The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1870-07-09

brotherhood of man, for that vital truth that govern.
meHis deTire their Just POLoeTs from The consent o
The governed, and III defense of the lnalenable right
of man to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness
Ninety-four years ago this day our patriot sires
gave to the world that immortal declaration, based
on the self evident truths which L have just quoted
and proclaimed the advent of a nation. In defense
of these principles our fathers pledged their lives
their fortunes, and their sacred honor. Three
millions of people stood forth as the sponsors OF the
infant Republic and baptized it in rivers of their best
blood. | have called this the b0pfismal day Of the
Republic-and such it is in truth. 1t was the tardy
announcement that the child, born on the 9th OF
September, 1774, was henceforth to be known as the
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, for it was on that 9th
Of September, by the delegates of the good people OF
the colonies, at Philadelphia, in Continental Con-
gress assembled, that the Union was virtually formed
Then it was that the gifted Patrick Henry gave a
distinctive name to the people of the nation just
entering upon existence. lie said, oppression has
efaced the boundaries of the several colonies the
distinction between VirginiaRs, Pennsylvanians, New
Workers and New Englanders are no more. L am
not q Virginian, but an American" 1t was soon
apparent that the mother country would not recede
from the position she had assumed with regard to
the colonies, although we now know that many oil
her wisest statesmen were in favor of acceding to
the lust demands OF the American people. The
signs of the impending crisis were unmistskable and
the people commenced to prepare for me connicI.
In March, 1775, the clarion voice Of the patriot
Henry again sounded forth resistance to
Tyranny, in words that will live as long az the noble
language in which they were uttered.
- 1QeT6 . uO TtlTCdL u III SuOullSolOA dud
slavery. Our chains are forged Their c~lankings
may be heard on the plains of Boston. The next
breeze that sweeps from the north will bring to our
ears the clash of resounding arms. L know not
what course others may take ; but as for me-gius
me liberty, or giUe me 9eah In the following
month came the news Of the massacre at Lexington
and the battle at Concord bridge. In May of the
same year the second Continental Congress assembled
at Philadelphia and took measures to CARRY OH
the war.
In June the battle of Bunker hill was fought, in
which the loss of the patriots was 449 to 1854 on
the side Of the enemy. The various engagements of
the year inspired the coonists with confidence, and
greatly increased their desire for independence. On
the 4th of July, 1776, the representatives of the
people gave a tongue to that desire by the announce
ment that I" these united colonies are, and of right
ought to be, free and independent States"
The preparation of the Declaration of I~ndepen-
dence had been entrusted to a committee, of which
ThOs. Jefferson was chairman, and, when it was
adopted on that day by the unanimous vote of the
Continental Congress then assembled at the State
House in Philadelphia, the glad tidings were heralded
forth by the pealings of that sacred bell on which.
by some mysterious Providence, had been cast the
prophetic words, Proclaim liberty throughout all
the land unto all the inhabitants thereof Of the
long years of bitter warfare, of privation and sacri-
fee, which followed until at length the mother coun-
try acknowledged our Independence, L do not now
propose to give you n detailed account. 1t is well
for us, however, to frequently refresh our recollec-
tons with some of the incidents of that eventful
struggle, and to strengthen ourselves in our efforts
in behalf of right by contemplating the sacrifices
which our fathers made for a grand principle.
As a boy, l have frequently wandered over the
hills at Valley Forge on which were encamped the
army of Washington, during that memorable winter
of 1777-78, one of the darkest periods of our ma
toms history, and have listened with eager interest
to the touching recital of the trials of that heroic
band. Standing ON a bank, once a part of the prin-
cipal redoubt of that entrenched camp, my imagina-
ton has again peopled those fields and chestnut
groves with that ragged collection of b%arefooted men
whose bloody tracks in the snow attested their devo-
fTnn n 4ha 00uCn Of frnnInvn nD1 rlnc0 On II, - q
caused our sensitive noble
Lafayette-to shed tears of sympathy.
Their rude huts and miserable canvas tents ap-
peared to be before me. 1 seemed to see the bare
footed sentinels pacing their rounds on the frozen
crust of the snow and the Father of his Country
his great heart filled with anguish for the sufferings
of his faithful soldiers-moving amongst them ex-
hOrting to constancy, or seated in the council room
of that unpretentious house which served as his
head quarters, devising, with the aid of his faithful
lieutenants, the measures which were to lead to
victory.
I charge you to impress upon your own minds
and on the minds of your children, q deep sense of
what We and they and humanity at large owe to
those heroic men. The success of the principles I'M
DERIVING that revolution was as q gospel and a reve-
lation to all mankind. 1t was the breaking up of
that old idol worship which taught that sovereigns
govern by divine right, and that the will of the peo-
pie is not to be considered. Not to keep up old feel
ings of animosity toward that great race from which
We sprung would 1 teach our children to remember
the sufferings of that winter camp at Valley Forge,
or the blood shed on the fields of Monmouth, of
Trenton, of Brandywine, Yorktown, and a hundred
others, but to impress their minds with the great
truth that he who struggles for the success of q
righteous principle has not labored in vain. In the
stirring words of one of our choicest poets
"who braves the battle wins the bride
Alive in love eternaly
For never yet beneath the sun !
Was battle by the devil won
For what to thee deeat may be,
Time makes a glorious victory
That fla IacCopG 0f c0pctanau Golf coari6oo md
all the qualities which go to make up the most
exalted patriotism, taught us by the revolutionary
fathers, have not been lost, we have had recently
most abundant proofs.
That perfect wisdom is not the attribute of any
man or body of men we know full well. Our fathers
laid down their arms when n virtual recognition was
given to the great truths they had proclaimed, trust
ing that the lapse of a few years and the fixing of q
period, at which should end one of the evils intro
duced under the reign of the parent government
would eradicate the one blot upon our escutcheon-
the one sore on the body polite.
We have been forced to again learn the lesson that
there can be no safety in compromising with sin.
How well the nation has shown that it was sound at
heart-although into some of its members had crept
the insidious poison infused by the demon slavery
let the bloody fields of Gettysburg and the Wilder
ness and q hundred others attest. Forever dear to
our memories will be the names of Grant, Sherman,
Thomas, Sheridan. and of all the other noble leaders
of our victorious legions, who faced the leaden hail
to defend the eternal principles of right on which
our national existence is founded. |
Not less sacred to all true Americans will be the
sweet memories of the nameless hosts who persisted
on countless bloody fields to preserve the beautiful
reared by patriot hands and cemented by
their blood
"on Fame's eternal camping ground
Their silent tents are spread |
And glory guards, with solemn round
The bivouac Of the dead.
Rest on, enbalmed and sainted dead
Dear as the blood ye gave I
No impious footstep here shall tread
The heritage Of your grave
Nor shall your glory be forgot +
While Fame her record keeps,
Or Honor points the halowed spot,
Where Valor proudly seeps.n
While we drop q reverent tear to their memory,
We NAV also reioicn that thew have NOT died in va;n