Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1860-01-18

DAYTON, o., Jan'y 16, 1860.
CEHTLEMEN:-Your kind invitation TO partici.
pate with you on tomorrow evening, in the
festivities TO honor the memory Of BENJAMIN
Franklin, has been received, and I regret ex,
ceedingly that my health prevents me from
being present. u,rr
II is both the privilege and the duty Of free
nation to revere the memory Of those mighty
minds of the past, who Justly bear the proud
title of "the Fathers Of the Republic" Inde
pendent Americas history, though yet young,
need not blush at comparison with the oldest
nations upon the Globe. In peace and in war,
in the councils OF the nation at home and in the
councils Of the world abroad, America, by her
sons, has reared imperishable monuments Of
her greatness; and the mission Of ancient Rome,
so sacrilegiously trampled upon at the Rubis
6f and on the famed fields Of Pharsala, seems
revived by omnipotence as the destiny Of free
/ America.
And shall we not, as devoted sons OF our
country, rejoice in its history, take counsel OF
our fathers, initiate their virtues, carry out
their precepts, and follow in the light Of their
wisdom, thus striving to become their equals2
For thus, and thus alone, can we hope to pre-
serve the America Of Franklin and of his giant
co lsborers in freedoms cause, intact and in
vulnerable from enemies without and foes with
in; thus, and thus alone, can we prevent the
advent of an ambitious Cesar crossing our Re-
public, and another Phsrsala, to witness the
destruction Of our libertiesl
hail celebrations like yours as a means 10
that noble end. They lead us back to the days
Of our nations birth aud to the men who ought
ever to remain the guiding stars Of our politi-
cal and national conduct. And il is meet,
above all, that you, the representatives of free
press, should especially keep ever present to
your minds eye the memory and the teachings
Of the great departed. You shape, and, TO
~.
counsel aud, in measure, direct political &C
ton To you the people look for correct infor
nation and for true expression of their sentls
ments, which, as it were, are often but the res
hex of the doctrines promulgated by yourselves.
Hence, it becomes your sacred duty to keep
ever to the path of truth and of patriotism; to
remember that it is your special province to
ipsti. nourish, and strengthen in the hearts OF
the people that love Of country, that ardent
feeling to conserve this great inheritance Of
ours, against which the surgiOg waves Of polt-
ieal turmoil will beat in vain; and TO remem
Der, also, that IL you give way TO the evil spir-
it Of fanatcism, and to the wild clamorings Of
impractical ideAlists, so iDimical and so de>
structive to the peace, happiness, and future
prosperity Of our great confederacY, your great
prototype, franklin, and his coadjutors, will
have la6ored but iu vain.
Back Of the chair which Washington occu
pied, as President Of the Constitutional Con
veution, there was painted frebosrd, repre-
senting land scape with the suns disk hall
hid behind range Of mountains. When OUT
constitution was finally adopted in convention
and the members proceeded to sfiix their sigA
natures, Franklin rose 10 his place, and, point
ing 10 this painting, remarked: During the
sittings Of this convention, when II seemed
impossible to harmonize SO many interests, and
i when il appeared that we had TO separate
i without elfecting the grand object Of our meet
ing often was in doubt whether this was
rising or a setting sun. But now, when the
the deed is done for ages, l know 1t is the ris
ing sun Of liberty, rising in full splendor ove
our happy, cOntented, free, and united people
May he never seti'
Let us all join IN this pious and patriotic
prayer Of Benjamin franklin therefore offel
you
FRFE AND INDEPENDENT AMERICA MAY th,
efulgent and beneicent SUI of Liberty neve
set in her realml
Very respectfully, yours &c,
A. v. HOFER.
ToJ 2. RKEDER, ESQ, and others, Com.
Col. Fitch responded to tbs sentiment giver
in the excellent letter Of Mr.. Hofer. in which
he pronounced beautiful eulogy on the Lif,
and Character Of Franklin. We regret thai
we have not space 10 give his rem a,ks entire
aud we will not do him Injustice by mesgr'
outline.
Volunteer toasts were then announced to b
the order. Owing to the lateness Of the hour
few responses were made. We give only 4
few of the tOas,s as samples Of what was pre-
sented.
By Henry T. wormsn--(one Of the Oldes
printers in the West
BENJAMIN FRASKLN-STArEs1AN, PATRIor AM
PRlsTER May we not cease TO cherish, long
lasting remembranees Of his public services.
By "old red:"
| THE EDIToE.-The man who knosa every
thing, but don't know how to do everything.
/ By II P. Greyatt:
TaK PRIHrER Liberal to fault. be offer,
his life upon the Altar Of the Public Good, and
dies without making will.
By } @. Breene:
"THE DAYTON EDIroREAL OORPs "A Who'll,
column of AUe matter; they always keep good
cases. for by the aid Of Telescope they ar,
''religiously' posted, aud keep daily JoHTnG
Of current events, and furnish Gazette Of gen
eral news, with au OeeasiOnel transmission o.
the rule Of more than one Empire Nav they
always have press Of soTts Whsrewith 70 quoiE
(eoin) phat items for the followers Of the ''Art
preservative Of all arts"
By d. L. Paden;
THE TRAMPNo JoUR "A wholessouIed, non
descript species OF the genus homo, and frm
believer 10 the trite ole saying-"A fair ex-
changeis Is no robbery especially 10 the mat
ter Of SAfTtsl May the race never become ex,
tinct. Hatn
1.-THE allusiOn to shirts in the above, will
probably be understood by Indiana launS
dresses u
BY Mr. Breene
"THE LADIES"
May they ever with the printers, the 9Th"
en- brace,
As a suitable occasion, and fitting to enRraft,
a spirit OF emulation on the typos stieE and
case,
Bya tribute to the memory Of the FatAsr Of
''tbe crafl"
By our "snip;s
"TAE PAEEERs DEvm "-An Indispensable
auxiliary In The iudioiOas distribution Of lamp.