The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-07-07

uc 10 the SnOreS OF the facInc-a vast empire
within itself. / thought of her rivers, her
lakes, her seas, her gulfs, her prairies, her
mountains, her vallies, her rich woodlands,
her mountain slopes, her houses, her churches,
her villages, her cities, her schools. acade.
mics and colleges, her arts and sciences, her
religion, her language, her liberty thought
of her renown. her power, her former glory,
her present greatness, and felt like folding
my arms, and saying, with feelings of exulta-
ton and delight, II am an American citi-
zenr' [Cheers.
But while was indulging in these musings,
the sad reflection came upon me: "Not much
of the Fourth of July is left Rebellions
secession had sprapg up in our midst. The
intrusive tread of NE traitor had invaded the
sanctuary of the nation; and was humbled.
And yet felt that the God of our fathers,
the God who led Israel, under the chosen
leader Moses, through the Red sea and the
wilderness, by the pillar of cloud by day, and
of fire by night, would be the guide and gpsr-
dian ofthe country of Washington: Of Jefer-
son, of Adams, of Hamilton, Of jackson. oi
Jay, and ofall the leaders ofthe great Repub-
lic-that he would lead us out into wealthy
place, and that yet we should join and sing
the song of deliverance when the Red sea OF
our difficulties should be crossed; and its
%n,,siy "oteis snou.u eHSuipn .ne IcDei nost--
Pharaoh and his chariots--and swallow them
up in the deep. Cheers The fond antici-
pations have been realized; we have seen
that day. The hour of our trial has passed
by, and We are here to celebrate, yes. thank
God. to celebrate the nations triumph Ire.
newed cheering)
What do we commemorate The COM
memoration of past events has been custom
observed by all nations. Israel, Rome, Greece,
had their festive days. Great Britain has hers,
on which she commentaries the wonderful
epochs in her civil, political, military and re-
ligious history. But no nation has as much
reason to keep festive days as we have to cele.
brate the Fourth of july
The orator then went on to show that the
interest people had in the great IDEAS these
days represented Is exhibited in their obser-
vance or neglect of their observation. The
Fourth of July, he continued, is an admirable
thermometer of-our patriotism. Let US ex-
anime 1t and see what is the condition of our
patriotism. just inquire at any telegraphic
station, what is the feeling exhibited by the
people throughout this great country to-day. L
the Fourth being observed With what kind
of interest? Is there enthusiasm among the
people? And you will find the news coming
from all over the country tina, there is gen
erai celebration of to-day. Towns. cities, VII
lagos, country neighborhoods - the whole
country is walked up to Its 6bseryavance Why
Is II that the patriotism of the whole country
Is on the rise? WHY is il coming on this
Fourth of July. 1865? There is more patriot
ism in the nation now than has existed in it
for generation before have said that our
observance of the day indicates our patriotism.
But who are interested in its observance ? II
you can find man who has no interest in its OBJ
servanee, don't want to feel the bumps on
his head don't want craniologist 10 tell
his character and antecedenss-he Is an utter
stranger to the genuine feeling of patriotic de-
votion to his country. He loves. to be sure,
but he loves himself His patriotism don
extend beyond the limits of his own, abode,
or outside of the circle of the smoke that rises
from his own chimney He is not the man to
recount the deeds of noble lives. He il a de-
generate son, unworthy of them and of the
country they have left him. He don't like
to think of their sacrifices, and tolls. and
blood. lie counts the little drops that ooze
from his own veins. and the circulation does
not indicate that there is much there. Laugh
ter and cheers. Aud he thinks that .i,ore
that are interested in these things have some
5 sslt-interesi in the matter Patriotism. be
| thinks is virtue that don't belong to the
present age! Nobody is patriotic because he
Is not,
don't know that any man deserves much
credit for his patriotism. A man has per
verted his own nature who does not love his
country. | love my country because it is m,
country. That we call patriotism, and it i.
the duty of every man to cherish that feeling.
And yet there is patriotism that goes be
yond International patriotism. love my
country for what it is--for what it is in itself
md hat Il.
free sons of America, for entertaining the
| most exalted sentiments of patriotism. "My
eountryi' What is my country? / tell you
there Is enough in it to M e me love it.
The speaker passed in review the charac.
ter of the people and the territorial situs Of
the nation.
He then passed to the consideration of the
struggle for the preservation Of the nation in
the recent war. As Washington was the Fa.
ther, SO Lincoln was the Savior of his coun.
| try. The name of Lincoln belongs to history
Ito the nation-to the Fourth of July. The
tears that were wrung from millions of eve.
all over this country, when Lincolu~fcN by
the hand of a traitorous desperado< <haye con
| secrated his memory, and made It a part and
parcel of the nation history 1t took Wash
ington seven YEARS to make the COZ. ltrv, and
Lincoln four years to save it. Its colossal
pillars had been thrown up, the landmarks OF
it defined, the enclosure had been made good
| the walls Of f<fhe vast fabric had been raised
| and the c%p- stone put ON, with shoutings o.
grace, grace unto II. And now, when rebels
come to tear down this temple, and to uprooi
its colossal pillars, it is the business 0" the
man who N= selected by the nation as the
| savior of the country. to save it; and save j,
whether it takes four or seven years wal
to do it. Applause
This. country has great mission. The
very highest form of civilization and Chris
tianity was developed in this country before
this rebellion. The flag was respected on all
seas, and al-powerful in every part of the
globe; and this nation was the pioneer of civ
ilization and Christianity among all nations,
and to the very ends of the earth.
Well now, when the rebellion undertook +
cripple this nation by dividing it, thereby
crippling its power, that was to attempt to
defeat the very ends of Providence in its cree
ton. He said that the man that rebelled
against this great Government, and pnt his
foul and traitorous hand upon its fair history
to deface and blur it, that man is q foe to
God and to humanity. They sometimes
heard talk about "our errine brethren, y
les, .'our erring brethren that are in search
OF their rights And they are to be nur-
tured and nursed in the bosom of patriots
men who have sworn to destroy the Govern