The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1862-07-16

railroads, her canals and her telegraphs,
spanning this continent from east to west,
from north to south, with web Of iron
proud of her manufactures and trade, of
her commerce, propelling every ocean, bay,
lake and river, with her whitening sails
proud of her arts and sciences, of the ex-
tent of her literature, of the benevolence
OF her institutions and Of the noble char
tiles dictated by the liberality of her peo-
ple-proud of her great men that she has
reared, and whose names stand forth in
history known among oil men and honor
ed by all people-but more do l feel
pride in her liberal government, in her
just laws, affording home and hope to
toiling millions of the old world, who have
crossed old ocean, and whose eyes and
hearts are turned westward, where "The
star of empire take its way and, feel
ing pride in my government, | would
urge those claims before YOU to-day, that,
in my judgment, will tend to perpetuate
and build it up, l would earnestly plead
with you all, that for once, if not forever,
to throw away all prejudice in the ear
nest wish for the prosperity Of our coun-
try.
And now, will attempt to press upon
your attention few of those obligations
that rest upon us to discharge on day
like this, and
Firstly, we should pay feeling tribute
to the memory of those men who framed
and sustained the Declaration of Inde-
pendence, that we now enjoy, and, also,
to those who fought, bled and suffered, that
a nation might be built up, founded on the
great principles contained within its pages.
That Declaration is standing monument
in the worlds history, and it should be
the pride of every living being to honor
and recognize, with almost sacred rever-
ence, the men who framed and stood
around it like band of brothers, pledg-
ing their lives, their fortunes and their sa-
cred honors in its support.
That Declaration has gone forth to the
world as the brightest record of the pro-
ceedings of any legislature ever met to-
gether in the history of any human legis-
lation. In the language of another, the
hand that framed it is indeed cold and
motionlcss, the eloquent lips that sustain
ed it are hushed forever, but the legacy
they have left us can never die. 1t will
be read to-day in thousands of assemblies,
all over the land, and their memories will
be treasured in the hearts of a grateful
people. And now, as citizens of this
Commonwealth, with that Declaration be-
fore us, fresh in our minds, wishing and
hoping for the peace, prosperity and wei
fare of this country, we should draw a
lesson from the day and the events con-
nected with it. SO long as the Ameri-
can people study the virtues and practice
the examples, and the selfsacrifcing spir-
it of those men, so long will our country
stand free from all dissensions and party
feuds, and we shall be happy and pros
porous people.
And l say it is we'll for us yearly tc
meet together and renew our faith and al
lcgiance to that fidelity, patriotism and
noble disiDterestedness that marked the
character of the men of '76. 1t is also
well for us TO remember the christian for
titude, the sufferings, the endurance, th'
patience and the bravery of those moi
who fought the battles that gave us th,
rights that we now enjoy.
trust that you are all acquainted will
tho history of that bloody struggle. w,
can mover repay the debt of gratitude tha
we owe 10 that little band of ill-fed, un
paid, undisciplined and poorly armed pa
triots, who seized their rusty firelocks anC
rushed forth to sustain for seven year
the unequal contest, on a score of battle
fields, with the most powerful nation oil
the face of the earth.
Lexington, Bunker Hill, Trenton, Sar
atoga, Monmouth, Princeton, Bennington
and Yorktown, will ever be known il
history and remembered in the hearts o
the people rs afording memorials anC
recollections of the bravery o: the heroe
of the revolution. They, TOO, have near
ly all departed, and are now numbered
with the dead-W Washington, Payne, Put
nam, Greene, Warren, Lafayette, DeHall
Marion and Gates, are gone. In the 81
lent city Of the dead their ashes repose
Had they been false to the great princi
, pies of democratic government in all hu
man probability we should not be Assem-
, bled in the peaceful quietude we now en-
ioy. And as we are assembled togethe
we can not be too grateful in cherishing
their memories, and we can not be TOO
careful in instiling in the hearts Of al
the example and virtues of that grea
name known and chronicled in history a
"Tho Father of his Country" And i
is we'll for us to draw lesson from hi
examples, and TO remember that so lon.
rs we choose rulers, patterned after him
, so long will our country's prosperity be il
safety. And
Secondly, as duty resting upon us, j
, an acknowledgement Of the sacredncs
and the binding obligations of the consti
tuition of our country. 1t has been th
custom of manv To feel LIGHTLY resting IN