train of artillery, and he doubted whether, if such an expedition as that were sent out, any part of it would return alive.  On account of the report that he brought back it was determined by the British authorities that it was more prudent to go up to Concord than it was to come out here on the way to Worcester.  That was the reason that the expedition on that Nineteenth of April was started for Concord rather than through here for Worcester.

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.