present, many were men of national reputation. Among the exercises, a
sermon of welcome was delivered by the Rev. Mark Hopkins, a prayer was
offered by Rev. David Dudley Field, an address was given by Governor
Briggs, and a poem was read by Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes.

[Illustration: CENTRAL BLOCK.]

Governor Briggs had become a citizen of Pittsfield two years before. He
was born at North Adams in 1796. When seventeen years of age, after
having spent three years in learning the hatters' trade, he began the
study of law with but five dollars in his possession, which he had
earned at haying. In 1850, after seven consecutive terms as Governor, he
was defeated by a coalition of Democrats and Free-Soilers. He was as
true a friend of a pure civil service as any man of the present day.
Like a well-known English writer on political economy, and for similar
reasons, he refused to furnish money for his own election expenses,
however legitimate; thus, although unwillingly, placing the burden upon
the shoulders of other members of his party, a course which gave equal
satisfaction in both countries. He was distinguished for the consistency
of his life with his religious and temperance principles. Once, it is
said, while exhorting a friend who had already entered the downward path
of immoderate drinking, Mr. Briggs was induced to promise that so long
as the other would abstain from drinking, he, himself, would give up the
use of a collar; and this agreement was kept by both parties for life.
The truth in regard to the anecdote is rather as follows: While County
Commissioner he was often obliged to make long drives, so that besides
the annoyance from wearing a collar, he found great difficulty in
replacing it when soiled. From this arose a habit of dispensing with it
altogether. Once, being rallied on the subject by an old friend, he
offered to resume his collar if the other would cease drinking gin, and