The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1854-07-15
Address, Delivered nj Harding,
July 4.
BY REV. T.. RANSOM.

BY REV. T.. RANSOM.
Friends and teiloqc c.tizens Through tn,
protecting care Of kind and watchful Prov
idence, We have been brought to another an
niversary-Onc unlike all others in our land
Seventy eight years ago this day, was
nation born; seventy eight years ago thi
day, the old thirteen dependent districts as
sumed another attitude. Our forefathers, il
solemn council assembled, resolved to ris
above colonial dependence, and by the na
tiona instrument, to which we have jus
been listening, solemnly, yet fearlessly pub
lished their intention to the world. That in
tcntion never died. Amid toll, danger, ant
death, that resolution never forsOok them
1t formed a foundation, upO which the bur
den oihunan rights could securely lie, whil'
heaven approved patriotism formed such I
bulwark OF defense, that tyranny, unblush
ing tyranny, yanqushed, fled away. 1t j,
meet then, that we remember such period
And upon the sons and daughters ofsuch Al
ancestry, devolvcs the duty, not Of appre
citation only, but also that we, by cOmmcm
ora, ~ acts, should manifest an imperishabl'
affection H.. the lav, the principles, the pat
r rotism. an, th. .'1m OF those tlihe-hon
ored s,,es. who p.rtcu .,!th ther treasures
and their blood TO pui Hasc = crown oi
loicin1 for the millions that 20, )did s'is'''u''
th,ir succeeding generations. In i,2"io'" '"'s
this occasion, II may not be am!ss, % IN
t.spiatc, briefly, the past.
The western continent is supposed by
some 10 nave been known to ancient nations
And the idea that it was known by thg Scan
diuaylns, IS not without reasonable ionn'
.latou. The discovery, however, that led u
permanent settlement OF North
Am rica, was purely accidental. In the If
t,lutn century, fuspl,ln and East lndi.
commodities, were the subjects OF a ldbori.
ous, di!igut, aad daugerou, overland com.
Incrcc. An obyiation Of thg paIPlextics
consequent upon the manner by which their
commercial relations "era sustained, was
-ougut, by ,ndcayoring to ascertain the cx-
st,ucc Of a water communication. They
supposed that by sailing south then east,
then north their commercial project might
bc realized The navigating skill of the age
was fully taxed in the enterprise. An ad-
venturous spirit was reused in every direc-
ton. Prominent among them stood Christie.
pher Columbus Possessinga genius, bold
and original, he appeared every way qualified
for the disCoycrcr of the age. pieces Of ear
we'd wood, canoe, and two human bodies,
del O>ited on European shores, by protractcd
westerly winds, originated in his mind, that
the object Of commercial desire could be re-
allied by sailing dir, city west, Like many
others, whose names are transmitted through
the channel Of brilliant deeds this great dis
covercr was Grad cd in the lap OF poverty
Unable, upon his own means, to carry out
his magnificent cone, ptlons, hc sought the
aid of his countrymen. In this h. iallc1'
Where he had hoped for sympathy and mate
rial aid, he received ridicue and contempt
A noble spirit is not easily daunted Under
Is nlgh insp ra.ions, he turns to seek, and
tiy, strangers sympathy. From court TO
court he wandered. S,orn,d by some, neg
lected by others, he 81, adiiy puisucs an un.
dcviating course, and finally presents himself
and his cause, at the accomplished court Of
Ferdinand and Isabella, King and Queen of
Spain. Here his views were presented, and
sustained, by arguments that had wrought,
in one heart, at least, apefct ! ton OF
the practiCablity ot the sch,me, and the
certainty OF atImatc success. once, and
nov again, were ttcy successful. They pre-
vailed not with man, but with a woman
by the direction Of the Queen, he obtains
three small vessels and suitable equipments
On the third Of Aueus,, 1892, he bids adcu
to friends the sails are uufurled to the
breeze, and this little, determined, and gal.
liant feet, commences an cXpIoraton Of At.
lantic's wild and watery d.o.rt. And after
cncoun,cring diiiicultiCs hitH,rto unknown,
tn mu,iny Of his men, and cd oceans scvc-
rest nowns, on the lth Of October follow.
ing, just a., the king OF day was rising, as it
We aJoyiul spectator OF the scene, and TO
uil.'D It's brilliant beams in a cup of bliss
hitherto uuta. tcd by mortal navigator, Col
uuhU,, in tul! uniform, stepped upon San
Salvadors happy soil and in a subsequent
voyag entered the Oronoco river, and in
transport .azcd upon a portion Of country
aite sards proven part Of the mighty west
EN- hemisphere.
Tacs. unexpected results opened the way
fo eastern gulcrpris The East Indian pas
sage lost mrasurabIy lis interests, in the su-
p,Tior attraction OF the star Of the west,
and king and pot,n,ate, high and low, seem
ed.to lose tlclr distinguishing T atures, in an
ovcrwholuing desire to lJrm an 4cquainiance
with the new world, the son %. which, ~
future time, would present tn world wit. a
Sruy republlran plant, upon the leaves OF
whi.p, Inscribed in the dialect ii ImmoTtaU.
ty, .. aid glisten, mcteoE-.lkc, the truth
that man is capable OF seli-goyyrnmcnt No
arrange mcnts for eiicctlng srltcm,nt8 in the
far west, were mad, for II long I'm, subsc-
qu, ut to the discovery. The iirst settlement
la, li,nitl Of Tho
nies, was under the auspices Of the London
company, organized III 1856. This was ei-
iected at Jam.stoWp, Firgjnla, May 10,
ltUt. After cApvritnclu ".!atit unpossi-
b., 10, pentO portray, o. tongue describe,
the settlement assumed the form Of order
and pcrmanency, 1911.
Next in order is Massachusetts,. Through
the efforts Of John Smith, attempts had been
made to form settlement in that country,
but had failed The spirit Of free inquiry at
this time prevailing in England, brought up
on itself the prosecuting spirit of King
James. Religious intolerance forced many
of them to seek a peaceful asylum in the
wids of America. In September, 1920,
these religious cxilcs, on board of the May
flower left home and country, for what is now
the state of New York, but the captain,
through bribery, on the nth of December,
landed them where nought was visible but
sterile sands and gloomy forests. Little Of
consolation was visible. But commcnda-
bic reliance upon God, neither allliction or
sity moved them, while controlling
Providence wrought out for them eventually,
an honorable station among her sister cole.
mics.
New Hampshire next present herself. In
1923, Il 5, ttlcmcnt was effected on the Pisca-
taqua river, then called Cochcco, now
known as Dover Her cary trials were oia
bloody character. In her carly history, we
find her frequently plunged into all the hor-
rors Of border waiiar". Indians, instiga-
ted by neighboring jcalousi s. committed
unhcard of balbaritics Still her cour was
onward, and the early development of true
republican principles, as will be seen by Il
reference to her legislative acts Of 1850,
cherished and properly directed, have
brought her to her present happy and pros.
porous condtion-thc true granite state OF
the land.
In 1881, n grant of the country now