Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1860-07-07

n. 8bry r.. !" l.oa '.sa; 70 ell IL
.sns ke ssesh kssslss The spirt u
l.ib<r} thu. St.d. -: abroad on n.
;:.,s "' ''s ''a ''''I>''''''s the
Ih.vs parposs'y avoided. 10 speaking u the
revolutionary var. OBTAINING you With any
dsssiis LIS history !. fsmiIisr to ycs
AL and you and your children will long recall
that lite band IT pssrisss vith their wt7ss
md children 80 they prepared themselves
for . terrible conflict; you will follow thsm
through all their struggles. -half ted-hsi'
cid; over svanps pa msr.nes
over ields Il stOw; through shs sssssiec
wilderness; conforming starvation throog"
lowe wssesvs asa hssaiisg 6eassly 9th . ss~'
81. rsmorssless aud powerful foe; yet Away:
patient, always fssriess. never Departing. ana
then, Us you Look around you now. upon your
own broad and beautiful land and see What
mapnihsent harvest ~ hsvs rsspsd from the
.exd our fathers planted and vstsrsd with
their b,oo !, you will not tail 10 do homage 70
their great virtues. their large sscrifess, and
their splendid achievements.
il is now eighty -four years since the Dec'sr.
alton Of Independence you have just heard
read vas first promulgated to the world. 10
eli history Il 10 without parallel IN language
Of calm aud statsly eloquence It gives express
zion to political PRINCIPLES Of the gravest im
pertance; in comprehension and perspicuous
iao eusge it embodies the whole philosophy Of
freedom. Grave and great men in oil ages had
perplsxed themselves over these political ques-
lions and had arrived st no Satisfactory conc.u-
sions, and yet these strong, brave. esrnest men
stand up before me world and with pen dipped
10 blood they write in lettsrs which burn IKE
fire on the brow Of Heaven, these strange
words: I'VE hold there truths TO be ssIt-svi-
dent, that oil men are created equal; that they
are en"owed by their Creator with certain M
alienable rights; that among these are life. Ilh-
erty and the pursuit Of happiness. That 70 %.
cure these ri.hts governments were Instituted
among men. deriving their just powers from
the cons-nt Of the governed!' Vast foli.s had
been written upon this politica. science full Of
patient enquiry and profound though. bat our
fathers polite Il creed VAS promulgated 10 few
words aud without argument For the first
time in the history # the world they formally
announced the sublime truths that man vas
capable OF self-government and that repre-
sentative governments was the only Legitimate
one. In some measure the recognition Of these
great truths hal been approached before, but
none had ever fully spprehended or acknowl
edged them. In oil the centuries ct the
W orld's career there had been no i,ui, free
government; not until the establishment Of
the American Constitution we're the rights OF
man FULLY recognized. In most othsr countries
some individual, some family or SOME class BY
accident Of birth raised over oil, had ruled
with absolute authority. Until now. these
great political principles had remained undis
covered and unknown. Neither the brilliant
civilization of the Orient, nor that Of Greece
aud Rome had brought TO light any such polit
ical theory 10 that promulgated in our Declar-
alton Of Independence. Some spproaches, in.
deed, we're made to it in Greece and Rome. but
. careful examination Of their systems will
show how widely thev tell short OF the truth
All honor. then. to those great men who had
the wisdom to apprehend and the courage 70
declare these great truths!
Tho benefits of that system Of freedom which
was contaminated in tho American Republic arc
best seen in the wonderful developments in every
direction which are the results OF it, The civili-
cation Of the ancients vas brilliant but ons-sided.
It was less comprehensive in its Developments
than our modern systems. 1t left behind it indeed
the Pyramids and the llliad splendid structures,
exquisite sculpture and magnificent paintings,
and yet what are these compared with the achieve
msnts and discoveries OF noderA times? 1t has
been we'll said Of the ansisnts that over every na-
ton some great Idea presided, and gave direction
and character to their civilization. Thus in the
East it was religious principle, and hence their
governments were generally theocracies, and all
their works Of art have some such character.
In Athens the artistic principle prevailed, and
brilliant Is WAS her career, she produced little
but Rhstorieians, Architects, Painters, Sculptors
and Poets. In Rome tho spirit Of conquest was
dominant, and tho productions and achievements
Of her civilization had warlike tendency. Our
modera civilization il not thus condensed on .
r. H. H.
free, liberal and comprehensive system gives fvll
scope to the thoughts and energies Of men. We
a.e nowhere limited by artificial barriers. We
arc FREQ to push our inquiries to their NEST remote
conclusions.
Freedom unchains the mind. and gives to man
his only complete development. We see tho re-
suits in tho advance We have made in the natural
sciences and the useful arts in tho great philan-
thropies Of tho day; in the splendid discoveries
and inventions which distnguished our age and
in all those achievements which tend to develop
tho wealth Of nature and better the condition Of
mon.
It is not claimed that the political principles
announced in our Declaration Of Independence
were al entirely new or that without any pre-
vious preparation, our systen. sprung at once into
existence. Many men and many nations have
contributed to our system. 1t Was gradual de-
velopment Of the ages. The ref0rmer contending
against the oorruptions of authority; the martyr
right; the scholar in his lonely closet plodding
the mases of human history in search Of truth
L, eonidas 1t Theomopyle, and Cincinnatus at his
p'ough-these and such - Is these were our faith
er's teachers; and to tho ancient nations, to old
England herself, and to the German and Swiss
confsderacies they were largely indebted for many
hints and suggestions, which led them to the dis
covery Of those great uths contained in our Dec
larstion Of Independence. Happy was it when the
time arrived for this formal announcement Of po-
litical rights, that men were found able and wor-
thy te do the work
1t was . noble system our fathers constructed.
and Providence provided for it grand tn eatre. 1t
was net among the monarchies and despotisms of
Europe and Asia that this experiment was to be
tried not among scenes haunted still and haunt
ed ever by the spirit of tyranny but the bold Gen.
Desc was sent forth, and with his strong heartAnd
his eye Of faith, he Plowcd his way through tho
lonely seas, and with 6rm hand put aside tho cur
taips Of the West, and before him va. the broad
and beautiful nd which was to be the home Of
Freedom. Il was not to the pampered and cnner-
waited scions Of tyranny, that this great work vas
committed, but tho men who did it were prepared
for the work BY baptism OF fire. Catholics Aee
ing from Protestant prosecutions Prstsstan: u dee
ing from Catholic prosecutions; exiies from every
land escaping from political oppression and in
quest Of liberty mon Injured to hardships by pov-
erty, by oppression and By suffering these were
the mon appointed 70 the work and they did their
work we'll Tho men, the theatre, and tho achieve
ments were worthy Of eaca otheri
And now. fellow -citisens, what has been the re.
suit Of this great experiment? IL IT, . failure or
successf So far our prosperity has been unparal-
!slsd. SucA rapid progress Was never before made
By any nation.
The last old soldier ct tho Revelation has but
just gone 10 his honored grave, aud the fro,ts Of
age are only nov besinning to gather on his dos
oendent's brow, and yet in this Grief period how
much have ws accomplished Instead Of thirteen