iO 



On Friday morning, the first exercise was the exhibition of 

 Horses upon the track, which, by the untiring exertions of the 

 Committee, had been got in fair condition, the whole of the pre- 

 ceding night having been occupied by a krge force of men in wa- 

 tering and rolhng it. Mr. Dudley gave another exhibition of his 

 trained horse, and an 0[)portunity was afforded for the display of 

 the Norman Mares and Stallions. 



At 12 o'clock, M., a procession was formed on the grounds under 

 the direction of Col. John W. Thomas, Sheriff of the county and 

 Chief Marshal of the day, assisted by his xA.ids, Messrs. C. G. 

 Mackintosh and Thomas Decatur, of West Roxbury, J. R. Gay, 

 Hiram Gay and Nathaniel Wales, of Stoughton. Preceded by 

 the Weymouth Band, which furnished splendid music during the 

 day, the procession marched to the upper hall, where, after a bless- 

 ing had been invoked by Rev. Jacob Roberts, of East Medway, 

 Chaplain of the day, the company partook of an excellent colla- 

 tion, which had been provided under the direction of the Commit- 

 tee of Arrangements. 



At the conclusion of the dinner, Col. Wilder introduced the ora- 

 tor of the occasion. Rev. James Freeman Clarke, D. D., of W,est 

 Roxbury, whose andmirable and eloquent address will be found on 

 pages 5 and 17 of this volume. 



At the conclusion of the Address, Rev. C. C. Sewall, of Med- 

 field, offered the foUowng sentiment : — 



" Welcome, thrice welcome, to him who has coine to grace our festival 

 to-day with his in^ipiring presence and his genial heart." 



The Band played " Auld Lang Syne," the company standing, 

 and the President, Col. Wilder, who appeared on the platform for 

 the first time after a severe illness of two years, rose to address 

 the assembly. Col. Wilder was received with loud and continued 

 cheers, after which he proceeded to address the Society as fol- 

 lows : — 



" Thanks ! thanks ! a thousand thanks for this kind reception ! 



" Once more, friends and fellow-citizens, through the kind Providence of 

 a merciful God, and after an absence of two years from this chair, I am 

 here to participate in the privileges and pleasures of this occasion, and to 

 rejoice with you on the success of the present exhibition, which, I under- 



