The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1868-12-05

little shall become thousand, and
a small a strong nation"
The electric telegraph and the swift-saiIing
steamer bring the intelligence, in thirteen days
from Washington, that the President of the Uni
ted States has i--ued his Annual PrOclama tiOn
E,r N day Of National Thanksgiving. Speaking
In the name Of the Chief Magistrate Of that
Great Kepubiic and strong nation, our Minister
Re-i,lent has invited all Americans residing on
these islands or visiting our shores, To keep the
slav and unite with their countrymen, at home
and abroad, in rendering Thanksgiving TO the Al
mighty Rner OF Nations for his protecting prOvi-
dene. another year. We have gathered this
morning in cheerful obedience tO this united call
Of the President and our Minister Resident.
The time has been when annual Thanks
giviag Day was n local affair, md confined To the
New Eng land States, but as years have rolled
AWAY. the fitness and propriety Of such an OBJ
serynnee has 80 Commended itself to the dwellers
in other parts OF the widely extending country,
that now the day has become national, and no
LONGER local and sectional. It was first observed
bv the Pilgrims when they landed upOn the rock
OF Plymouth as their defendants have migrat-
ed westward they have annually observed the
day until now the song OF National Thanksgiv
ing commencing to be sung IN New England, II
prolonged from the shores Of the Atlantic, - till
Il loses it-elf amid the murmur Of the Pacific seas
It IL our privilege, fellow citizens, ON these sea-
rirt islands. to catch the notes of this song,
they have completely died away. In delightful
harmony with thirty millions Of our countrymen,
dwelling in their happy homes, and gathering in
their respective houses of worship, we now sing
~Ny s,y.s: ssqsssy iesG y " sis.t9 g ise''
Of thee sing
Americans lose nothing Of their patriotism and
love Of country when they cxpatrate themselves
% foreign lands. Perhaps, upon reflection, it
would appear that in no country foreign to the
territory OF the United States does the American
citizen retain the peculiarities of his nationality
to such degree n he does under the mild and
peaceful sway Of the Kamehamehas. Indeed, we
hardly feel that residents IN n foreign
land There Is No flag, not even that OF the Iia-
waiian Kingdom, which so often meets the eye of
the beholder in Honolulu, rs does that Of - The
Star-Spansled Banner" The time has been
when the subjects of other natiOnalities would
tauntingIy point that flag and say, - That the
emblem OF the free! No, its folds wave over the
homes or novels of four millions OF slaves
That taunt no longer raise the blush OF shame
on the cheek of the citizen OF America The
language OF the poet has become the statement OF |
n sober fact, America IL now - the land of the
free and the home of the brave" No man now
in any part Of the habitable globe, will presume
% e,1ll IN question the bravery Of the American,
or east a slur upon his freedOm- His bravery has
been tested on hundreds of bloody battle fields, 1
and his freedom no man shall dispute. This 4
brings me to announce my theme of remark on 4
this our day of National Thanksgiving;
The United States Of America, Strong
Nation.
It was not until the successful and happy ter
minntion of the late civil war IN America, that \
the idea Of American unity and nationality was
fully established. Even many Americans, and .
millions i'm foreign lands, but especially in Eng
land and other parts Of Europe, were unbclievcrs
in our integrity "a a nation and the unity Ut our
nationality. The United States were viewed as
many distinct aid separate States, and the ma
tIOual government as n mere confederation OF IN
dependent States. The State, and not the
ton was n unit. These separate units. were
united by n bond, il imagined, as fragile ~ n
rope Of sand Indeed. this very sinlic, rope OF
sand, often employed to designate the
American Union. The so-eaIled COniederacy
was based upon this f.llaeiOus and erroneous
idea. The United States OF America was not
COuf,,leraey, bat n united nation Four years OF
terrible conflict tested this question and settled IL
forever. The glorious fact has been proved To
the satisfaction Of the world. The peoples OF all
lands believe that are nation, and
strong nation. I employ this language not in
vain bonsting. but % enuneiate great, grand
and glorious dea, describe n living reality, for
which We are especially bound 10 give thanks to-
day. All Americans should unite in giving
thanks that the country To which they hold ale
glance is n free and strong nation
Is may be proper, briefly TO enquire wherein
consists the strength Of America? DeTOcuue-
vile, the great political writer, In his work ON
an, anil numerous other writer's of ability, IN Eu-
rope and America, dO not hesitatc % point to the
Pilgrims, who went 10 America IN the MAY
FIocer, as the IIeayen-appOnted agents for laying
the foundation of the great North American Re
public. The strength Of the Republic il based
GPon the will Of the people. In America, the
people reign. They are the sOvercigns IL is no
sxasssration Of language to say nis S0rsTeiga peO-
PIE.
Basis Of Democratic Constitutional Government.
Historians, like Bancroft, find no difficulty in
pointing tothe exact time and the particular doc
ament where this idea Ut the people ruling by a
majority, WIS first expressed in language. When
the bIrk May F7grer, with it, precious freight,
hrst Approached the rugged shores OF New Eng
ktnd, It came To anchor at Cape Cod. Then and
there, IN the narrow and crowded cabin Of that
little bark Ot $50 tons, document drawn
up and signed, which has proved the basis Of
every State governments and the Constitution of
the United States. This document il 50 short and
important, that am inclined to repeat il in your
hearing this morning.
-is rHs NssE or Cor, AsgS.-we whose are
sns Jin grace Cod Britain Frlnee and
hr the glory and aIvaneer-nt of ts Christian fth
ens q our Ninz aad country vvyag 20 plant the hrss
and mutually IN the presence q God aud one anothr
orras and prssrvation and faherahcs q th
aes aud by virtue here % Do enact, constitute and
% ane such Just and equal ttxs AMI ordinances,
S @ a Offices from time % time shall be thought most
which we % s & 's sssra ga ed 81 'hs s'ng unto
whereof We have hereunto subscribed Names Cape
~ N9Neunfrs rti.n ot soNer-tsus
Sss James of England Ireland eighteenth,
& % scotland the my urth year, D1mfni, Is20r
Ihere is che priceless document. There is the
Tsrm OF Free, Constitutional, Democratic and
representative Government. Fanueil Hall NAV
Se styled the cradle of American Independence,
'1e % the cabin OF the May FZotrer was the cradle
VI constitutional Government
remarks certain writer, - this brief and COM
prenensIve, and simple instrument established
~. important principle, principle which is
~ e ioaudatIon Of all the Democratic institutions
Amerlca, and Is the bnsIs of the Republie; and