The New York herald., 1869-06-16

|
Prussia restraints France, and England reciprOcally
| restrans both. But 1t Is peace resting upon the
Tass Of he anaamsnai law
and upon more homogeneous civilization In the
States In fact now for the first time in history
ls beginning to be fulfilled the prophetic vision o
| that republic whose foundations were laid In the
Declaration OF Independence and for the rearing o
whose superstructure the patriots OF the Revolution
| thought 1t glory and gain to die How thoroughly
puDhc OPINION has changed respecting the dangers
from an extension OF territory is manifest in the
TACT that every acre Of the vast interior OF the CONT
| ncnt held but recently as an unknown wilderness
and occupied only by wild beasts and savage men,
| has now been organized under the forms OF civil
government with It's representatives delegates in
the national Congress; and to these embryo States
the policy % 81 the government invites Immigration
without limit by inducements which 1t is In the
power Of no other country TO present. Furthermore,
not content with possessing the whole Pacific slope,
from British Columbia to Mexico, within twelve
month Congress has ratified with remarkable una.
nmity the purchase OF the entire Russian posses
sions on TINS continent. And the pending negotia-
the crownlng testimony. that whatever were the
grounds for alarm at the expansion Of the national
be the destiny OF the United States ultimately to
absorb tue whole haDitabe parts Of the continent OF
;o M0ran AmerSa as present indications signify, be-
neVe tms WI! be done, whether from necessity or
choice or those concerned with entire safety to the
national Union, and also by those honorable and
peaceful means which accord with the spirit and
civilization OF this age. Nor will it be surprising if
the tendency to GENERALIZATION, which some intelli-
gent statesmen look upon now with fear cor
the war; should be to be but the necessary
as 1t Is the strongest possible guarantee cohesive
unity under the expanding vigOr OF the great con-
tlnental republic. The strongest elements OF power
are diversity in u,,tY; the rope OF many strands
holds under the gres5ys tension; and the diversity
OF our climate, protttctS and pursuits, blending
together as they DO in the interests OF commerce and
defence, will be great pacific bond concident with
the longitR.. OF the Contnen, not less strong and
enduring thlp ls that wonder of enterprise com
cldelt with lis mes OF latitude-the rightly named
Pacific Railroad.
The founuers OF thia rannb,ic conn. od ,npcb ,,or
It's isolation OceuIwide from the political compllca-
tons or the Old World us a means OF natona and
International peace. Such was undoubtedly a ne
cessary and providentia condition IN their day; but
IL must be confessed that the security thus obtained
was bought at the price OF some national insgnif.
cance; ana SO long as that kind OF secnrty was
coveted, the mOnarchieS OF Europe made small
account OF this government in the equations OF
political power. The clipper ship, the steamship
and the telegraph, IN their turn, have done much
toward bringing this country into greater proml-
nence IN this respect IN recent years. But the ap-
pearance OF new sun IN the heavens could not more
alter the phases OF nature than have the results of the
great war whose close we commemorate changed
the political relations OF this country 10 the
rest OF mankind. Not only for ourselves has the in
evtable test OF republican institutions been made,
but for them and IN that test the almost uniform
history OF rebelons and OF republics has been re-
versed; and the great TACT has at last been Inscribed
as with letters OF fire in the sky, that government
resting upon the consent of the governed has sur
vived trial that would have shaken to its founda.
lions the strongest monarchy IN the world and that
1t has come out OF the bloody ordeal thousand fold
stronger than when it entered. Or such people
there can be no Insignificant estimate in the future
either by monarchs or common men. 1t would SAVIOR
power has already changed from the Old World to
the New: but 1t would be untrue only in the
same sense that 1t would be to announce
the approach OF sunrise when it is only
dawn OF day. AS well might we at.
