The weekly Butte record., 1861-07-06

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into being and life, not thirteen colonies, no
thirteen independent powers, but the Nat,or
OF the United States of America. On tha
day the American Union, our country, wa
born Not Massachusetts, not South Carroll
ma. not Virginia, was declared free and inde
pendent, but the American colonies, were SC
declared. and the people of the United States
nation of the earth. If eighty-fve years ago
thirteen little weak provinces had declared
themselves so many separate independent ma
tionalities, their declaration would have beer
impotent and soon forgotten. 1t is because
the history of the American Union dates from
the 4th day of July, l776, that that day is
immortal. The representatives Of the colonies
assembled then, not for the purpose Of con
structing thirteen petty gnties-weak
powerless and feeble, but to lay the foundation
of a grand nationality which should absorb in
one Eame, one government, one Union, the
American Continent. 1t is not because on the
4th day of July, l776, Virginia, New York
or Massachusetts were declared independent
that we honor and revere its anniversary, but
because then the American people, forming
the Union, and becoming one people, went to
battle for the maintenance of their national
existence, that the country TO which they had
given a Government might live.
Long prior to l776 the people of the Amer
lean Colonies, had virtually been one people,
united by the ties of interest, brotherhood
and affection.
Together they defended their homes from
the tomahawk of the Savages. United they
fought through the wars against Francois
one people they threw off the yoke of British
tyranny. The history of the world contains
nothing so sublime as the great act performed
this day eighty-fve years ago ; never were any
men so beset with terrible peril, intrusted with
responsibilities of such awful magnitude as
were the representatives of the Colonies as
sembled in Philadelphia on the Fourth day OF
July, lTT6. The destinies of America, the
fate of Free Government, hung trembling on
their action. Even at this distant day we
can see how appalling were the dangers, the
embarrassments which environed them. The
past afforded them no guide, no cheering pre-
cedent. Looking down the dark vista, they
saw the banners of the ancient Republics all
blOod-stained and trailing in the dust 1t
seemed to be written in blood, on the pages Of
History, established by the experience of the
world, as a fact lmmovable and unyieldiDg as
fate, that man was incapable of self-govern-
ment. Brave hearted men though they were
| hardly believe that our fathers dared peer
into the future which lowered on them and
their country. For themselves, failure was
death, the scaffod, the gibbet; to their chill
dren, destitution, want, beggary to their
country, ruin, despotism, tyranny. And had
they dared to hope to succeed? What were
the half armed soldiers of thirteen feeble col
onies to the power of Great Britain, whose
vao1tb 90 bar ropoo;tr
whose navies swept the seas, whose morning
drumbeat encircled the world"
Undaunted by the terrible peril which beset
them, the men of 76 ushered the Republic into
life Amidst these storms these dangers, our
country was born and Graded.
OF all those who signed that immortal dec
laration, not one is left living on earth today.
They have all passed away, gone to their re-
ward
How sleep the brave who sinks to rest,
By all their cOuntrys wishes blest
When Spring with dewey fingers cold
Returns to deck their halowed mould,
She there shall dress a sweeter sod
Than fancy's feet have ever trod.
By fairy hands their knell is rung,
By forms unseen their dirge is sung.
There honor comes pilgrim grey,
To bless the turf that wraps their clay,
And freedom shall awhile repais
To dwell a weeping hermit there.
They sleep among the people whom they
represented, Their graves are scattered from
rock bound Massachusetts, TO where the flowers
ever bloom on Southern meads The earth
which covers them is sacred ground thither
the pilgrim bends his steps and there he mur.
lies n signer of the Declaration of Indepen-
Ill IL
bloody, and triumphant war, which followed
in support of the Declaration of our Indepen-
dence, | need L ot speak | might follow our
army from whence it left its bloody footmarks
at Valley Forge, to the closing victory of
Yorktown; but this would be needless task.
The world knows by heart the story of our
battles, and our victories. Nor will | weary
you by passing eulogiums on the great men
who took part in those battles, who won those
victories. The story of their abors, their pri-
vations, their virtue and their valor, is as
familiar to US all as household words. They
have passed into the catalogue of the worlds
heroes. Their names have become the syno-
nyms of all that men revere and honor.
The great chieftain of them all, the pride of
America the glory of the human race, lived,
thank God, to see his labors bear fruit-to see
the American Union great nation, then, sank
to his honored rest. Where the Potomac rolls
its lordly tide clear and bright as the chief
tain's own great mind pure as his spirit, resist
less as his mighty wil-the Father of his
country lies buried. As long as that noble
river shall pour its waters into the ocean, re-
flecting iu its bosom, the city which bears his
name, so long will George Washington remain
the bestowed, the most honored Of all man.
kind.
At last the weary struggle was over Amer
lea was free the United States nation. For
what was this long warfare waged-for what
so much American blood poured out upon
American soil ? For the establishment, under
one grand nationality, of the independence
of the American people, for the formation Of
one Union, one Government, for one great
people A glance at the early history Of our
Government assures US that the fathers who
framed it, labored and hoped, with hearts de-
voted to the single object of Union.
Immediately on the conclusion of the war
and the acknowledgment of our independence
by the European Powers, the Articles of Con
federation and perpetual Union of the United
States were ratified by the States. Under
them the Government was for a while admin
istered, but it was soon apparent that they
failed of their great object they Effected nc
such perfect Union as the interests aud pro.
gress of the country required, as the hearts ot
the people wished. And so, on the 4th day Of
March, 1889, to form a more perfect Union