thousand people, and it was crowded to its full capacity, morning, afternoon and evening. Distinguished statesmen and brilliant orators stood upon its artistically decorated platform and thrilled the listening throngs with the music and magnetism of their eloquence. From the earliest ages of the world historic writing and historic discourses have been esteemed the greatest of intellectual achievements. And just here in the heart of America this truth was forcibly illustrated. In an assemblage which only the theme itself could have brought together, and while reviewing a past that has no parallel in importance or in romantic incident since the landing of the Pilgrims on Plymouth Rock, the speakers displayed powers hitherto unrevealed, and history appeared in its marvelous depth and beauty of color. The Northwestern and many other states sent representatives, while from New York came Senator William M. Evarts, former Secretary of State, to participate in the jubilee. He pointed out in brilliant sentences the reason for this anniversary in "the specific transaction of the promulgation of civil government and the opening of the courts just a century ago-" a wonderful exhibition of the energy and courage and purpose and forecast of the forerunners of this present population." He furthermore said, "the great fact exists that this civil government, in all its virtues, and in all its powers, that was then opened on the edge of the great forest, has never been overthrown, and the courts of justice in the Northwestern country that were then opened have never been closed in this great region then and thus taken possession of in the name of law and government and justice."

The spacious centennial building occupied historic ground in the city park on the high bank of the Muskingum river close by its junction with the Ohio. It was erected upon the exact spot where General Arthur St. Clair was inaugurated the first governor of the Northwest Territory one hundred years ago, July 15, 1788. Senator John W. Daniel, of Virginia, in his masterly oration, drew a graphic picture of the inaugural scene-the new governor, whose portrait is so familiar to us all, "with the few settlers grouped about him in a leafy bower, and the Ordinance of 1787 for a constitution "a picture which Senator Daniel declared "worthy a frame of diamonds and gold, and a drama grander than any ever seen in the white temples of the Greeks and Romans."

In our illustration of the park, the temporary building must be imagined; the grounds were set apart and reserved for commons by the original settlers. The oldest church edifice in the Northwest Territory overlooks the park, as may be observed, and also the family mansion of Governor Return Jonathan Meigs, Jr., the first postmaster of Marietta, and

the state executive, it will be remembered, who did more during the war of 1812 than any other governor of his time to aid the country in organizing militia and garrisoning forts.

Marietta, as laid out in the long ago, included the ancient remains of a fortified town, the elevations, truncated pyramids, etc., being similar in form to those since discovered in Central America. The greater part of these pre-historic earthworks were reserved as such for many years, and two of the more notable squares are still the property of the city, for

many miles. This perfectly symmetrical mound is in the centre of the square, which since 1801 has been used as a cemetery.

The founders of Marietta represented the best blood of the eastern states, very many of them were college bred and highly cultivated by study, and the influence of their lives was a benefaction to the forming communities about them and to all the generations since their time.

A

writer in the Family Magazine of 1834, who professes to have known many of them personally, says, "A better set of men altogether could scarce have been selected. With the information which belonged to them was mingled a little of that pedantic love of ancient learning which tinged the better educated of those days. This showed itself in a meeting of the directors and agents held, July second, upon the banks of the Muskingum, for the purpose of naming the city which had just been laid out, and also the public squares. As yet the settlement had been called merely The Muskingum,' but the name Marietta was now formally given it, in honor of Marie Antoinette."

The naming of Marietta was in graceful recognition of the courtesy shown to Franklin by the Queen of France, together with her efforts to influence the king and the French court in behalf of America in the time of its great need. The meeting of the directors and agents adjourned from July 2 to August 14, when the following was adopted. "Resolved; that the city near the confluence of the Ohio and Muskingum be called Marietta; that the directors write to His Excellency the Count Moustiers, informing him of their motives in naming the city; and request his opinion whether it will be advisable to present to Her Majesty of France a public square." Marie Antoinette was much gratified when she received this intelligence, and immediately ordered a bell sent to the new town for a public building, but unfortunately the bell was lost at sea.

The founders next gave imperishable proof of their classic tastes in the names they bestowed upon the wonderful ruins about them; they called one ancient square Quadrandon, one Cecelia, another Capitolium, the great road through the covert way Sacra via, and the square upon which quarters were erected for their garrison, with block-houses at the corners, Campus Martius.

Hildreth leaves a pleasant record of the first Fourth of July celebration in the wilds of Marietta. The day was ushered in by a salute at Fort Harmer, and at two o'clock the ladies and gentlemen were conducted to a spacious bowery that stretched along the banks of the Muskingum. He says: "the table was supplied with venison, bear-meat, buffalo and roasted pigs, with a variety of fish. Among the latter was a pike which weighed one hundred pounds, and when suspended upon a pole from the shoulders. of two tall men, its tail dragged on the ground. The officers of the garrison attended, and many patriotic toasts were drank. Among the toasts (there were fourteen) were " The Friendly Powers Throughout the World," "The New Federal Constitution," "His Excellency General Washington, "The Society of the Cincinnati," "The Memory of Those who have Nobly