The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1870-07-11

first Railroad ever constructed in Amer,
ica-I mean the Baltimore l. Ohio Rail,
road and thus the last man Of the past,
became the first man of the future. He
died in 1885,, fifty SIX years after the date
ofthe Declaration, the last of the immor'
tai baud of Fifty.Six. - !.
John Adams and Thomas Jefferson,
both Of whom were members Of the Com
mittee who drafted the Declaration, and
the latter its author, bad died six years
prior to Mr.. Carol, just Fifty years after
they had signed it, and both expired on a
4,h of July. It's related of Mr.. Adams,
that when bis great soul was about to take
its aighs-in the midst Of the death-strug.
gle-as though still intent upon the fu-
turc ofhis country,hc exclaimed, "ThOm-
as Jefferson still lives =! Aye: Thomas
Jefferson did still live, but it was only IN
the hearts Of his countrymcn for the
soul of tho great Virginians had, on the
same day, but few hours previous.
winged it's way to the Creator. Helivcd,
as helives to-day, as he will erer live. %
long as Free Institutions are cherished,
and Liberty rcversd, in tho memory OF
lis couutrymeu and when the Recording
Angel shall make up the list oftho Great
and Good who have lived and died, high
up in the Scroll he will write in letters Of
gold, the name Of Americas greatest
Statesman-Thomas Jefferson. q
The death of these ex Presidents, ex-
signers Of the Declaration Of Independence
and members Of the Committee Of Five
which draftedis, created a profound sensa-
ton, and was regarded as az almost mar
velous coincidence but public interest
was still further excited, when, three years
later, james Monroe, the fifth President Of
the United States, and the last Reyolu.
tionary officer, expired on the Fourth Of
July, 1881. Can the thcorist upon cas-
ualtics aud accidents, explain the wonder
ful condolences in tho death Of these
three great men, upon the day which
their genius and patrio,isn has rendered
a perpetual anniversary in tho history Of
the American Republic? 35 asn
Although e Is reasonable 10, sunposo
that our father, werc far.sccinp men, and
had high anticiipations for The future Of
the country. for which they were riskinp
all-yct, mover did they dream that our
material progress would Be what the pres
ent bcspeaks it. Little did they think,
that in less than threc.quarters Of a CEN
tury, there would be a tide Of Emigration
from Europe pouring into our country, of
~ n ~ - ]
more than quarter of million annu.
ally; Or, in other wdds, that We should
yearly welcome an accession to our popu--
lation, equal;to tic populali IN ofthc then
largest colony. Such amazing dovelope.
,neut sin 30 short time, seems more like
romance than reality more like che crca.
ton u 1 jdiae@fF arisss5 - 'aa1Ia sober
Ffact. Doubtless there are some among
pmy audience who were born when scarcely
a white man lived west Of the Allegheny
Mountains, yet now, westward the Star Of
Empire takes it way, and never again will
the East ssrrass the West, in population
or in power. y
In the course OF a Century wc have ar.
rived at position Of wealth and power
which other nations have not attained in
two thousand years. The thirteen feeble.
struggling Colonies Of '76, then scarcely
aspeckon the map. are now, with one OF
two exceptions, the most populous Chris.
tian country on the Globe. Our terrific.
rial extent, which was then about 25o,0oo
square miles, is now over 100000. II
is doubtful If there was, in 1776, q colony