The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1867-07-19
An GRAFTON
Delivered at Findlay, Ohio,
July 4fli, 1867.
By REV. ISAAC NEWTON.

In great and Tree country lIk
ours, where every man is allowed {
. think and act for himself, our DANCE
is individual, party and sections
seliishness, and to guard against thi
we need some common center aroun
which We can rally; broad platforr
on which all can stand; a great prin
ciple which will bind and keep us a
together as a nation; and what plat
form can be better than that c
the Union, and what common rally
ing point can we taye more spprn
triate than that of our natal day? o.
this great day we come together
not as Democrats and Republicans
not as adopted and native citizens
not as sects and parties; but a
|, American citiZens-as members O
the same great national household
To day We drop our party names an,
party spirit, and leave our party plat
forms, and stand shoulder to shoul
der upon the great national platform
which was built at PhiladelphIa
ninety. one years ago, by the bes
political carpenters that ever square,
and put political timbers together
Ninety-one years this platform la:
stood and sustained upon its broaC
hOor all kinds of burdens, been sub
ijeced To the worst possible treat
ment and exposed TO all kinds o
weather; but still il stands as soun6
and strong as ever. During the las
seven years almost superhuman ef
forts have been made to destroy it
For while some worked secretly tC
undermine its pillars, and when dis
covered, they began openly to pound
away at the the timbers witt
axes and hammers; others labored tO
loosen and pull out the pins; Others
crowded aud stamped upon the hoor-
ing to break it down, and when all
other efforts had failed, they planted
their thirty-two Founders and thun
dered away until shot, shell and
canister blazed and crashed among
the timbers as though all the inhab-
itants of pandemonium had concen-
trated their artillery upon it to de-
molish it. Many feared that the no
bic old structure would be destroy
ed, but when the kissing shell ceased
to fiy, the wide mouthed cannon
roared no longer, and the smoke OF
battle was lifted from the field, il
was found that only few timbers
had been knocked out and they hav-
ing been put in, when wet, had taken
the "dry rot" These having been
replaced, and the others being un
injured, we may now stand upon the
grand old Union platform with great
er confidence than before. Upon
this great national platform we gath
er to-day to admire its proportions
and the durability of its materials, to
speak again the praises of its immor-
tai builders, to renew our pledges oil
fidelity to all our national interests,
and in word, to celebrate the "glo-
rious Fourth"
But some may ask, "Can you en-
ter heartily into such a celebration as
this?" Why not, my friends, why
not? "Why we understand you are
an Englishman" No, sir; / am not
an Englishman. True l was born
in England, and lived there until |
was % years of age, but | am now
an adopted American citizen, ana
am as much an American as any oil
Won. only | can neither become Pres
ident nor vice President of the United
States, both of which limitations are
serious checks on my ambition, and
sadly dim my future prospects! But
supposing am an Englishman; can
| moi on that account celebrate the
Fourth of July as heartily as you cam
"Why," say some, "on the Fourth oi
July we celebrate the whipping oil
England by America, and we cannot
see how an Englishman can celebrate
such an event" If the whipping OF
England 10y America is all you COM
prehend in this celebration, your
view is very contracted. Fellow
citizens, today we celebrate the
vanquishing of despolism by liberty,
the banishing Of the former from the
shores of the new world, and the
conservation of this great western
continent TO freedom; and think you
that | have any scruples respecting
such a celebrationf Never, no never!
What if England's back was made
TO smart with Americas rod of chas-
tisement; what if she was compelled
to drink the waters of humility and
eat 'shumble pie in order TO reduce
the pride fever-with which she had
so long been affiicted-am | on that
account TO fOrbear mentioning the
fact, or if name it at all, do so with
delicacy? What if my mother
abuses one of my brothers, and when
that brother begs for mercy, she
scourges him with increased vigor,
shall i, because she is my mother, ap-
prove her conduct, and uphold her
/ in all her crueltiesr Most emphati-
calIy say, never. ] am glad you
whipped my mother. am glad fol
her own sake, for your sake, and for
all her children's sake. Had you moi
whipped her, suppose ye she would
have been so lenient to the rest Oi
her children, and have made so many
reforms in her family government as
she has done and still is doing! The
thrashing you gave her made last
ing impression, and did good to al
concerned. From these remarks
some may think | have lost all love
for my native land; but in this yol
are mistaken. Ii love were a pass
ion or a principle which diminished
with use, then your suspicious woulC
be well founded; but is it so? Doe,
, it not rather increase with exercise
when you hear foreigner heratt
his native land and declare that b,
hates it, you have reason to sGspec
his fidelity to the land of his adOp
1 ton. profess no such hatred,
: feel none, but on the other hand
, love my native land, England! Tho
!, land of my childhood and youth; tho
land of pleasant memories and o
> dear relatives living and dead; tho
/ little pleasant island OF the sea,
] love thee-yes l love thee much; bu
} I love the land of my adoption more
: America! thou land of patriots an
= heroes; thou land of free press, tre