Independence Day one hundred years ago was but little observed in our State. At Trenton a number of patriotic gentlemen assembled at the house of Isaiah Yard. Thirteen cannons, one for each State, were fired; after which a cold collation was served, and then the company separated. The reason that this particular day was less observed than several which had preceded it was that the event it commemorated had so recently been celebrated in connection with the proclamation of peace. In nearly all the towns of our State, Trenton excepted, the proclamation of peace was celebrated on the 19th of April, because that day was the anniversary of the first battle of the Revolution, that of Lexington. At Trenton the celebration was held a few days before, on the 15th. The news had been received by a French ship, at Philadelphia, March 23d. Three days later, on Wednesday, March 26, the Trenton New Jersey Gazette published the news, which rapidly spread through the State by post-riders, expresses and private conveyances. The official proclamation in New Jersey was made by Governor Livingston on the 14th of the next month, and the next day the citizens generally assembled at the house of Mr. Williams (where public meetings were frequently held), and a procession was formed, in which were Governor Livingston, the Vice-President of Council, members of the Legislature, judges, magistrates, students of the academy and citizens generally. They marched to the Court House, where the Governor's proclamation announcing the cessation of hostilities was read, and thirteen cannon fired, followed by the huzzas of the people.

At 12 o'clock divine service was held and a suitable discourse delivered by Rev. Dr. Elihu Spencer.

At 3 P. M. the Governor and citizens met at the houses of Messrs. Williams and Cape (both of whom probably kept hotels), where entertainments were given and appropriate toasts proposed. In the evening almost every house in Trenton was illuminated.

At Princeton, on the 19th, the programme was about the same. The religious discourse was by the Rev. Dr. Witherspoon. Celebrations were also held at New Brunswick, Woodbridge, Cranberry, Amwell in Somerset, and other places.

Bordentown seemed to have had the most notable one. At noon the citizens of the town and vicinity assembled at the house of Colonel Okey Hoagland. The Governor's proclamation was read, thirteen cannons fired, huzzas, etc. At 3 P.M. a dinner and toasts at Colonel Hoagland's. In the evening the houses of the town were all illuminated, but the particular attractions were the illuminated transparencies at the house and academy of Rev. Burges Allison. The transparencies represented:

1. The sun in its meridian splendor, shedding its rays on the segment of the globe comprehending North America, with the motto, "Shine on our happy land."

2. Portrait of General Washington encompassed with thirteen stars, representing the States, with the motto above, "Independent, united and free!" Below the motto, "Success to our allies!"

3. Peace represented with implements of husbandry, and a dove with an olive branch, with the motto, "They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks."

4. Plenty represented by ten cornucopias with fruits and flowers; the cornua supporting a festoon, two wheat sheaves and a basket of fruit.

5. The crown of France in the middle of the fleur de lis, with the motto, "Long Live Louis XV."

6. A trophy adorned with British arms, drums and inverted standard; motto, "Spoils of our foes," over which was Fame flying, with a label from her trumpet, "America shall be free!"

7. Britannia sitting in a disconsolate position pointing to her broken spear, saying by a label, "Alas, I've lost America!" Mars standing with his sword extended over her and saying per label, "I've humbled her!"

8. America in the figure of an Indian with his bow and arrows, and the British crown lying at his feet. Mercury standing by him with a laurel crown, saying, per label, "The laurels thou hast won."

The celebration at Bordentown closed with a grand ball in the evening. New Brunswick had a curious bonfire in the evening; sixteen tar barrels, supported by separate poles of great length, all set on fire at the same time with a large quantity of combustibles around the tallest poles.

In almost every town the celebration was commenced by divine services. At New Brunswick the services were in the Dutch Church, and conducted by a Presbyterian minister, Rev. Israel Reed. His text was from Ecc. 7:14, "In this day of prosperity be joyful." At Woodbridge Rev. Mr. Roe conducted the services.

The toasts in the various towns, Trenton, Princeton and elsewhere, were very pertinent.

Provisional articles of peace between Great Britain and the United States were signed at Paris, November 20, 1782, to go into effect when a treaty between France and Great Britain should be agreed upon, which was done January 20, 1783, but not to go into effect until ratifications were exchanged. This took place February 3, 1783, and as soon as it occurred our French friends were intensely anxious that a French ship should be the bearer of the first news received in America. Lafayette and Count D'Estaing determined to have a war ship started at the earliest possible moment. It would not do to send a ship by way of the Channel or North Sea, as the treaty did not affect vessels there until twelve days after February 3, and their ships might be intercepted. But D'Estaing had an immense new fleet of sixty war ships just fitted out to aid in attacking England. It was determined to send one of this fleet, then lying at Cadiz, at the farthest extremity of Spain. By the time the dispatches were prepared, sent to the ship, and the ship fitted for the voyage, over two weeks had elapsed. On the 19th of February she set sail. The name of the ship was the "Triumph." Perhaps Lafayette and D'Estaing selected her because of her name to carry the triumphant news. Her captain was the Chevalier du Quesne. The anxiety was great that she should get the news to Philadelphia before a British ship could carry the news to the enemy in New York. In this our French friends were gratified. The English ship did not reach New York until April 4, while the "Triumph," after a passage of thirty-two days, reached the capes of the Delaware, when the captain went ashore and started an express with the dispatches, which reached Philadelphia at 9 o'clock on the morning of March 23, beating the British nearly two weeks. On Wednesday, March 26, the New Jersey Gazette, at Trenton, published the news under the head of "Peace, Liberty and Independence."

It is doubtful if the Trenton State Gazette of 1865, in publishing the news of Lee's surrender, spread so much joy as did its predecessor by the news in its issue of March 26, 1783.

B. Smith was postmaster at Trenton then, and the dispatches came, probably, to his care by James Martin, who was post-rider between Philadelphia and Trenton. There were no post-offices then in Burlington or Monmouth. John Van Kirk, of Cranberry, an ex-Sheriff of Middlesex, was a post-rider on his own account from Trenton to Allentown, Freehold, Middletown, etc., and similar post-riders carried the old New Jersey Gazette to East Jersey, Newark, Morris and elsewhere, and great joy did those post-riders bring to every town and home with the news.

In most of the celebrations of peace in New Jersey the three prominent toasts were: "February 3d," date of Peace; "April 19th," Battle of Lexington; "July 4th," Independence Day. And these three memorable days were commemorated in one. The thirteenth toast at Princeton expressed the idea of all: "May the recollection of the 19th of April, 1775, the 4th of July, 1776, and the 2d of February, 1783, prove a terror to tyrants and oppressors throughout the world."

Of course the finale of the war had not yet come. Evacuation Day, November 25, 1783, when the British evacuated New York, was perhaps the last act in the eight years' war. What a fearful contrast between the distress and despair of the Refugees in New York, whom peace had ruined, and the joy of the Patriots!