tempt to stop the car of Phebus at the gates OF
Aurora as to stay 1.-THE course of empire5 on its
"westward way" There not first class Power
in Europe at this hour which Is not sensiby affected
both IN its policy with other nations and in its do
ncra
importance OF the Uniteu States. And their honor
aud our qualification may be said that this great n-
uence arises not more from their appreciation OF the
gigantic military resources of this nation than from
the moral grandeur OF its position and the force OF
its example. Within few days past 1t has been
stated to me by an authority which consider infe-
rior TO none in tins country. that notwithstanding
the known policy OF peace on the part OF this gov
vernment toward England III The honorable settle
meat OF the Alabama claims the representative OF one
OF The four great Powers Of Europe himself among
the ablest living dpiomatists had declared that
long as these claims shall remain open question
between the United States and Great Britain, the IN
huence OF the latter must be regarded materially
weakened in the councils upon European affairs
And the same authority also, while commencing the
Geographic cOngTHulatiOn OF the Prime Minister of
Prussia to the President of the United States the
day Of his recent inauguration, an act OF un-
paraeled internatfonaI courtesy and, as Just
tribute to his exalted character and position saw in
the despatch also the unmlstakabe signs of diplo-
matte significance. shall abaOe nothing from the
measure Of our united affection and respect for the
gSeat Admiral of our navy whose presence here to-
day with that OF his brave compeers in march ana
in battle, on land and sea, add dignity and grace
lame OF their country, If l say that the
Imperial honors lavished upon him In hrs re.
cent expedition were the worlds admiring tribute
alike to the man and TO the Nag which oated ABOVE
him. The Atlantic Ocean, with Its steamers in eight
days from European TO American seaporis, and be-
meath whose freghted waters the ages OF inter.
Outrun the speed OF the earth In her
revolutions, Is no longer an appreciate barrier to
reciprocal influence On the other hand all eyes are
already turning TO the Pacific Ocean the field OF am
immense Oriental and American commerce in the
future. The civilization OF the West Is
;rosslng the Pacific. Like an angel of resurrection
L stands knocking at the gates OF China and Japan
md with clarion tones proclalms the tdlngs that
lew era has dawned upon the world. And from
sands to meet the hardy emigration OF Europe |
md the intelligence enterprise and energy |
erals and IN utilizing the facilities OF this |
7ast Continent under influences favorable to the |
Imagination aspires to grasp but fails In the effort
% conceive OF the possible greatness OF free and
inlted people occupying territory almost bound
ess In geographical extent, diversified In climate
md productions, and rich in the nameless treasure
" Nature-a country located between the two great
oceans OF the world; drawing 10 itsef
ization, and the arts and discoveries OF the most |
polished nations OF modern times; IN population
rature science, refinement and Christianity, and
tmulatcd bv every incentive that can appeal to
he interest taste, ambition or sense Of duty
nent but just now hung suspended amid
he cries OF the battle field. For a while it
haired the vicissitudes Of loss and recovery,
4 victory and defeat with the fortunes of war. We
commemorate the end Of war and the establishment
II nationa! peace which secures this opportunity
posteritv and to ourselves the unnumbered bless
ngs OF this land Of freedom.
Ladies ana gentlemen. fellow countrymen ana
Ountrywomen, from every quarter and of every
onditlon we rejoice with you In TINS great and
enencent consummation. We greet you with cor
ial benedictOns. Let the muitltudinous harmo- |
lies OF these days OF jubilee symbolic real unity
4 friendship and brotherhood which shall be uni
ersal and unending. We bid you GOdspeed In
ew career OF honOrs ana usefulness, and we invoke
Or our beloved and common country that righteous
ess which exalteth nation and which Ia able to
eep the foundations OF the republic secure until the
mai triumph Of peace and virtue the earth can he
eebrated only In that greater jubilee Of the 'innu-
lerabe company whose haelujahs shall roll In
graphic sweetness with the ages through the eier.
al years.
Neither the speech OF Mr.. Rice nor the Mayor's
ould he distinctly heard by one-tenth of the vast
Oncourse OF people, and before the former gentle
ian had finished his Grafton the audience became
Dmewhat impatient, but 1t was too well behaved TO
idulge In any manifestation Of dissatisfaction.
THE PROGRAMME.