Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1860-07-05

Suffice II 20 say, that education in Ia higher
and lower forms has been almost universallv
disseminated, literature has lourished the arts
have been cherished, science has been ad
yaucod, genius has made discoveries, com.
mence have been extended TO every cline
manufactures has been multiplied, agriculture
has reaped rich harvests, mechanism haa aeon.
inflated fortunes, labor has received its toward
charity has received the unfortunate, wealth
has abounded, religion has had free course
and God has been gloriied And are not
these results satisfactory Has not the Amer
icnn experiment Of solfgovernment been sue.
cesshlY Has not the idea Of selfgovernment
"a conceived by the fathers expressed In Tho
Declaration, authoritatively announced Ia ia
adoption indicated In the Revolution and
embodied in the Constitution proven 10 be the
true one, by the unparalleled results which is
practical development has brought forth do
ring the last century, its own era, in American
| hear but one response, though il Is borne Ia
my ears by different voices The first comes
from those who havo been born heirs of this
rich Inheritance; the second from those who
have been guided hithor by the Star Of Hope
shining in tho Western horizon, and the third
from the world Mt large; which, ut first looked
upon this experiment with unbelief, next with
doubt aud always with wonder aud admira-
ton; aud theyNnll unite in the responso-Yea,
tho American experiment of solfgovernment
has proven successful, and deserves to be re-
corded as such by the pen Of history, Ia the
annals of the nations. And now what re.
mains for us 10 do, in view Of the subject pre-.
sented TO us today We have met TO com.
memoratc the signing of the Declaration Of
Independence ON tho Fourth Of July, l776.
We select the event occurring on that day rs
the first fruit which appeared ON the tree of
selfgoyernment, the seed Of which had been
dropped by the hand of Providence in the soil
of America, in l7G0, and constituting the
earnest Of the rich harvest Of civil aud relig-
ious liberty which has since been gathered from
IL. But in commemorative II appropriately
we must not only call TO mind the event with
its originating causes, It's actors and It's re-
suits, but wo must call them 10 mind in such
q manner as to induce MS TO act in accordance
with the relations and obligations which we
bear TO them. In order 10 do this il is our duty
Gratefully TO acknowledge the hand Of Divine
Providence In directing our fathers in the CON
/, ception, expression, declaration, vindication,
embodiment and illustration of the true idea
I of selfgoyornmenL If ever tho over-ruling
r hand Of Providence was manifested IN the rise
, aud progress Of any State il was visible in the
r rise and progress of this grent nation Our
fathers saw il, felt it and acknowledged it,
/. They based the righteousness and justice Of
=. their cause upon the laws of nature and OF
p natures God. They declared Jehovah 10 be
+ the Supreme Judge Of the world, and appeal
( cd to him for the rectitude of their intentions.
y They believed in his experimenting Provi-
: denee, and relied upon il for protection and
A success. They acknowledged the Bible TO be
A the Word of God and ordered all oaths 10 be
0 administered upon IL In every year Of
| their struggle they appointed days of humili-
Z alton and fasting, and of prayer and thanks
/, giving TO the God Of nations. They made n
belief in the existence and attributes of God
indispensable to the holding Of office. They
examined and incorporated into the constitu-
= ton, the eternal and Interchangeable principles
p Of justice revealed in the word of God, and
, earnestly sought his guidance in the formation
/ of II, Listen TO the testimony Of Franklin to
f this fact "All Of us who were engaged in tho
: struggle with Great Britain must and have
l observed frequent instances of n superintend-
1 ing Providence in our favor. And / believe
that the Constitution was influenced, guarded
aud governed, by that 0mnipotent aud Omni-
+ present, and beniiicent ruler, in whom NIL in
terior spirits live and move, and have their
4 being" And hear that Of Washington. Ev-
cry step by which the people of the United
$ States have advanced to the.character of an
n independent nation seems to have been dis.
0 tinguished by some providential agency, and
r no people can be bound TO acknowledge the
invisible hand, which conducts the affairs Of
men, more than the people of the United
r States" And If this truth was thus realized
by them, and the gratitude of their hearts was
|. thus poured forth to Him whom they regarded
r as the author Of all their successes and bless
II ings, how much greater is the evidence of the
g some interposition furnished by the preserva-
n ton, and progress of this nation stree, and
o how much louder the call, TO manifest cores
, | nan1tn0 rratttta1a IN aha ia, n,.nt D.... a..
, the continuance, to us, Of the sam blessings.
II is our duty calmly to TAKE q retrospect
I've view of the character and greatness of
u the achievement which they accomplished.
u And what was that ac%hievment2 IL was moth
} less than the finding Of the PHILOSOPHERS
> stone of selfgovernment II was the solu-
" ton OF the political problem, which hadbanied
the nations. 1t was the untying of he Cor
/" dian knot of freedom, viii CHI. the world had
attempted in vain. IL was the discovery of
!, the Inv ofpolitical gravity, by which the diAor-
" ent planets of State might reyolye around the
central Sun of sovereignty. IL was the seig-
! nrc OF the hammer and chisel and the giving
Of the finishing strokes, which perfected the
Apollo Of Liberty. II was the erection of
o new Temple Of Free Government, strong
J enough TO endure forever, aud large enough
TO afford an asylum for all the world Let us
= y ponder the successive stages in the progress
!" Of their work, Thoy commenced making tho
preparations and gathering the materials for
? II one hundred years ago, Sixteen years al.
: forwards, the foundations were completed, and
y the Corner stone was laid on the 9TH of July
! l776. The next eight years were devoted to
: raising the walls, preparing the pillars, and
y putting up the dome. Six years more were
required TO erect its affairs, furnish its apart
= ments, and beautify il with ornaments, when
the Cap stone was laid, just thirty years after
Z they began to build Its formal conservation
! took place on the 4th of March, 1889, when
, ia doors were thrown open, and the sons Of
Q liberty were invited to worship ut its shrine.
b In IL, the builders and their %posterity have
o found protection and happiness, and to IL, tho
Q oppressed among the nations have fed as m
h asylum, from despotism and tyrany. Seventy
years have since passed away, and with them
: nearly all who took part in this glorious work,
D but Che temple of SelfGovernment, which
a they erected still stands. Let us pause and
p contemplate IT, Behold It's symmetry, its
Y massive grandeur and It's invulnerahle
! strength II has resisted alike the ravages
: of time, the shock OF war, the whirlwind of
5 Intestine commotion, and the torch Of the
incenciary. It's beauty has not been married,
nor has a single stone been misplaced. Test
r cd by the nakod eye Of reason, sorutinizod by
: the magnifying power Of experience, and
? gazed upon with tho open face Of revelation,