The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-07-04
me Pourth Of July.


I. seems altogether incredible that
re should hzvs in our own immediate
locality wonderfully preserved person
who = older than our natioDality-
whoee memory ants-dates the Declara-
;lon Of Indspendence-WhO can re-
member when there was no United
States of America-Uho was once a
subject Of King George the Third
who can recall The sitiings Of the Con-
tfnenisl Congrsss-who heard the bells
proclaim the separation from Great
BrItaIn-who remembers when Wash
ington was made cOmmRndeE-in-chIef
and who read the events OF our ReYo-
IationaTy war as they transpired, from
tao battle Of Bankers Hill down TO the
surrender ofCornwaIIis at Yorktown.
Yet, strange as st may seem to US,
there are several such persons still liv-
ing, whose span OF life outstretcbes that
Of this great country. There is upon
the pension rolls Of the Government at
least one remaining survivor Of the war
OF Iudependenee-One veteran who has
voted for every President, and 20 whose
mind all that Is history with as Is
matter Of personal experience. All
that we are as nation is concentrated
within this living mans observation
and participation.
OF what other nation can this be said
What great power is thus measured by
the span Of a single life? England,
France, Russia, Prussia and Austria,
the hys nations that with u WELD the
5sstinies Of the civilized world, are all
covered with the dust OF ages. Their
origins 20 back among the traditions
and their governments are the piece
meal grD~ths Of centuries. And yet in
al lat pertains 70 material greatness,
10 territorial extent, and 20 political
sad personal development, We are their
s1P=Tiors. What viii We BE within the
spsce Of another human life a. com
pared with them!
Bat ysstsrday, as # we're, re were
taeir sport- We we're not nztion in
iaeir eye-r bat = mere crude expert
a8ent- Today, re have bsoone " the
head ofths corner They have seen
- Pss. through that ordeal
ihz. fo.s:slIs onr destiny. They
realize that the Great Republic Of the
westeru world has q future 70 which
mons ofthsm can aspire that its de-
i!uy j. io-IBerszse and expand, and TO
20 % eoBgueriDg and 20 conquer, and
that it. riumEts mus! be TO rival and
ovsrshsdou the aggregate OF their
combined wealth and power.
brate the first esntsnnaryof our nation
~ existence. That day will be ushsred in
ztnid q state Of things that even the
slider Adams little appreciated when
he wrote his nsmOrably prophetic let
ter 70 his wife. BE foresaW, as If were.
D1t an atom OF our extent az nation.
Re diseerned nothing Of our re-
vail that hid our progress in war and in
peace. Great as were his expectations
they have all been answered iong,since.
Nine years from to-day we shall see
our whole land united and rejoicing in
redemption that was but family
typihsd 10 his vision. We shall see its
Immense expanss measured and girded
with a system Of improvements such
~ no prophet ever dreamed of.
We shall see cables connecting it
through every sea with the remOtest
exiremities OF earth. We shall see
its population numbering fifty millions
instead Of three. We shall see a sys-
TEN OF universal education such as the
mind OF man never conserved. And
we shall rec more OF equal justice and
more Of personal happiness and pros
perity than all of earth beside can
boast.
THE numerous correspondents OF the
New York Herald travelling in the
South give encouraging accounts OF
,l.ir,r.a ..n.rnrnII.- In ~ nnn.Inr, ALL