Loudon free press. (Loudon, Tenn.) 1852-1855, 1854-07-19
ADDRESS,
Before the Sabbath School and Sons of Tenn
perance, on the 4h July 1854,
ADDRESS.

to make lengthy speech, upon this occasion,
but beg leave to present few such crude sug-
gestions, as the very short time allotted, lit be-
ing only day or two) and the intervals of ner-
essary business have enabled me rery briefly to
sketch. We have assembled TO day for the pur.
pose of Celebrating the Loudon Union Sabbath
School and also in commemoration Of the sew.
enty eighth Anniversary of American Indepen-
| dence. And under what different auspicies. do
we assemble to what our Revolutionary Fathers
did seventy eight years ago to day, when they
convened in Faniel Hall, in the City of Phila.
delphia.
But to give an adequate idea of their suffer,
ings and hardships, and that we may better ap-
preciate, the privileges and blessings we enjoy,
we must go back to the, landing of our Pilgrim
Fathers upon the cherries coast of America
But little upwards Of three centuries, and
| America was wilderness-a painless wood
one continued unbroken forest, savage wild.
ness reigned on every hill, on every mountain
and on the borders of every river in the bold
majesty ofuntamcd nature. The awful silence
that had for centuries brooded, over the Cont
nent, had as yet, never been broken by the noise
and business hum of civilization. The storm
fraught cloud had arisen in its fury, and passed
away unseen and unobserved, save by the wild
inhabitants of the surrounding forest. All was
wild, gloomy and uncultivated; and fearfully
echoed the war whoop Of contending savages
L IL Ill. e.
| ton. But now changed the scene! 1t has be
come the seat OF a mighty empire-the sound
ing axe has been heard-the tall forest has
Frustrated itself at the feet of Anglo Saxon en-
terprise, and now crops of luxuriant plentious
ness wave in every passing gale, the rich re-
ward persever;ng industry. The vast forest
has fallen before the Industrial hand Of the
husbandman-the wild and ferocious beasts
that roamed unmolested, have fallen victims to
the sagacious huntsmen, and the toxin of war
I is now seldom heard by the Red man, and even
he is making rapid strides tocivlization, and will
ere long learn to worship the only true and lv
ing God. Yes a happy era is dawning upon the
world; The cloud of ignorance and supersti
ton that has f,r centuries overshadowed it, is
being dispeled, and intelligence, morality and
religion in lieu thereof Churches and Colleges
are being reared through every part of our
country; and the most mental subject is upon
an equal basis with the tyrant upon his throne
Bnt pause a moment and contemplate the grand
march of our glorious confederacy. That race
which is the crown of humanity now swar ms
upon the fertile soil Of America, to chain matter
to the car of civilization, illumine mankind
with the beams of liberty; and, send hoary error
crumbling away in the awful shadow ofreform.
They 1.-THE U. 81 have increased in less than a
century from thirteen comparatively insigni6-
cant colonies to thirty two magnificent states
and from population of three millions to that
Of nearly twenty FIVE millions: and other states
tits confidently believed, will ere long be added
to the union. The food of emigration still rolls
impetuously onward towards the Pacific
"Westward the star of empire takes its way
Even at the foot Of the Rocky mountains, is
already heard
"The frs. low wash Of waves
Where soon shall roll a human sea-"
And I am proud to see that in the far west
will he state named for the immortal Father
of his Countrywide who was first in war, first in
peace and first in the hearts of his countrvmen.i
And, Ladies and Gentlemen, the spirit o.
4th July, 1916, is welding, powerful influence
upon the monarchies of the old world. The
spirit of republcanism has gone abroad in our
are, and awakened the world from the deer
slumber of slavery, in which it has reposed fol
ages 1t has aroused it to its wrongs; and
behold thrones lettering, and crowns crush
Ing beneath the wheels Ofthe car of the patriots
and pioneers of liberty. Internal tyranny like
the demon of desoation has for ages tramplet
upon the glory of the world, and "bound in
bondage the noblest of EARTH" but the spirit Of
the 4th ofJuly l776 is pointing their eyes to the
banner oflberty.
For some centuries, feudal despotism seems
to have been emerging, like the phoenix from
the ashes of ages, but the "argus eve of liberty.
eagle" has ever been watchful She has al
ready erected her affairs in the very garden Of
the globe, and the entire world will ere long
worship at her feet
France, vascillating France has made re
peated attempts to free herself from the yoke O
tyranny she has so long borne--Hungary too
will be free-and they will then no longer
,, mourn over tie mausoleum of their liberties
nor weep at the grave of their glory, but like
time surveying the trophies of his triumphant
arm will stand upon the tombs of of their ty
rants, and flourish over the relics, and fragment.
of fallen despotsm it has been predicted
by some of the giant inteeets of the natior
: that ere long republicansism, will become uni
versal that the yoke of monarchicalism borne
for centuries by the vassels Of Europe will b.
thrown off-that they will burst asunder tht
manacles of despotism, and yet live to breathe
the salrbrious atmosphere Of true republican
ism.
And there is but little doubt, Ladies anG
Gentlemen, butthat Republication ,cM become
universal provided the great truths set fourth
in the Bible are taught to the rising generation