Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1857-07-02
The Bunker Hill Celebration
Hon. Edward Everett's
Ora ton.

The procession in Boston on Wednes-
day on the occasion Of the anniversary of
the battle of Bunker Hill, when the War
rem statue was inaugurated, occupied about
an hour in passing any given point. The
military display was very brilliant, and the
Masons paraded about fifteen hundred
strong. Every available spot along the
line was occupied by spectators. The pro.
cession reached the monument about three
o'clock, when the exercises commenced by
the delivery of the Grafton by tie Hon.
Edward Everett. 1t was, like everything
coming from Mr. Everett. an ablo and
brilliant production. The following is the
concluding portion of it.
"While we pay due h.nors to the illus.
trous men who led the armies 10 revolu-
ton. we rejoice to believe and do know
that the great separation which they effect
ed has been productive of equal benefits to
both countries, and that the enlightened
English statesman of the present day, like
the Brrkes and Chathams of the revolu-
tionary period, acknowledge the soundness
Of the principles for which our fathers flew
to arms. and everywhere extending their
application throug hout the colonial empire
of Great Britain Henceforth let our only
contest with tho fatherland be a generous
emulation tn the arts of peace.
. While speak the public vessels of
the two countries are bound on a Joint er-
rand to the mid ocean, not to stain its wat
ers with fraiernal blood, but to knit the
two continents together by those mysteri
Gus bonds by which modern science and
art, outstrippiug the laggard hours, ami
hilating the widths of ocean, and flashing
like thought through their rayless depths,
is bringing the whole civilized world into
the magic circle of instantaneous commu-
nication.
Ba,, afer all. the obelisks We erect and
&c statues we set up are but expressive
symbols. The proulest monuments 10 the
memory of our fathers are not those carved
by the skillful artists from blocks Of mar
bic, or reared by the architect in majestic
piles Of granite. These, indeed, have val
ue aud interest. They marked for the Ia
ties. ppsteiiiy the scene OF som" momen-
tons conflict; they redeem from the power
Of time and decay the features of some
noble cou@tenance, aud The proportions Of
some Dlanly form the molten bronze or the
quarried marble. But these are not the
rewards for which Warren and his associ-
ates braved death, not the monuments
which will best perpetua.e their fans.
The principles Of free government for
which they laid down their lives; the ma
iional independence which, by the united
counsels and painful sacrifices, they achie-
we'd on hard fought fields: this great family
of States which, with prophetic foresight,
they bound together In a fraternal conled-
eracy, this 4 lmirable adjustment of local
and federal government--the most exquis-
ite contrivance Of political wisdom which
the world has seen-thes. shall be their
enduring monument NJ less eloquent
IN their praise shall be the prosperity which
has resulted fiom their wise and pa.riolic+
measures
The world surrounding ocean whitened
with the sails Of American commerce,
which, before The Revolution, was hemmed
in by the narrow limits of colonial iestric-
ton; the hundreds of cities that Inc the |
coast and crown the banks Of noble rivers, |
and which have started from the soil since |
the establishment of independence; the
vast wilderness, whose primeval forests
are yearly bowing to the settlers axe, af-
fording home to the redundafce of our
own population, and the hungry millions
of Europe; these boundless prairies over
which the living wave of population is
pouring like a rushing tide, bringing with
IL 10 the utmost verge OF settlement the
last results of civilization, railroads follow
ing the recent Indian trail, electric tele-
craps convey intelligence where the mail
coach was thing Of yesterday; grea!
steamers on rivers and lakes, tlaversed
within generation by the bark canoe
these proclaim, in language more impress
i've than inscriptions on the monumental
granlte-in forms more significant than the
sculptured marble--the worth and the
memory of the great and good men who
sowed IN weakness the harvest which we
raise in power; who. in the doubtful eie
ments of national greatness which opened
upon them in visionary future, beheld
the germs of this palmy growth, of this
impartial abundance, as the sculptor be.
holds in advance the muscular limbs, the
glowing features, the triumphant express
sion Of b;S marble hare IN tho boort Of tho