Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1853-07-21

PiioO' - lou YOUR CITY HdIuly CAcccuCu
10000; now you number more than half a
million Of souls.
In that year | remember to have heard my
father, on his return from New York, after his
first visit here subsequent to the close Of the
revolution, express his amazement at the
growth and change of the city Still at that
time Brooklyn which now numbers more than
one hundred thousand souls, was comparative
ly village, and riding on horseback with old
Ten. Moreton, he found standing portion of
the building on Brooklyn Heights, on which
ne mad run up the American ensign upon the
evacuation OF the city in 1888 From the first
date have named, ITO, to this hour the his
tory OF the city has been the history of patr-
otto devotion to popular rights and popular lib
erty
That, Tor time during the revolutionary
struggle, another ensign than ours hoated here,
IS no cause Tor modification; it was the fortune
OF war, and In our weak and embarrassed con-
dItlon unavoidable. But the sun of the 25th
November, 1888, rose here for the last time
upon the rule Of foreign power, and the ami
versary OF that day is remembered by your
. sons OF liberty +" with the same patriotic
feeling that the great national anniversary of
July 4th Is regarded by the people of our com
mon country. How are you, men of New
York, TO show your gratitude for the past g
How are you to make the most of the present
How are you to secure all the noble promise
of your future!
You will keep high your standard of intelli-
| gence and morals, because all apparent adj
vancement will prove fallacious and weakness
will be substituted for strength whenever as
people, we cease with reverence and humble
dependence to look to the source of all power
and all wisdom. You will educate your chill
dren In belief zand conviction that you nave
neither power nor perseverance, nor security
nor liberty, except you constitute one of
this vast and now universally respected confed-
eracy. You will foster everywhere the living
action and efficient sentiment, that under the
Providence of God these great blessings may
only be enjoyed under the present constitution
You remember yourselves, and remind others,
that wise men framed that constitution. Men
who knew what independence cost, because in
their own suffering and in the prvatiOns and
trials of their families and friends they had
paid part Of that expense.
The great problem of the formation of the
Union called not only for all the wisdom but
for all the patriotic conception of the wisest
BODY of men the world had ever yet seen in
council If there are those at the present day
who having never made for their country the
sacrifice YOU have, of ease, a dollar of income,
or one moment of personal danger, would
break upthe foundation on which we have so
prosperously and securely stood; the basis of
our happiness at home and respect abroad
the only sure pledge of all that we expect of
those who are to come after us, it is to be
hoped that they are few in number, and that
their sphere of influence is limited.
If there are provisions in the constitution of
your country not consistent with your views
Of principle or expediency, remember that in
the nature of things that instrument could only
have had its origin in compromise, and remem-
Der, too, that you will be fathless to honor end
common honesty if you consent to enjoy the
privileges it confers, and seek to avoid, if any,
the burthen it imposes. 1t cannot be accepted
in parts; it is a whole or nothing, and as a
whole, with all the rights it secures, and the
duties it requires, it is to be sacredly main
tanned
| accept these honors as your servant with a
thankful heart, but I bear with me, at the
same time, proud consciousness that by your
free and unsought choice am also your rep
resentative, charged with the care Of your in
terests and your honor hope to be encour-
aged and strengthened in all my efforts to pro-
mote the one, and preserve unsuliedJihe 9TH
er, by such countenance and support on your
part fearless and faithful exercise Of the
functions committed to me may merit
Mr. Mayor, this Empire City, and this En-
pire State, are the living exemplifications o.
the talismanic word adopted as our motto
Has it nevef occurred . you, sir, that the
haAd which Inscribed e Excelsior Z upon yom
coat of arms, arset have betn guided by prvpir-
cts visionl This spectacle teaches all Of us
a valuable and significant lesson. May God
in his wisdom, make you sensible of the bless
ings conferred upon you, and during my term
of office, may He strengthen me in my sincere
and anxious purpose to aid you in all your
honorable and patriotic enterprises. For who
can estimate the events of the future Who
shall say to your great characteristic, and to
the spirit Of our whole country, " thus fa1
shalt thou 20 and no father"
AS you advance in your majestic career
new duties and new responsibilities are i'm
posed; and as your conquering example mani
tests itself on all hands, new conceptions OF
still further trumphs will arouse and stimulate
your eXertions. The old World caught the
inspiration from the New. Nations closed to
civilization for hundreds of years arouse from
the sleep of ages, and stretch out their hands
to the inquiring spirit which is constantly
gathering in strength for new victories over
time and space on these shores. Who will
set limits to your just ambition when the At
lantic is bridged with steamers to the shores
of Europe, and united to the Pacific by the
great thofoughfare that will eventually bind
these States together as with hooks of steel
And, sir, with all these advantages-with all
these privileges-wiih all these benefits of the
present, and these anticipations of the future
and, let me say, with all the invocatiOns of the
past, how can we fail to welcome those who
come to US from the grey old nations of Europe
Let them come There is room enough for
all-room in the hearts and room in the homes
of the American people; and there is work and
food enough for all. The moment they enter
into the brotherhood of American freemen they
cease to be citizens Of other countries, and they
bear their share of the burdens and enjoy their
share of the blessings common TO all in this
happy Union.
1t is this great truth that invokes us against
all schismatic organizations not strictly Ameri-
can, and that destroys the claim that ours is a
nation governed by men Of one race alone. No
single race Of men can boast that to them
alone is humanity indebted for such country
as this 1t is the fusions of all nations into
one that has given to us the attitude we now
occupy, and that has crowned our enterprises
with success. Your own experience is the
proof Of this. All races have contributed to
the populatiQa that now crowds your ships,
builds your cities, sits in your councils and ed
ncates your children.
The hardy sons Of New England and the de-
scendantS of your own pioneers mingle with