The weekly union record., 1865-07-29
Grafton of Charles L Durbin, Delivered
at Cherokee, on July 4th, 1865.


Ma President, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:
l appear before you TO day, not of my OVID
choice, or even free will, but at the earnest
solicitation of your committee appointed only
few days since. TO make suitable arrange
ments for celebrating this, the birthday of our
Nation. Aud while deeply feel the honor
of the position, and the parliality Of your CON-
mittee in selecting me TO fill it, have feel
ing, nay, l know, that kindness has far ex
ceeded their better judgment, and that shall
fall far short of their as well as your expecta-
tions-and that I shall not even approximate
the duties which deYolve upon him who &C
cepts the position on an occasion like the
present Yet, could my dull brain conceive.
or my tongue give utterance to the feelings of
my heart, ! might have some hopes of beguil
ing few moments of your time. Though by
birth foreigner, every principle and feeling
of my heart is American-and feel proud Of
the name of American-knowing that you
and |, and all OF US, are part aud parcel of
that E Pluribus Unum which constitutes
the greatest government on the face of the
earth.
But dislike to hear excuses and apologies,
aud have al equal distaste for making them.
lou must therefore take me as the ladies take
their husbands, for better or for worse
The unceasing wheel of time has again
brought Us the Anniversary of American Lib
erty-the glorious and ever memorable 4th of
July. A day dearer to the heart of every
American freeman for deeds of human philan-
throphy than any other in the whole calendar
OF days-a day when the heart of every free
man swells with emotions of JOY and gratitude,
and sinks into oblivion that destroying princi.
pie of human happiness, selfshness, and man
seems to vie with his fellow man in forgetting
self, to add to the joy and happiness of others
when all the discord. strife, and heart burnings
of political life are forgotten and overwhelmed
with joy; when all the distinctive classifca
tions OF society sect aud creed, are blown
away BY the breath of tree patriotism. like
chat before the wind when all toll business
and labor is suspended that a whole nation
may rejoice-the high, the low. the rich, the
poor, the proud aud the humble meeting to
gether on that broad platform of equal laws
and equal rights, and greeting each other as
none but freeman know how to greet-feeling
conscious and by their acts acknowledging to
each other that all are born free and equal,
endeared with those inalieuabe rights of life,
liberty and the pursuit of happiness"
In such spirit trust nay, am confident,
we have all assembled 10 day. to celebrate the
deeds and commemorate the memory of those
truly noble aud patriotic men. who eighty nine
years ago signed and promulgated to the world
this Declaration of the rights of mankind -
entirely independent of the will or caprice of
any birth-right privileged class-and who by
their self sacrificing deeds of valor and hero
ism, maintained that independence against the
most powerful nation the world then knew
and with this Declaration for foundation,
formed, created, and bequeathed to US, gov
the world ever saw, or man ever conceived.
-" An honest man is the noblest work of God"
So, too, q free government is the noblest and
most magnanimous work Of man, and such
government is ours. Have we not cause then
TO rejoice? And is it not the bounden duty of
every American to celebrate its natal day and
thereby foster and cherish those principles Of
freedom which animated the founders of it
and to realize the responsibility which rests Oh
each and every one of Us to preserve, and hand
it down to posterity, as free and pure in prin-
cipe as it came to US from the hands Of our
fathers, remembering always, that eternal
vigilance is the price OF Liberty"
Eighty nine years ago, when this Declara-
ton was under consideration in the Conven-
tiou which sent it forth to the world, the sage
and patriot, John Adams, warm supporter of
it, declared that by its adoption and promui
cation they would make this "a glorious, an
immortal day"-sayipg. Tour children will
honor it-they will celebrate it with bonfres,
festivities and iuminations-on its annual
return they will shed tears, copious gushing
tears-uot of agony and distress, not of SUBJ
jection and slavery, but of joy, exultation and
gratitude" How beautifully are the Ameri-
can people to-day Illustrating the truth of the
far sighted conceptions and prophesies of that
great and noble mind. Contemplate for
moment, the spectacle which our common coun-
trs this day presents-truly cosmopolitan as it
is-made up from the intellect. patriotism,
genius and virtue of the whole civilized world,
mingling together in one harmonious whole
in every city, town. village and hamlet of cur
wide extended territory, aud sending up the
glad shout of Freedom, till the blue vault of
Heaven from horizon to horizon from center
to circumference rings and reverberates with
lexnressions Of inv and rladpess and one mi.