APRIL 19, 1775.

ORATION

BY

ROBERT RANTOUL, JR.

AND

ACCOUNT OF THE UNION CELEBRATION,

AT CONCORD,

NINETEENTH APRIL, 1850.

DELIVERED BEFORE THE MASSACHUSETTS LEGISLATURE, AND PUBLISHED
BY THEIR ORDER.

BOSTON:

DUTTON & WENTWORTH, STATE PRINTERS.

1850.

COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.

IN SENATE, APRIL 22, 1850.

ORDERED, That Messrs. DAWES and THOMPSON, with such as the House may join, be a Committee to request of the Hon. ROBERT RANTOUL, Jr., a copy of the Historical Address, delivered by him at Concord, on the seventy-fifth anniversary of the first battle of the American Revolution, that the same may be printed by the Legislature, with a brief account of the other exercises upon that occasion. CHAS. CALHOUN, Clerk.

Sent down for concurrence.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, APRIL 22, 1850.

Concurred: and Messrs. HOAR, of Concord, LEEDS, of Boston, BOUTWELL, of Groton, SMITH, of Enfield, and STONE, of Charlestown, are joined.

C. W. STOREY, Clerk.

To the Hon. ROBERT RANTOUL, Jr.

SIR,-The subscribers, the Joint Committee of the Legislature, having enjoyed the high pleasure of listening to the Address delivered by you, before the members of the several branches of the Government, at Concord, on the 19th of April, instant, gladly obey the above order in presenting to you their request.

We trust, sir, that, by a compliance with the wishes of the Legislature, you will afford to those, who had not the privilege of hearing the Address, an opportunity of learning its historical and literary value.

HENRY L. DAWES,

CHARLES THOMPSON,
SAMUEL HOAR,

SAMUEL LEEDS,

ALVIN SMITH,

GEO. S. BOUTWELL,

JAMES M. STONE.

GENTLEMEN,

I am honored by your communication, this day received, and would readily forward a copy of the Oration, delivered by me at Concord, in compliance with the vote of the Legislature of the Commonwealth, were it not that I have already furnished the manuscript to the Committee of Associated Towns, who, I doubt not, will acquiesce in the arrangement contemplated by the order of the Hon. Senate and House. Accept my thanks for the very obliging terms in which you have been pleased to express the views of the Legislature. I am, most respectfully, Your obt. servt.,

Hon. Henry L. Dawes, Charles Thomp

son, Samuel Hoar, Samuel Leeds, Alvin Smith, Geo. S. Boutwell, James M. Stone, Committee of the Legislature of Massachusetts.

R. RANTOUL, JR.