Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1858-07-07
4t5 Of JuID Orattou.
. r a T . NJ
DELIVERED ~ MOSES CANAAN,
at Ebeasburg, CT tie 4th day o. July, 1926

at Ebensburg, CT tie 4th day Of July, 1926.
FElLow- CITIZENS Fifty years have pas
sed-half 4 century has rolled away since the
sages Of America proclaimed to the world
thu. these United States should be free and
independent Tia. which our statesmen da-
red to proclaim. cur soldiers ventured 70 sup
port. They fought-they led-they coz
quered. i new era arose. The genius Of
man, which had long Eeen sbackled by the
thraldom OF tyranny, expanded into power
and Freedom then shore forth in all lis
brightness Of beauty
The favor of my .cilo#- citizens has con-
ferred upon ne the pleasing duty Of proclaim
ing, on this day Of jubilee from the heights OF
the Alleghanies, that America Is yet free
that after the lapse of fifty years our wise in
stitusions have been found efficient to distrib-
ute happiness and prosperity 10 this widely
/ extended community that our Constitution,
founded IN wisdom and supported by virtue,
IS sufacientiy energetic without the aid Of
kiugly power OF hereditary grandeur; that
/ representative Republican government, where
the rights Of ali are equally protected, and
> where every person has his due proportion
ate weight, Is sufficient TO regulate millions of
freemcn
: Ny pleasure on the present occasion IS
much Increased when look around me and
observe the kind Of audience | address Not
/ only native Americans. but cnligrants from
England, from Ireland from y aIes, from
! Scotland, from Germany, are listening to my
/ voice We have met together as friends aud
/ fellow-citizeus ought-divesed Of al party
rancorr and national enm5ty--to celebrate
orc OF the greatest Greats IL the history Of
mantle birthday of free nation l hope
We all come deeply impressed With gratitude
70 the Great Dsposer Of ali events who has
cast our lot il land of religious and civil
liberty where al are equally protected in
their conscience, in their iIfe their liberty,
their character, and their property
[. also gives me much pleasure to see this
little hand of hcary veterans whose exer-
.i-ns ii early life were devoted to the cause
Of lheir country, and who have survived the
wreck Of time long enough to see the perfec-
ton of those free Institutions for which they
coutcnded
Defenders Of y}ur country, companions Of
the brave IN arDs how exquisite must be
vcur pleusuge, aud that Of your few survIving :
, courat-iots, Who are now cOuveDed IL variou;
parts Of the United States, to celebrate this
c anniversary Of Independence, when YOU 1e.
feet that you contributed a part, IN procuring
freedom fer your country; you have now seer
y
tried on The genius the virtue and disposition
Of the people Of the United States; you have
found lhat liberty i cOngeujsl to them, AZ,
thai they prosper under Its auspices. you ar
nov Sut small remnant of that heroic ban,
L who shielded the rights OF your country, an
opposed their breasts as buIwark agaius
tyranny. Your country owes you vast deb
Of gratitude. Il has, 1t is true, permitte
many Of defenders TO descend to the grav
. IN poverty, Ihope that better feelings vi
dictate better course, and that the dcclinIn,
years of those few soldiers of the revolution
- who remain, may be made comfortable by tha
<, wealth which their exertions, their blood
their sacrifices gained to their countryA Thos
men who gained our Independence, VINO fougt
out the fight of liberty, deserve the create.
praise. They acted Eobly under the mo!
discouraging circumstances They were ez
50 posed to every hardship. They were badl
fed badly clothed, and badly paid. Fre
queutly they had not raiment sufficient to d.
fend them from the winter storm They O
ten marked their steps with blood upon Il
frozen soil. But under all those dificuItie
they struggled on, anu gained their country
freedom-the great object of their pursui
Il. Il is not my intention to enter into detail
y. ed account Of the cary situation of the affai
of America. of the rise and progress of tho
es causes which led TO the revolution, and of &
IS MANY battles, difficulties and ha-dships whic
attended the arduoUs struggle that finally te
minated in the freedoms of eur country. A
though the subject would be one in which yo
feelings would be deeply interested, yet
could not expect your induigenc long enoHs
to describe II. The extended length Of t
day, at this season Of the year, would be t
short for the purpose. The sun would de
cend below youder horizon before the L
could half be told
ed From the earliest settlement of the oolonii
in America, they had many dangers and dii
N, culties 70 encounter. Driven by oppressI
X: form their native land, ihey entered upon t
=, arduous task of reducing the wilderness tc
'-' state of cultivation, and of either concilati
the Ab0rigines of the country, or of resist
- their attacks Removed great distance fri
the rest of civilized man, and navigation be:
then in an imperfect state, they enjoyed
ne; -oS.x old men who had been soldiers OF
Ro~ciutiorl wrre sitting near ia. speaker