Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1859-08-26
tablish and transmit the precious boon Of

tablsh and transmit the precious boon of
Liberty.
Little did the men who erected Fort
Pownal, or the men who under its pro-
lection, first settled the shores of our no.
BILE Penobscot, apprehend what changes
the succeeding century would witness,--
Had some seer with prophetic vision,
looked down to this day, and foretold
what we now see, he would have been
deemed an enthusiast. if not ft subject
for lunatic asylum. Standing on its
promontory, and speaking of things to
come as if already present, he might
have said
"Instead OF the dark forest lining the
shores, l see smiling villages and -four
ishiny cities, with their stately dwellings
and lofty spires. Instead of one solita-
ry truck house for all this valley, l be-
hold marts Of business on either bank
Some merchant princes make their infu-
ence felt in both hemispheres. Instead
Of the frail bark of the Tarratine, these
waters are whitened with the COM
merce of nations. Instead of a depend
ent province with few thousand scatter
ed along her shores and rivers; Maine
now stands sovereign State with her
600, 900 people, with an influence reach
ing around the globe, and with com.
merce extending to every ocean, and
every sea. Instead of few colonies
spread along the Atlantic slope, depend
pendent on a foreign power, and often
vexcd and harrassed by that power, see
SO sovereign States, with their nearly
80 millions of souls, united in one
mighty confederacy. and taking rank
among the great nations of the earth
Already she leads the commerce of the
world, and grasps continent in her
arms"
Nothing could have been more improb.
able in the estimation of man century
since, than such results as these-results
witnessed this day.
The century we celebrate las witness.
ed mighty changes in this little world
we inhabit. Among its earliest and
most momentous events was the Ameri-
can revolution. This struck the kew
n tie of liberty for the world. Its influ-
ence was felt on the other side of the wa
ters. Soon after the independence Of
the United States was established, and
free government acknowled yed by the
dynasties Of the Old world france be.
gan to heavc and rock as il asitated by
internal fires.
Soon the volcano burst forth, and that
! fair land was deluged and desolated -
lnelr NiuS al ,lueeu wole ,.i.-~1.l
the noblest blood of the nation was shed
as by rutfian hands. The most revolving
crimes were perpetrated in the name o
liberty and equality. Anarchy reigned
Mem hearts failed them. Consterna-
ton seized the land. Then the star OF
Napoleon arose. The nation was glad
to take refuge in military dcspo.ism
And what career was his-first as an
Artillery officer, and then as commander
in-chief of the army of Italy and the ar
my of Egypt, then as First Consul, and
finally as Emperor Of the great nation.
as in the pride of his heart, he loved to
call France. Thrones We're overthrown
at his will, and nations crushed by his
mighty hand. Then suddenly he sank
and disappeared. as if star of the first
magnitude had been stricken from the
hrmament.
Among the great events OF the last
century may be reckoned the blotting
out of Poland from the map Of nations
in l793, and the partitioning of her ter
ritory and people by three of the great
powers of Europe. Russia, Prussia and
Austria, like three great robbers. cut
and carved as best suited their interest
and pleasure, and heroic Poland as
distinct nation was no more.
The revolution of 1880 in France.
which displaced Charles the Tenth, and
raised to the throne Louis Phillipi-and
that of lS4S, which drove him to seek
refuge and safety among a people who
had long been regarded as the natural
foes Of France and which brought up
another Napoleon to be dictator, and
chief ruler, are among the great events
Of the century.
The humbling of Russia at Sebasto-
pol the rebellion in India, which shook
British power, aud fora season threat
ened British rule, in that country-the
rebellion in China, and the vast amount
of misery. years OF bloody war, have oc-
Cured, must be put into the list of no.
table events. Nor must be overlooked
the present mighty struggle on the plains
of Italy, in which some hundreds of
thousands of armed men, all trained for
the bloody work, have met on the field
of battle, and tested their skill in the
work OF mutual slaughter.
Had we any scale by which to mea-
sure those mighty evils, and guage the
amount of human woe they have occa-
stoned, the result would be truly appall.
ing.
But there have been other changes
less painful, more benign. The advan-
ces made in mechanical philosopy, the
subsidizing of the elements and agencies
Of nature to the business oflife-the APP
plication OF steam to the arts, and com
merce of the world, making electricity
the medium Of communication and thus
changing the whole commerce Of life, are
changes which no human foresight could
have predicted century since.
There have also been great advances
made in education-in the cause of lib.
erty-in moral reforms-in the means
and agencies to bless the nations. The