The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1870-07-21
8 RArIoN
DELIVERED By W. b. THOMAS. ESQ,
AT THE COUI:T HOUSE PARK IN
sii'it RAVENNA, JULY ATH, 1870.

; 'iif iRAVENNA, JULY ATH. 1870.
#; P Mr.. PREsIDENT-LADIEs AND GEN
: TLEsEES For the very flatterin,
compliment paid me by the youn,
stalwart boys and men of our boaste,
Fire Department, in inviting me t,
o speak upon this grand occasion-il
8 company, too, with those eminen
gentlemen whom I deeply regret, witt
yourselves, are unable to be presen
to-day, l can only extend to then
II my most hearty and sincere thanks
9 for I have not the language to express
fully my appreciation of this grea
. manifestation of their praise. I neei
9 not say to them that the time that
!, have had has been insufficient to pre-
) pare something appropriate for the
f occasion, nor need I say to the people
{ of Portage County, that this is tht
! first instance in my life where have
had occasion to read what I have to
say, but you will pardon me this time
! know, as it is by request. ii
Il ~ We are called upon to-day, fellow
citizens, to cherish with high venera-
ton and fond rem embfancc, the men,
CRY of, our fathers. They were men
4 Of distinguished talents and great
fearning;;l they were men of pure un-
blemished character and of the most
4 inflexible integrity: they were not
only apostles of civil and religious
liberty but were models. of moral ee-
cellence. The cherished memory of
of our fathers should be the password
to-day. as the shades of those illustri-
ous dead, looking down upon their
Portage County descendants with ap-
probation, or reproof, according as
we follow their good teaching, OF
wander into stray paths. This con-
stitutes censorship that tests wheth-
er we idly observe the day. or wheth-
er we celebrate it in good faith. To
refuse to celebrate the Fourth day of
July is national suicide. 6a
Why do we celebrate Mas day in
preference to others? Why do the
people turn out in crowded gatherings
in the busy summer 10 unite their vol
ces in grateful praises of occurrences
a century ago? Is it merely to cele-
brate the successful termination of
war? Certainly not, for the wars of
1872 and 1916 were signalized in
America by the most brilliant achieve
ments of the provincial arms; yet no
one would attempt to prevent these
strifes in arms with all their glorious
incidents from gradually sinking into
the shadows which time throws back
upon the deeds of men. .i5l
/ Do we commemorate the anniver-
sary of our independence merely be-
cause a vast region of territory was
severed from an European empire
and established government for it.
self? Not even this. The acauisi-
ton of Louisiana, region of terrific
ry larger than the old United States in
l776; the conversion of this vast
Spanish colonial waste into free and
prosperous members of our Republi-
can federation, and the whole, effected
in single happy exercise of the treaty
making power, is an event not less in
Importance as an historical transac-
ton, than the separation of the thir- |
teen colonies from the control of Eng
land but no one thinks of commem-
Grating with festivities the anniver-
sary of this cession., It is the most
important historical transaction since
our independence, and yet there is not
one in a thousand who can give the
date of the treaty. 1t is not the mill
tary success or the political event that
we celebrate on these patriotic ami
versaries. 1t is to mistake the prin-
ciple of our anniversary to speak of
it either as a trite theme, or, one
among other important or astonish-
ing incidents of the same kind in the
world. In the Declaration of Inde-
pendence of America is found the
birth of our boasted system of self
government. 1t was the bright dawn
that broke away the darkness of mon
archies, and made kings and despots
tremble on their thrones. 1t was the
foundation stone uponwhich was erect
ed the beautiful fabric of the Ameri-
can Republic; and it deserves com !
memoration as the greatest event in
the history of the world. 1t was the
Newtonian theory of government to- I
ward which the minds of all great ]
and sagacious statesmen had strained {
without success; the grand practical {
tutffilment and perfection of all politi-
cal theories which had amused the I
speculations and eluded the grasp of !
every former period and people. We s
celebrate this auspicious era, then, F.,
not to applaud the work of our own ]
hands, but to pay filial tribute to q
The work of our fathers. On the score f
IF calculation alone that generation |
lad far better have paid the duties ON |
glass, painters colors, stamped paper, h
lnd tea, than to have plunged into the &
hangers and expenses of the revolu- t
'ionapy war. 1t was for their chill s
iren that the heroes and sages Of the
evolution labored and suffered.- q
FAey made great sacrifices and pre- v
'ious purchases for US. They knew $
hat they were engaged in an epter- ]
Prise which an entire generation '
you'd be too short to bring to its ma g
ure aud perfect issue, The most that @
hey could promise themselves was q
hat having cast forth the seed of lib. 4
'rty; having shielded its tender germ 4
rom the stern blasts that beat upon |,