Have faith in Massachusetts; 2d ed.: A Collection of Speeches and MessagesCoolidge, Calvin
History
Have faith in Massachusetts; 2d ed.: A Collection of Speeches and Messages
Coolidge, Calvin
Massachusetts
Of course, there are many other interesting events in the history of
this town. You had here many men who have seen military service. You
furnished a large number for the Revolutionary War and a large amount of
money. You furnished as your quota one hundred and twenty-six soldiers
that went into the army from 1861 to 1865. But you were doing here what
they were doing all over the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. I doubt if
the leading and prominent and decisive part that Massachusetts played in
the great Revolutionary War is generally understood. It is interesting
to recall that when General Washington came here he seems to have come
with somewhat of a prejudice against New England men. I think there are
extant letters which he wrote at that time rather reflecting upon what
the New England men were doing and the character of Massachusetts men of
those days. But that was not his idea at the end of the war. Then,
although he had been brought up far to the south, he had a different
idea. Then he said, and said very generously, that he thought well of
New England men and had it not been for their support, had it not been
for the men, the materials and munitions that they supplied to the
Revolutionary forces, the war would not have been a success. His name is
interestingly connected with your town of Weston.
You have had here not only an interesting population but an interesting
location. It was through this town that the great arteries of travel ran
to the west and south and to the north. When Burgoyne surrendered, some
of his troops were brought through this town on their way to the
sea-coast. When Washington came up to visit New England after he had
been President, he came through the town of Weston, and I do not know
whether this is any reflection on the cooking of those days in the towns
to the west, but it says in the history of the town of Weston that at
one time when Washington stopped at the hotel in Wayland, although the
hostess had provided what she thought was a very fine banquet, he left
his staff to eat that and went out into the kitchen to help himself to a
bowl of bread and milk. I suppose he would not be thought to have done
that because he was a candidate for office and wanted to appear as one
of the plain people, because that was after he had served in the office
of President. But he stopped here in the town of Weston and was
entertained here at the hotel. And many other great men passed through
here and were entertained here from the time when we were colonies clear
up to the time when the railroads were established along in the middle
of the last century.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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