Fourth Of July

TIip Fourth of July was celebrated at Whitmore Lake Uy the parish of St. Patrick's church, ín an exceedingty appropriate manner ,this year. Tliere were nearly three thousand people present at the picnic and the church cleared $700. Every one was bountifully led and there was aai abundance left. The day was a perfect one and flie trains froin this city were crowded with people while every available carriage or wagon was pressed into service to get to the lake by the pleaeaait roadway . Gov. E. B. Winans wais one of the guests of the day. He is ín rauch better health than for some years past and was greeting old friends on every side . After the wants of the inner man had been attended to Rev. Fr. Goldrick called the audience together, prefacing his introduetion of the speakers with the remark that he did not think there was a man or woman present 'trat had the star spangled banner engraved oji their hearts. The Ann Arbor Business Men's Quartette sang the "Star Spangled Banner" without accampaniment and wlbh good effect. Gov. ÍWinans, when introduced, said In effect: "Fellaw citizens, perhaps I should be allowed to say, friends and neighbors, for nearly all my Ufe I have lived In this vicinity and I see about me the faces of many old and valued friends. We meet here to exchange the civilities of liie, to renew friendship and to commemorate important events of the past. And the special occasion of our meeting is to commemorate the sixtieth anniversary of the foundiug of St. Patrick's church in Northfield. We all recognize religión as the handmaid of civilization. It was a happy thought whlch led y6u to select this day because you also celébrate the birthday of. our nation. The old declaratiooi of independence asserts in its opening sentences the supremacy of God in nations and closes with an appeal to the Supreme Judge as to the rectitude of their intentions and a fin reüance on the protection of a Divine Providence. Eoth state and nation guarantee the freedom of religious opinión. The sixty years of the parlsli of Northfield Bhow how closely the church has kept pace with the settlepient Df the country. But few of the first members of the parish are now living. They testify to you of the men and women wbo made the wildernesa blossom as the rose, that they knev this land as the home of the red man and the haunt of the deer, where now wave the blossoming fruit, trees and grain. I canie to this section fifty-seven years ago with my parents. I lived some years In tlie township of Webster and wifth the exception of eight years in California, I hare spent all that time in that and the adjoininig townships of Green Oak and Unadilla. The change has been marvelous. It is like a fairy tale. Then Michigan had a few hardy and ventursome settlers living in a primitive way. Now it lias a population of over two million with all the appliances of wealth, civilization and education. Then Ann Arbor was a mere hamlet; now It is a great university to-wn, the Athens of America, where assemble the youth oí our own state and nation anc even irom beyond the seas to learn the secrets o science and sit at tlie fee of learned men. Then Michigan stood twenty-sixth in the rank af statcs, wken admittei in relative importance. Not one of th sister states has been able to pass he and now her rank is ninth. AU thi advance lias been made since the foun datioa of the little parish in Northfielc Of course we have been especially favored, surrounded as we are by lake with unrivaied ineans ta come anc go by land, unexcelled in agricultmc first in producís of our fisheries, among the first ín mineral productions, ii intelligence and education inferior to none, in patriotic devotiou to countrj we acknowledge no peer. We have bee especially favored in having all thes advantages. If we are not a happj coptented people it is our own fault It seems that the blessings oí the church have followed lis in all these vears. May it follow us in the years to come. Mich(gaji ruust roly upon ;he intelligence of her people to n-otect her honor and to preserve and to protect our free institutions. He closed by saying that when the nvitatum wns given him te was oíd that he should no't be expeeted to make a speech but only to give a ittle talk. He had greatly enjoyed the occasion and wantod to furtlirr enjoy t by hearing good talking and would [tve way to Prosecutrns-Attorney Dennis Shields, of Howell. After the quartette had rendered 'Sunrise," Kev. Fr. Goldrick introluced Prosecuting-Attorney Shields by elling a story which greatly exited the risibilities of the crowd and1 prepared the way for the receptiou of a good speech by Mr. Shields. The quartette sang a song and the revxend farther requested his people to make a smal! furrow so that a piano might be brought to the platform and '. E. Harkins sang in his usual hearty manner several songs in response to aumerous encores. Many staid at the lake until evening ind every one was greatly pleased svith the day's celebration.