Ypsilanti sentinel. [volume] (Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co., Mich.) 1843-1900, 1847-07-14

glades and forests, is gone, and "their degraded
offspring crawl upon the earth when they walk
ed in majesty"-they have disappeared like snow
before the advancing wave IF civilization, and
ere long will make their Fast stand, under
the frowning summit of the Rocky Mountains.
Two hundred and twenty-seven years ago,
forty -one stern and unbenJing Purltans stood
alone on the Rock of Plymoata, in the fading
sunset of December evening, houseess and
homeless, almost the only civilized beings on
the continent of North America.
Two hundred and twenty-seven years ago,
the stree of liberty" was planted in the cold
gorges of the mountains of New England, where
slaves could not live, YOU now sit under its
branches, reach forth your hand, partake Of its
delicious fruit, enjoy Its cooling shade, Con-
template its growing strength and beauty. But
necer, o! neUer, while memory remains, forget
the sacrifices made that it might flourish, the care
and s,lictude experienced by our Fore athers
for its future growth and preservation, or the
tears and blood with which 1t was watered.
Fellow Citizens, the headlong speed with
which the Anglo American character pursues
it's favorite object, the incessant employment
of mind and body, hardly gives US time TO re-
fleet OIL the rate we are progressing; but to-day
you have left your farms and and your fresdes,
your bench and your counter, and come up on
This jubilee of Freedom this sabbath of nations
to offer up your vows and applications to the
''God of Battles that even as with his chosen
people, he may continue to 60 before as with
the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night,
Let US then contemplate the changes of the
last two centuries. Let us see how "the will
derness has been made to blossom like the
rose.'
Twerty eightSta,cs and tcrritoro s,yet unlimi-
ted now stand shoulder to shoulder around our
constitution. From Boston to New Orleans
the shore Of the Atlantic is lined with populous
and thriving cities. TIE busy hum of COM
nerce, the great hand maiden of wealth is in
cessant and unremitting Our keels vex every
sea. Our Flag floats in every breeze. Ocean
steamers, with their magic speed, have added
another link to the chain Of friendship that now
binds us to our ancient OLD step mother. Should
We leave the crowded shore of the Atlantic, on
steam car and steamboat that almost annihil-
ate space, we traverse this vast continent. we
find cities spftbg up like the 'prophets goard."
The iron bands OF our Railroads and Telegraphs
bind together yet more firmly the States Of this
great Union, nay the echo OF the falling forest
scarce dies away, ere the snorting and painting
Of the Iron horse is heard in the distance. The
spire Of the church, Shoots up side by side with
meath Its protecting shade sits the modest lit
tie school house, that powerful engine for the
preservation Of our liberties and our virtue, the
gfrat enemy of Tyrants, the great friend Of free
dom, the stihctive feature Of American civil
lization and progress.
Thirty years ago. within the recollection of
some who now hear me, this beautiful penin-
sula,' echoed from its lovely forests, the wild
war whoOp of the savage-nsp 100000 warm
hearts are found within IT'S borders and its SONS
and daughters are rich In the Comforts and lux
ures of civilized life.
The great Lakes and Western Rivers are
covered with the floating produce of rich and
luxariant soil and fairly murmur meath the rush
of Advancing, KEGS, and the whole union
from the lakes to the Gulf of Mexico, from the
Atlantic to the Rocky Mountains--not to say
fa.her-is like a vast t-heap, running and
hurrying to and fro, jostling and crowding a
long, each Juggling with might and main at
some particular grain, ana all active, restless,
''going ahead
The nations of Europe stand agha ST, at the
''doings and savings" of Americans: each stea-
mer as it touches their shoe, bears to them
some new devolopement of Auglo American
character, Our progress Is SO rapid the chan
ges We undergo are so incessaht, that they
upon our further history. Their widest inl-
maginatons become history 'ere they reach us,
and what was intended for poetic fiction ERE
the ink is dry is sober truth. On the one hand
they see extending the protecting @gis of
our government over misguided Mexico and
boldly classifying her Into penltence, If not sub
mission. On the other they behold the same
young America, "with more than flial pietv,
putting the full breast of its youthful exuber-
ance to the mouth" of starving, exhausted Old
Erin-6ghting one MISUNDERSTANDING an
other.
But, Fellow Citizens. while we thus con.
graduate ourselves, as members of this great
and growing confederacy, while we look across
our great lakes and bless God, that we are no
colonial dependents, that no titled aristocracy
or lordly land holders are over rs, that no es-
tablished church, hangs like dark cloud be-
tween us and heaven-let us recollect with
sentiments of tenderest gratitude, those who
boldly staked 'their lives, their fortunes, and
their sacred honor" in the desperate game of
Freedom-not for themselves, but for Us. Let
us recount their sufferings and their success!-
Let It's come together with bonfires and rejoic-
ings! Let us rally round the ''altar of liberty"
and sinking party and sect, unite as a band Of
brothers "frm, tried and true.'
Fellow Citizens, the history of that glorious
struggle, is familiar to you all. Each succeeding
year you come up on this National Jubilee
and recall the glorious events of that memora-
BILE era--you reflect upon "the times that tried
mems SOULS" yes,even the iron souls of the ''Sons
Ct TO-" You are the descendants of our Pill
grim Fathers, you have read the history of our
country and revolution, you know how speed
lily the bonfires of Liberty gathered together in
the little church, the famers who had left their
oxen in the furrow, and the mechanics who had
deserted their benches, and while they listened
to the lnpassloned and fervent prayer of their
spiritual teacher, calling down the blessings of
heaven on their cause, they trembled with i'm
patience to join their brothers, already in the
field In the contest for freedom of religious
opinion for "thelr affairs and their fires" You
can almost see the golden rays of the morning
sun, that on the 18th of June ITS gilded the
crest Of Bunker Hill. With memorys telescope
vision. you glance over the buried past and see
that little tedoubt, filled with 1900 as noble splr-
;ts n. bsrstta1 tho ,ir fsf haa ven-liSteu