Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1854-12-27
New YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

MASSACHUSETTS, WAS Happlly represented ny
| by the celeration Of the New 1ork Historical
Society. Hon. ROBERT C. WErHoRP made a
noble speech, from which We make the follow
ing truly eloquent extraet:-
ssI.et me not draw these remarks to a close
without adding word more serious; without
saying that we ought, none of Us, to be froget-
ful that, after all, sir, there is another work
a work going on in this day ani generation
besides that of writing the history OF our faith
ers, and that is, the acting of our own parts in
life. [Great applause.l We cannot live upon
the gleries of the past. Historic memories are
precious and Inspiring. Let us sustain our in
stitutions, let us preserve our liberty, for there
is another history to be written, to which
every State, and every citizen at this hour
and every hour, is the contributing materials.
In the generous rivalry of sister States, each
may FURNISH the most brilliant records of the
past but this should not render US regardless
of that nobler rivalry, in which it becomes all
more ardently and am5tioRsIy TO engage.
s.I know no nobler spectacle in the history
of the world than that of the multiplied States
Of this Union, joining with fratcrnal comneti-
tion which should add the lrigIitest page 10
the history Of the future, the noJlesf Example
fweli-directed liberty, the nsostcomplete Il
lustration Of the success OF that republican eX-
pertinent, Of which our soil has been preyidea-
TALLY selected as the scene. If these thirty
one Commonwealth, ranged under common
banner from ocean TO ocean, couiJ be seen en-
gagged in such a contention as this, instead of
a struggle for some miserablo political mastery.
spirit Of mutual jealousy and hate by striving
to aggrandize themselves either territoriaIiy or
commercially at each others expense, should
they be seen laboring side by side to improve
each one its oaeA character-torefornle each one
its ora abuses-to abolish each one its o.en
wrongs--to show the best efforts of which civ
ization, Christianity, and freedom are capable,
what history would there be to the world
hereafter! Who would not envy the writer
the privilege of pcnning such record! Ne
thinks he would catch some inspiration from
the psanist Of old--his pen would be that Of
- =oasls- 1v,fter-'- Ne ael4 and hearfless shep-
tic could portray such progress; no Gibbon
could deliniate the glowing picture. lie might
be tIusted with the task which teld the decline
and fall of empire, but o theme like that would
inspire new faith in him who wrote-faith in
the capacity of man for self-government, and
in the ultimate prevalence of the gospel Of
Christ, which, after all, is the only sure and
eifectual instrument by which either social or
political-[iost in enthusiastic applase]-that
history is to be written and when written, is 20
exercise an influence on the world, for good or
for evil, such as no other uninspired history
has ever yet cxerted. 1t is not too much TO
say that American hstory-thc history of
these United States, and of the several States
is to be the fountain to mankind of such
hope. or of such despair, as they have never
yet conceived of. [Great applause-l You have
all heard how the accomplished Lieut.. Maury
has been engaged in gathering the old log
books of your sailors, out Of them to make
wind and current charts to render voyages
across the ocean more safe and speedy. So Il
would be with the log-books of our great Re-
public and those lesser Republics which sail
under a common flag. From those is to be
made up the great sailing chart of freedom.-
FApplause.l God grant that on no corner of it
shall be found the sad record that here, upon
some hidden rock, or there among the break
ers, or there in fatal fog, by desertion of
some cowardly crew, [sensation and applause,]
or by the.recklessness of some rash helmsman.
a New Era struck, foundered, and went topic
ees, to the exultation of depots and the deep
grief of all friends of freedom. [Great app
plause.1 May it rather give encouragement tos
all who range upon the same sea, that there is
a prosperous voyage before them, and safe
haven within their rcach!,' [Applause.
CURous STRArAGEM OF TES1ER.-The great