New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-07-10
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Address q Mr.. George Grindley, delivered
- s. - 8, As1se e szxsssss.ss, Y
MI, President. Ladies and Gsptlenen;
HE 1ayNMckxe are sgathefed together
to celebrate, is of itself the most important
in the history of our Government. Al
though there had been great deal said and
done, concerning separation Of the Ameri-
can Colonies from the rule of Great Bri-
tains pEaor to this day, NINETY -fos'g years
| ago, matters did not assume definite
form until the eight of June, l776. :.
On the eleventh of June, following, a
committee Of five was appointed BY the
Colonial Congress, composed OF Jefferson,
OF virginia, John Adams, of Massachusetts,
Franklin, of Pennsylvania, sherman, OF
| Connecticut, and Livingston. of New York,
for the purpose Of preparing Declaration
OF Independence. This committee of which
MI: Jefferson was chairman, prepared a
declaration that was adopted by Con-
gress, in the city of Philadelphia,
nlnety-f four years ago, in the exact words
which you have heard read to you day in
SO folcible manner; and while every SEN
|
emotion, and while it brings tears Of joy to
the eyes of every patriotic soul assembled
here to-day, / ask. who among the vast
throng gathered around me here can imagine
the feelings of those patriots who surrounded
old Independence Hall, when the bell in the
cupolo pealed forth the glad tidings that the
representatives. of the people had proved
the world, THAT these United Colonies are,
and, OF right, ought to be, free and indie
pendent States" None but those who have
been subject to long and continued Oppres-
SION can for one moment comprehend the
shouts Of joy that rent the air. or the silent
JOY that filled the hearts of all around, at
the announcement of an event which had
long been looked for by those hardy yeo-
men, who were ready at any moment to lay
down their lives that their children, to-
gether with the oppressed people Of all
CHIMES, might, through their heroisn, find
an established government where oppression
should be no more.
Methinks however. that little did those
brave souls think when they started to ac-
complish this great result, that such nm
bounded good would become of it that the
government which they were battling to
found, would one day embrace half
continent. Scarcely. anything was then
known Of the country west of the Allegheny
Mountains; it was in the possession of the
" red men" principally, and that portion
upon which We stand was held by foreign
power, together with the major portion Of
the vast empire west Of the great river upon
the banks of which we stand to-day. By
war and purchase we, as a nation. have ac-
CURED SO great an area of territory that it
is beyond the power of man to realize its
full extent. We have grown from the thir-
teen colonies on the Atlantic. to a broad
eApanse reaching to the Pacific. And as to
material wealth, numerical increase by i'm
migration from all nations and otherwise,
together with general prosperity in all other
respects, no nation has ever equaled us.
What a picture of magnaninity and
power is this our free country, Show me
the American. either native or naturalized,
who is not proud of it, and / will at once
point You to one who is incapable Of enter
tanning any pride or emotion. | will ven
ture further-a man who is not capable of
distinguishing freedom from the unrelent-
ing hand OF despotism is unworthy of his
liberty.
The question now arises to whom are we
indebted for all this To the heroes of l776 !
To the band of brothers who stood all man.
ner OF privation for seven weary years that |
we might enjoy the blessings that now sur |
round us on every hand You all unite |
with me i'll answering YES" We talk of |
suffering during our late inter- |
necine strife, and it is true that |
our trials were severe ones. But. Mr. Presi-
the Late war is nothing to the sutferings OF |
most of the soldiers of 1776. Think of Val
ley Forge, and bring hundreds of other such
scenes to your minds, and You will Them if
not already so, be able to understand how /
grateful you ought TO be to the founders of
our common blessings. Then, let their
be ever held near and dear by
every man, woman and child. of every creed
and political opinion. throughout the length
and breadth of this land. for be it remem-
bered that the good which they accomplished
was not for the benefit of classes. but for
all who would enroll themselves under our
banner. But again, Mr.. President, while
to the heroes of the revolution
their just reward We must not forget that
American soil has been STEPPED in the blood
of other heroes.
crowned the glory of American lib
erty. That part of the Declaration
which says: 1--WE hold these truths to be
that all men are created free |
and equal; that they are endowed by their
Creator with certain inalienable rights: that
among these are life, liberty and the pursuit
Of happiness proved dead letter to
A. o0, 900 Of good people within our borders,
until recently. whose freedom is immedi-
ately due to the brave armies that saved
this country from disruption; led Oh by that
martyr whose name never can be forgotten.
Lincoln, who, with one dash of
the pen freed more people by million, than
the Abraham of old, the leader of the
children of Israel. Then, to the heroes Of
1861 belong the honor Of making this coun-
try free to all, and to them the country owes
, double debt OF gratitude, that of saving it
from destruction, and of establishing the
fact that If we as a peOple would but prove