Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1839,
By S. B. PHINNEY,

In the Clerks Office of the District Court of Massachusetts.

Printed at the
BARNSTABLE PATRIOT OFFICE.

PREFACE.

THE GREAT CENTENNIAL AT BARNSTABLE, DEDICATED TO THE PRESENT GENERATION

AND TO THEIR POSTERITY

IN 1939.

Is it not befitting that the relics of this ever memorable festival should be gathered up and preserved, as a memorial of those who partook of its intellectual bounties, to be transmitted to their descendants, when another Century shall have rolled away? With what delight should we have discovered an ancient pamphlet or manuscript, detailing the doings of the natives of Cape Cod, at the first Centennial observance of its settlement in 1739. No such record exists. Let it be our care that a third Centennial shall not be without such a document, establishing, as we believe this little pamphlet is destined to do, a precedent for all coming time, and going forth, with the force of a decree to posterity "in no case to let that day pass without solemnity, but to celebrate, in every hundredth year, the third day of that ninth month called September."

These considerations and the very general call to preserve the doings of the 3d of September, 1839, in a more acceptable form, than through the scattered files of newspapers, have induced the Publisher to collect all the materials of interest, connected with that occasion, and embody them in a pamphlet, trusting, at least to defray the expense of the labor through those who par

ticipated in the pleasures of that day, and others who would have been but were not present. As a proof of the liberality and promptness with which the arrangements were concerted and carried out, it is proper to record the fact, that after paying every expense incurred, a surplus of about $500 remained of the subscriptions that had been raised to give effect to the celebration.

The following pages contain every thing of interest that occurred on that memorable occasion, which gave universal pleasure, and which has been pronounced, by all who witnessed it, as the most fortunate and effective public observance within their recollection. Nor was the pleasure which was so universally enjoyed and so entirely unmarred on that day, trifling or The farther we shall be removed from it by time, the more gratifying will it be to recur to it, and read over its details, to revive associations that we shall love to cherish in the pleasant memory of the past.

evanescent.

In addition to the Speeches and Toasts that appeared in the newspapers, the Publisher is indebted to several gentlemen for sentiments and remarks that have not before been published, and he is now able to offer the public a full and corrected account of the entire proceedings.

It was indeed a proud day for Cape Cod, and its moral influences will long be felt in the increased estimate abroad, of the persevering industry and substantial worth of her sons and daughters, which had before been formed rather from the barrenness of her soil, than the developement of her social virtues. We do not know of a better recommendation that an enterprising son of the Cape could carry abroad, than one of these pamphlets, with the right to claim Cape Cod as his native soil. May another hundred years find her a hundred fold advanced in frugal prosperity, substantial virtue and social happiness.

Barnstable, Jan. 1, 1840.

NOTICE.

A meeting of the citizens of Barnstable, will be held at the Court House, on SATURDAY AFTERNOON next, at 3 o'clock, for the purpose of taking into consideration such measures as may be thought expedient, preparatory to the celebration, in June next, of the second Centennial year of the settlement of Barnstable.

April 23d, 1839.

CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION.

Pursuant to notice published in the Barnstable Patriot, a meeting of the citizens of Barnstable without distinction of party was held at the Court House on Saturday afternoon last, for the purpose of taking measures preparatory to a celebration of the second Centennial year of the incorporation of Barnstable. The meeting was called to order by David Crocker, Esq., and Henry Crocker, Esq. was chosen Chairman, and Nathaniel Hinckley, Esq. Secretary. After some discussion, on motion of David Crocker, Esq., Rev. George W. Woodward, Messrs. Josiah Hinckley, Zenas D. Bassett, Zeno Scudder, and Henry Crocker, were chosen a Committee to procure more particular information relative to the settlement and incorporation of the Town, and report at the adjournment of this meeting. On motion of Mr. David Bursley, Voted, that the proceedings of

this meeting be published in the Barnstable and Yarmouth papers.

Adjourned to meet at this place on Wednesday, the 8th of May next, at 7 1-2 o'clock, P. M.

HENRY CROCKER, Chairman.

NATHANIEL HINCKLEY, Secretary.

An adjourned meeting of the citizens of Barnstable, for the purpose of making preparations for the second Centennial Celebration, was held at the Court House on Wednesday Evening May 8th.

The Rev. Mr. Woodward of a Committee appointed at a former meeting, presented the following REPORT:

That they have been much embarrassed in their investigations by the short time allowed them, it being but ten days, in connection with the fact that no books were to be found in town which would afford any light on the subject. They were obliged to obtain them, by letter, mostly from those valuable institutions whose object is to treasure up the remnants of by-gone days. And they would take this opportunity to say that but for the kind aid and investigations of that venerable Antiquarian, Doctor THACHER, of Plymouth, they must have failed, situated as they were, even of that success which they have been able to meet with.

The only positive authority which they find for the date of the incorporation of this Town, is that of the Rev. Mr. Mellen, in a paper communicated to the Mass. Hist. Soc. and published by them in their