The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-01-07

ness of the Order, through whose kindness we
plished, for the present. In behalf Of those
with whom am associated, tender you our
grateful acknowledges for the sentiments
you have beer pleased to express for us, and
the kind reception you have given US. Be as {.
sured, with d" Excelsior" for our motto. and
the highest and best style of performance for
our object, we shall never rest till we have at
1 tanned it, and if it is our privilege to meet you
at your Festival on next New Years night,
it will not be too much to promise that we can
then shout Eureka" we have found it.
Musicians are men of progress, and sympathize
with men Of progress Whatever else may be
said of them, charge Of Old Fogysim can not
/ be sustained. Hence. whenever and wherever
you find movement which has for its object
the ameioration Of the condition of mankind.
then and there you will find Musicians ready
to cooperate.
Whether that movement be TO regain that
| Liberty and Independence which is the birth
right of all men,-or the restoration of fallen
|
rectitude, from which, through the Indulgence
of his passions and appetites, he has fallen; or
be it movement to cultivate Friendship. Love,
and Truth among men, not only in the Lodge
room, but also in the festive crcle.-or greater
than all these, the recovery from the dominion
and thraldom of sin, and the elevation of mans
spiritual nature, into harmony and commun-
ion with his Great Creator,-be it either or all
of these, every lover of sweet sounds, stands
pledged by that very organization Of is nature,
to sympathse.
There is secret power in this mysterious
thing, called Mu.ic.-from whence he knows
not,-but surely felt within, that impels him
to seek association with these movements, as
naturally as the laws of attraction and cohe-
sion COMPEL tie adherence Of PARTICLES of
matter. Why? he cannot tell. But 't;s his
nature thus to do. Hence he is always found
laboring to promote some object for which a
cold, calculating world feels no sympathy,
and for which they can conceive no use, and
for the same reason he is always ready (per-
haps too ready to assist on festive and other
occasions, when his performance does not
merit that favor which it receives.
The true Musicians ideal is never realized.
his ambition is never satisfed-nor will II be.
till he joins in swelling that anthem which will
celebrate Worlds Redemption and Worlds
Festival.
An Institution having for its object, thoughts
and deeds of charity, may always command
the services Of all lovers Of their kind In its
utterance Of sentiments, and its performance
of deeds of worldwide Benevolence and Phi
lanthropy, Odd Fellowship NAV be regarded
as an honor to our age and blessing to man.
kind.
Long may il be permitted TO send forth its in
creasing influence into this world Of error and
wrong, nobly aiding our race in its strivings for
that better day which we now sec approach
ing-wben the religion of Gods Right shall be
known and enjoyed by man wherever found
when the practical of Christianity shall so
operate, that individuals and governments.
shall be no longer hinderance>, but aids. to
human ARRANGEMENTS when ssdim Meroe will
shout freedom from beyond the fountains of
the Nile, and the stony lips of Sphinx shall
preach the Gospel of Charity" ~ r
Music by the Orchestra Band f"
The Press-That mighty power-that irresistible
impuse--that electric thrill, that keeps the pulse of
the world throbbing The defender of the assailed-
the protector of the weakthe vindicator of the inpo-
cen-the terror ofthe oppressorthe scourger of the
iaiseI,he Fighter of the wronged. May its power be
welded only in the spirit of Friendship Love Truth
j. W. Norris, Esq, responded .u
G.D. r. Boyd, Esq, responded as follows
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:-I feel deeply
sensible of the tribute of respect tina, has been
paid in so eloquent a manner, by the toast Just
read, to profession Of which, claim to be
but very humble member.
The sentiment contained in it, is one that
should find cheerful and ready response in
the hearts of all true and good men, and es-
pecially should it sink deep in the minds of
those who, in any manner, guide and control
what in your partiality you are pleased to term
mighty power.
The press in all ages, has exercised wide
spread and potent influence upon the affairs of
the world-and although very generally it has
been the true friend of civil ard religious lib
erty, and the inalienable rights of man, vet
there are instances in history where we find
it the mouth-piece and echo Of despotsm and
tyrany-as it were muzzeled and kept silent
and in dutiful submission to capricious, and
oftentimes cruel tyrants, by the coercive pow
er of bristling bayonets, in the hands Of the
servile minions Of Despots, Kings, and Empe.
rors. SO
Happily for mankind, the principles of civil,
social. andreligious equality, of personal liber-
ty and freedom, which, for the first time, sue
cessfully triumphed in the free wilds of our
own free America, while it asserted and main.
tanned these general principles; it also gave
unrestrained freedom aud liberty to the Press.
Here in our own free land, it knows no re-
straint-no armed ninions here can quiet it
into Submissive advocacy of the divinity of
Kings-a titled nobility or brainess aris-
tocracy. If it errs here in opinion--if it be-
comes corrupt and venal in its character-it
is generally righ,ed again by the good sense Of
pure, free and enlightened public opinion.
The Press is, Indeed, s.mighty power"
when rightly conducted. It should take bold
aud fearless stand for the natural rights of
mankind, and ever be found nobly defending