers met,
And planted the tree,
That flourishes yet,
But warm with the spirit of LIBERTY raise one chorus of praise.
To the BRAVE HEARTS, who saved us,