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PRELIMINARY ARRANGEMENTS.

PRELIMINARY ARRANGEMENTS.

In his inaugural address to the City Council, on the 5th of January, 1880, His Honor Mayor Prince referred to the approaching anniversary as follows:

This year of 1880 makes an era in our history. The seventeenth day of the coming September will be the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the settlement of Boston. It is expected that we should distinguish the event by some proper civic commemoration. Your judgment will determine what befits the occasion. The statues of Governor Winthrop and Samuel Adams will be then completed, and, without doubt, you will deem it appropriate to dedicate them on our natal day. As there are many interesting unprinted records of our early town meetings and other municipal transactions, most valuable as illustrating the political and social history of Boston, it has been suggested that it would be a proper time to secure some of them from the dangers incident to manuscript by their publication in a memorial, as a part of the celebration. I would that all our record could thus be preserved and made known, for we may be proud of it. Boston in all her history has been conspicuous for her patriotism, for her devotion to the cause of civil and religious liberty, and for the sacrifices she has made in its behalf. She was among the first to protest against the tyranny of the British Crown, and in Faneuil Hall it may be claimed that the Revolution, which culminated in American independence, was organized. She has always exercised a marked influence upon national thought and national action. She has been foremost in recognizing those humanities which mark the progress of civilization; foremost in establishing benevolent, charitable, and philanthropic institutions; foremost in promoting popular education through the free school; and foremost in promoting moral culture. Through the energy, enterprise, intelligence, and integrity of her citizens she has attained great material prosperity. Let us hope that these virtues will long distinguish them, and when another cycle

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