GRAND CELEBRATIONAt BatestownON THE FOURTHParade and Excursion of the BATESTOWN GUARDS.Dinner at Wier's.—The Toasts.—Letters from Distinguished Men, &c., &c., &c.The Batestown Guards will have a high old Celebration on the Fourth. Ten bushels of pea-nuts and numberless kegs of lager have been secured for the occasion. The Guards will parade the principal streets of the place at 12 o'clock, after which they will visit Troy, and thence West Troy by the Ferry.—From West Troy they will proceed up Dry River to the lager beer brewery where they will refresh. On their return they will take in Green Island, Cohoes, and Waterford. Five hundred of the Cohoes factory girls, dressed in Bloomer costume, will greet the Guards on the banks of the Mohawk, and escort them through the new Mastodon Mill. At Waterford, the Guards will be met by a delegation of citizens, and conducted to the Morgan House, where the editor of the Sentinel will deliver and oration and slug them a song.—They will cross the Bridge to the Lansingburgh side on the "double quick" and the toll gatherer has been given due notice to keep out of the way, and thus save the county the expense of a Coroner's inquest. At the stables of the horse R. R. Company, the Guards, by invitation, will review Brown's splendid collection of wild animals; after which they will proceed in one horse cars to the Bull's Head Hotel, where dinner will be waiting. In order to accommodate all, and not to disturb the regular boarders, the tables will be spread in the sheds on the south. Music by the Callithumpian band. The Committee of Arrangements have kindly provided us with a list of Regular Toasts in advance:
TOASTS AT THE DINNER OF THE BATESTOWN GUARDS, JULY 4th 1868.1. The President of the United States—We respect his office, but after our long and weary march to-day, do not share in his aversion to "dead ducks." Music,
"Hail to the Chief."2. The Governor of the State of New York—The powerful should be merciful. We ask a freer exercise of the pardoning power, in order to increase the population of Batestown. Music,
"Our Absent Friends."3. Batestown—An embryo city, with more vacant lots, and a larger margin for speculation than any city in the Union. Music,
"There's no place like Home."4. The City of Troy—Our jealous but powerless rival: what town without a military organization can compete with Batestown which has. Music,
"Blow the Bugle."5. Lansingburgh—Chiefly distinguished for its hostility to the growth and prosperity of Batestown. "Up Guards and at 'em." Music,
"We'll skin 'em Yet."6. Bull's Head—Calves heads to the South of us, Sheep heads to the North of us, Bull's head is our pie. Music,
"We'll all take a Horse."7. Our sick and wounded Soldiers.—We loved them while they were with us on our Hospital grounds. We never overcharged them for crutches, and never declined to exchange our rum for their greenbacks. Music,
"The Bold Soldier Boy."8. The Troy and Lansingburgh Horse Rail Road—A fair dealing corporation, as
Peebles takes the money, and peoples take the rides. Music,
"Let us be Jolly."9. The Toll Gate—A splendid land-mark which links the past with the present. Music,
"Should old acquaintance be Forgot."10. Base Ball—A noble game; one that develops the muscle and increases the wind. Highly favorable to the local cock tail trade. Music,
"Go in Lemons."11. The Rensselaer Riding Park—Beautiful to view if approached from the Batestown side, especially after refreshments at "Wier's." Music,
"I'll bet my money on the bob-tail Mare."12. Oakwood Cemetery—The favorite haunt of the Guards. We fear no mortal there. We shall always protect and defend our friends who cannot protect and defend themselves. Music,
"Who's A'fearred?"13. Ourselves—Patriots and Soldier descendants of Revolutionary sires: our motto, liberty or death, independence now, and independence for ever; "Is there a man with soul so dead who never to himself hath said this is my own my native land." Music,
"Pop goes the Weasel."On the conclusion of the regular toasts, Volunteers will be in order. Letters will be read from President Johnson, Gen. Grant, Thad Stevens, B. F. Butler, Mrs. Cady Stanton, Lucy Stone, and other eminent gentlemen, regretting their inability to be with the Guards on the interesting occasion. We append some of the letters:—
FROM PRESIDENT JOHNSON,EXECUTIVE MANSION,WASHINGTON, June 23, 1868.
