The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1870-07-11
as n GRAFTON "a
q 7.Dslirereaat at IEsaos. g i.9
on ruE FOURTH OF july, 1870. .,
GEO. CoZAD, ESQ. 4

GEO. COZAD, ESQ.
LADIES AND GEsrLxMES:
Tho position which | occupy to-day
was not Of my own seeking. Gentlemen
present we'll know that l was 10th to ae-
cept the appointment. and urged that
some one else should bo appointed 70 fll
the position / now occupy. 1 did this,
not because l wished 10 shirk any labor,
but because I thought there were others
more ablc and more eloquent than my
self, who would fll the post with more
satisfaction to The, people. But since l.
agreed to accept l have heard-andt
heard even since I came on The ground,
that because l was to make the oration,
It was "rcbei meeting am hero to
say tlIa. this is not the case. LAM not.
here for the purpose Of making aipoliti.-
cal speech but l stand here as q citizen.
of,hc United States, to join with you in
celebrating our National birthday. ,a
To-day, ladies aud gentlemen, we have
assembled to commemorate tho Oath
anniversary of our National Indepeu-
dencc; and as llook around mo and sec
gathered together, the eyoung and the old,
tho rich and the poor, I can but contrast
this occasion with that meeting held at
tie old Liberty Hall, iu Philadelphia,
ninety.fou. years ago. There, within its
almost sacred precincts. on such aday as
this, were assembled that body which has
since passed into history, kuownas the old
Continental Congress. Bowed down with
the weight Of cares pressing go heavily
upon thcm-with the dcstinies Of whole
people a. stake, tho result of their delib-
erations were to determine whether we
should forever. bei Free and Independent,
tor whether wc should sink into yassssa'ass ss
/ 10 tho Britisl. Crown. No wonder, then,
that that august body deeply felt the
weight ofthc responsibility resting upon
them-no wonder that the marks OIL
thought aud anxiety were deeply visible
gu each countenance-and, when tue
young member from Virginia rose, and
from the Committee Of Five reported 10
the House the Declaration which has Just
been read you-no wonder it was re-
cciycd With enthusiasm, and its reading
echoed with cheers. Tho troubles, tho
trials the dangers which must be en-
countcred, zero its glorious principles
c.uld be regarded as accomplished
facts, |" were lost right ofor disrcgardcd
and instead Of weakly weighing the evils
which failure would entail, that revered
assembly looked only at the good. the
4 h.
good which success would insure; aud
with fearlcssness Of consequences born
Of true patriotism, they pledged "thoil
lives, their fortunes aud their sacred
lionorsp for tllc maintenance Of the princi.
pies therein enuncialed.
While this Declaration was promulga.
ted on tue 4th day Of July. 177G, it was
not signed until subsequently,, and, as .
matter Of history, some of th:
members Of Congress to whom il
WIS reported never did sign it, but left
that duty and honor for their successors
Among the Successors who fulfilled that du.
" was Charles Carroll, Of Maryland, whe
was Catholic, and perhaps the only ont
whose name is appended TO- thai
document. And here let me cal
your attention 10 an incident which tool
place at tho time Of his signing. A mcm
Der who was standing at bis side, while
he affixed his signature to tho dOcumen
which might prove his death-warrnnt
remarked that as. there were hundreds o
J Clrrolls in Maryland. The signer wa
, pretty safe, whereupon the stern old pa
triot affixed bis place Of residence to hi
signature, tsat there might be no mis-
take as to bis identity, and bis siguasur
reads to-day, ."Charles Carroll, Of Carroll
ton" ai5f1ria sg1 r n
Mr.. Carroll, who was the last suryiyiuI
i sipncr Of the Immortal document, was al
L wed. in tho bencfceAs providence Of God
to cast the frst shovel Of earth upon sh