The weekly union record., 1865-07-22
Grafton of Hon. ]. g. Eastman. delivere1 j
at 0roville, July Eth, 1855.

dt O1oflAc, July 1A4s 4oSu.
MR. President, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
II any people have ever enjoyed proper
season for mutual cougratula,ion 10 that they
/ have peculiarly and beyond the usual for
I tunes of mankind been blessed, ii is the Ameri-
can people who have lived TO see the 6rst sun
beam gid The eastern horizon on this day
who have lived to behold the Inauguration of
the day wherein a nation rejoices that the
most gigantic governmental structure ever
conceived, having passed through the vari-
ous stages of an unparalleled opposition which
has for three fouribs of century rendered its
success problematical is now completed, aud in
accordance with the design Of its ilustrious
architects.
From a time in the distant and erentfa
past, beyond which the memory of man is not
10 the contrary it has been the custom of Ia
tions 10 celebrate with imposing ceremonies
the returning anniversary of days surrounded
by great national moment, and for their ora
tors to dla,e on such occasion upon the grand
eur and importance of the principles underly
ing the work upon sncb day iuaugurated or
completed. But when | contemplate the un-
paraeled grandeur aud surroundings of this
day-that the theme is nothing less than the
universal freedom of mankind. and in inagina
tion 1 behold the countenances OF thirty MIL
lions Of freemen beamng with ecstatic joy as
they turn in humble gratitude toward the
throne of Divine benignily TO offer up their
thanks 10 that God who has ever been Colum-
bias support for the blessings received that
I Independence Day ever brings TO mind; when
| behold in every harbor aud in every port
10 every cline aud land where civilization has
written the record Of her advancement the
liberty loving sons OF earth bareing their
brows and gazing with loving reverence upon
that starry banner Of the free, claiming the
right 10 look with love aud pride upon its
sacred folds and celebrate its natal day and
when think Of what in fancy | beheld this
morn when advancing time proclaimed twas
Independence Day, gazing upon The sacred
grave yards of our land, | saw where the
booming cannon in loud tones proclaimed the
happy hour had come, the soldiers of the
Revolution and in this our last great struggle
arising from their graves, wrapped in the
drapery of death and look wildly around them
as if those deeptoned guns had summoned
them TO war once more and while they
stood in ghastly spectral grandeur. there the
clouds of Heaven did open, and perehed high
upon the first gray streaking of the dawnlng
light. her head radiant with insuHerable glory
and holding those dear old stripes and stars in
her right hand was Liberty, Columbia's god
dess, and in voice as full of melody as though
she were the embodiment of Heavens song
sters, she said to them" Lie down in peace
Columbia has not disturbed your rest and
called you forth again to clutch the sword of
strife; the work is finished, and the soil
wherein you rest forevermore is free and
they did greater than O million strong fair
hands, and kneeling there did worship God and
her, and then did bless America and lie them
down quietly 10 their long rest yes, aud
when | think, as it does seem to me, that the
Joy OF this day is not confined 10 earth alone,
but that could we at this moment cast aside
the veil which hides that far land of Heaven
iy pleasure from our sight. we would behold
scene which no human eye has witnessed.
and no human tongue can describe; it would
be freedoms great and illustrious defenders
there assembled to rejDice that God. whose
ministers they are, had blessed the land in
which they lived and died among the crowd
see four, whose hands are clasped as one
Adams, who predicted the glory of this
day Jefferson, whose magic pen drafted the
instrument which made it glorious; Webster,
whose arm was stronger iu defense of the prin-
clpes underlying the purpose they conceived
and Lincoln. who sealed the consummation of
the mighty work with his good life's blood;
repeat, ladies and gentlemen, when | con
template that the Importance Of this day and
its glory is q theme which fills Heaven and
earth, | am oppressed with crushing sense
OF my own incapaciy to do aught but mar its
grandeur, and yet | am encouraged by the
thought that wherein an orator might fail
did one address you-the occasion would sup
ply.
Perhaps never. since the dawning OF the
present century, have the American people
celebrated this anniversary with so full an ap
probation of the priceless value Of the events
It commentaries as 10 day. for they have never
been led even to contemplate the downfall of
the liberties proclaimed July 4th. l776. until
within the last four years; while as each re-
turning year brought back the day which gave
our nation BIRTH and we, enjoying the benefit
OF the peace and prosperity secured by the
great Magma Charia that day given to the
world. have met in conformance with custom
and expressed our formal gratitude in polite
manner for the benefits derived through the
abors of those very respectable old gentlemen,
our Revolutionary Fathers, we did not appre-
ciate, in the plenitude of our security, either
the debt we owed to the founders of our Gov
ernment or our duty TO posterity.
But since, sir, we have been brought SO near
the monarchy which moved the formation Of
cur system Of governmental policy. and been
led in anticipation to feel the monarchIa yoke
Of oppression which our fathers felt, and 10
tremble lest the delicious nectar Of liberty,
which for eighty years held to our lips,
should be dashed to the graund,-we find our
selves in proper frame OF mind to fully ap-
preciaie how grand is Independence Day.
While conceive it neither proper or neces
sary to indulge in an historical discourse upon
the incidents previous to. and which contrib
uted TO the Revolution and with which every
American is or ough, to be familiar. yet your
pardon for asking you TO travel with me back
10 that period, and for brief moment contem-
plate the scene. if bat to derive data for pre-
misses that mast force themselves upon US.
The Revolution of l176 was not the work
Of day, or an age, or not the result of the
acts of oppression heaped upon the Colonists
Immediately preceding It's Inauguration nor