To Captain Thomas Dink, Batestown:—I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter inviting me to unite with the Batestown Guards in celebrating the coming anniversary of our National independence.Duties at the Federal Capital imperatively demand my constant attention, and especially now, as the session of this fanatical and refractory Congress is for seems to be drawing to a close. We have beaten the Jacobins on impeachment, but what plots and counter plots may yet develop themselves no man can say. I am therefore most reluctantly compelled to decline your invitation.Accept for yourself, and convey to the Guards whom you have the honor to command my thanks for your remembrance, and for the kind terms in which you are pleased to convey your wishes. I never doubted I had the confidence and honest support of the country. I have been assailed and traduced without a shadow of justice. I have been called a traitor, a Judas Iscariot. If I am a Judas, who is my Christ? Is it Thad Stevens, or Wendell Phillips, or Ben Butler? I made this point in one of my speaches on my western trip two years ago, and to this day it has never been met. Evan Forney, with all his ingenuity and assurance, has not presumed to attack it. The war is over.—The Constitution must preserve the Union at all hazards.—We crushed out treason at the South, and now we must put down disunion at the North, and then we shall gracefully swing round the circle.Very truly yours, ANDY JOHNSON.P. S.—I have read this letter to Mr. Stanberry and Mr. Evarts and Mr. Groesbeck and they say it is all right. Mr. Evarts says that though a citizen of New York he has not the honor of personal acquaintance with Captain Dink; but he thinks he remembers Batestown as a pleasant little city, cituated on the old stage road between Troy, N. Y. and Vermont. Is he right? Mr Groesbeck says he knows the place like a book, and that it is not more than a dozen miles from Old Schaghticoke Point, Rensselaer County, New York, his birth place. You certainly must esteem it an honor to live so near the native town of such a distinguished man. A. J.
FROM GEN. GRANT.Washington, June 25, 1868.
Captain Tommy Dink, of the Batestown Guards:—Sir—Your letter inviting me to be present at your celebration on the 4th is received. I leave for the far West on Monday, and therefore cannot be with you. Besides, I have concluded to attend no public gatherings during the Presidential campaign. I shall fight it out on this line all summer.Yours, U. S. GRANT.
FROM GEN. BUTLER.Washington, June 24.
Captain Thomas Dink, Batestown:—Your kind invitation for me to be present at your patriotic celebration on the approaching anniversary of our National Independence, is received. So much of my time has been occupied of late in endeavoring to bring to justice a recreant and perfidious President, that attention to matters, public and private, demands all my time. Nevertheless, I thank you for your invitation. My record is before the country, and I feel well assured that Batestown looks upon it approvingly.Yours, BEN BUTLER.P. S. Since the vote on impeachment, [Ross?], Van Winkle, Trumbull, Fessenden, &c. look and feel very bad. I am preparing my report. It will produce an explosion equal to that at Fort Fisher, which I happen to know something about. B. B.ad P. S.—I hope the Guards are getting ready for the next war. B. B.
FROM THAD STEVENS.Washington, June 24.
Captain Thomas Dink, Batestown:—Yours received. Of course, with my feeble health I shall not be able to visit yo on the 4th, but shall be with you in spirit. Impeachment will yet triumph.—The day of deliverance is only deferred. My four new articles are bomb proof. There is great want of backbone among our political friends in Congress. Too many Judases and time servers. "Oh for a whip to lash the rascals naked through the world."Very truly Yours, T. STEVENS.
FROM MRS. CADY STANTON.Captain Dink:—Editorial duties connected with my paper the "Revolution"—which include the difficult task of deciphering and making sense out of Geo. Francis Train's European letters—will prevent my acceptance of your invitation to be with the Batestown Guards on the 4th inst. I infer from your kindness in remembering me among your friends, that the Guards are in favor of the Emancipation of Women, her release from Slavery to husbands, and to a government under which she has no rights but the right to pay taxes. Do, Capt. Dink, take a bold stand for our oppressed sex. Now that African slavery has been abolished, we are the only slaves in the country. Our Rights we are determined to have. To secure them: war, even, may be necessary in the language of Patrick Henry. "LET IT COME!"—Should all peaceful means fail us, and a resort to arms be forced upon us, can we rely for aid on Capt. Dink and his Guards? EQUAL RIGHTS FOR ALL! I send you the last number of my paper, the "Revolution." Should be pleased to have you get up a club in Batestown.E. CADY STANTON.The celebration at Batestown certainly promises well. Dink and the Guards have set an example which others might imitate with profit. The patriotism, spirit and enterprise of Batestown should shame Lansingburgh and Troy, which places have made no provision for the observation of "the Day of Days."
Lansingburgh Gazette. July 2, 1868: 3 col 2.