Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-05-09


completed bis translation,
LEES SPEECH.
Fellow-citizeus, ladies' and gentlemen,
and little Childreu-B6neath this genial
sky and bright sun, and amid this beau
ful world, the children Of the German
Fstherland, with their children, have
gathered together for the purpose Of cela-
brating, by a suitable observance, the full
ness Of the glad spring time OF the year.
As the seasons have performed their an
nusl round, the cycle again complete, the
lovely flowers have come forth to crown
the earth with beauty and brilliancy, and
render rsdolent with their fragrance the
circumamhient air. The birds again trill
their tuneful notes and make the woods
vocal with their nslOdiss-a concert
whose harmony ia the essence Of celestial
sweetness, gushing forth on every hand
20 delight the senses Of man.
Again does the earth put on the gsrb of
lOvsliHess and brightness. Again the
woods ciOthe themselves with sylvan
beauty. Again q genial sky o'ersprsads
US. Again the orb Of day beams in gl0-
riOus etulgence upon US. AS the
bright glances Of the S~pringtime sun I'M
locks the currents Of our rivers and
streamlets from the icy embrace of Win
ter, and sets them free to flow or dance
and gurgle their way TO the outlets Ma
ture has provided them, so, at this sea-
son, these influences of beauty, harmony
| and sweetness that God, in His infinite
| goodness, has placed above, around, On
every side and beneath the feet of man
warm and soften and unlock the hearts Of
/ mankind from the icy bands that q twin
ter Of discomfort" has bound about
them, and makes them 90 out in free
dom, hope and jo~yOusness, 10 be filed
| with pleasures pure, delightful and tnnO-
uOcenr. The soul of man seeks new and
lOftier flights, bounds with new hopes
and aspirations, and expands with emo
tions Of love and gratitude. Prepared
and enriched by the Influences Of the sea-
sons, earth is ready for the service Of
mankind, and he now "bickles her sides"
that when the Autumn comes she may in
| return laugh a harvest - and from the
"MGifsSt' Of to-day until the Welz-
/ Lesg" and "ErHft Fest" of the Autumn,
when the fruits Of the earth have been
gathered in, the great processes Of nature
istered unto, his every want supplied and
his pleasure and comfort rem
dered complete. Mete and fit it is,
then, that when the bright and beautiful
~SpringJime is upon us in its ~fuIlness,
When we are surrounded by these iuhu-
snees OF harmony and enjoyment; when
the seed is being consigned TO the bosom
of the earth, there to germinsts and fruc-
tify and, with the blessing of God, here
after to yield the harvest unto the hands
Of man, we should assemble together
and, with song and dance, greet the reign
| OF the "msrrIs month Of May the love-
! lest in the train Of the seasons. Well has
the American poet said, "tO him who in
the love of nature holds communion with
her visible forms, she speaks q various
language; tor his gayer haunts she has a
/ voice OF gladness, and a smile of beauty
and ~elOqUence, and she gljdes into his
darker musings with a mild and healing
sympathy, that steals away their sharp
ness ere he is aware"
eco forth under the open sky
And list to natures teachings"
And more than fitting is it that the
| German should take the lead in the OBJ
ssrvance Of this occasion. 1t is one of the
customs OF his FaJhsrlsnd; a custom well
hOnOrsd in the observance; a custom that
Is bat partial in America, but should be
come universal. IL is a custom that the
German peculiarly hOnOrs himself in per-
petUatiug IL this the land OF his adOp-
JI0n. IL Keeps alive the memories Of his
childhood and the land of his nativity;
and L say that the man who domestic
America from foreign lands, who would
forget, who would blot out from MS
memory the love of hls Fathsrlaud, the
rsCOllsCGiOus OF the customs sud ancient
usages of his people, and the rsJuinis-
cences of his early youth, who would
~ @@aA@- --@ LeAe ANA a. IA
his heart, is unworthy to become q
a citizen Of this Republic and HeUer can
become a true aud tOOTthy citizen Of any
country. Let him remember that we are
all Americans here, but never forget the
land of his nativity. And I say, let Amer
lea adopt the custom. It is a beautiful
and appropriate n6, In This money
gcsspiDg age, and in Jns hustle and hurry
and chase after tie almighty dollar"
thai charscJerlZss this nation, We have
too few holidays; too few hours of relax
alton. Life IS shortened; many of its
purposes perverted, and the generous,
warm impulses of the heart, that grace,
adorn and rsdesm,hUmanity are dried up,
stuffed and deadeued. Our people should
learn wisdom from the nations of Europe,
snd particularly from the Germans in
this respect.
The Germans have i-nauguratsd the
custom Of the "MalfesJ" among
US. Let young America" fall in
with them, and make it a universal
national holiday,
You, my German falloW-citizsus, have
a double Incentive for a cordial observance
OF this law. The past year has been
Irdught with grand aud terrible events, /
affecting the welfare OF your people and
your native land, and big with gigantic
results. Less than one year ago, Ger
many stood q dismembered, discordanJ,
frsgmenJary body, comparatively insig~ !
nlhcauJ among Jh8 nations Of the earth.
The shock of war, the pressure Of ~ ap-
pArenJIy overwhelming danger, rOused
her from her lethargy and indifference.
A common danger OegaJ q common i'm
pulse, Patriotism and the grand instinc-
tive hope Of German unity cemeuJsd her
broken masses. Inspired by one
purpose, one hope, they moved
resistlessly on from victory TO victory, /
that caused the world to stand in awe and
wonder before the grander and more bril-
liant splenCOr of her achievements. The
battle was won, and out of the tbroes and
gOny Of the deadly conflict has arisen the
new G-erm8uy-One OF the foremost pow
ers OF the earth-strOng in Jhe bonds of
union. CemenJsd by the blood Of her psO-
pie, with d common history Of achieve
ments, reaching from SaarbruCken to
Paris, unparalleled IN the history of any
nation OF the saaJh, a common language,
and 5very interest common to ali her in
tegral parts, she has taken her place in
the foremost rank o the nations, TO main
tain IL forever. Rejoice, then, not only
IN the glory and beauty of the ssasO0 now
upon as, but in a united Fatherland not
over The Tall OF a PROSTATE and bleeding
foe, for magnaulmIJy and kindness should
be YOur motto. but that German unltU is
complete; that sweet peace has spread her
white wings over the borders of her united
domain, and that th8 people whose chill
you are, may to-day, al home, Join
in celebrating their Maifsst. q peaceful.
powerful and prosperous people; and for
the first time in their history the dream Of
their fathers and Of their statesmen hav-
ing become a realltV-d united DeODEg.
And upon such an occasion long speeches
are not in order. Let the festivities 90
on. LIST these little Ones-GOd bless
them-mgke the woods ring with their
childish glee. Shakespeare tells US that
che who hath not music in his soul, nor
is not moved by concord Of sweet sounds,
is ut for treason, sJratsgem and spOils."
l say, The man Wh0 does not in his heart
love these "little onesn is still wOrse-far
worse. BE is too cOwardly for treason, too
for stratagem, and too dissOlute TO
gather spells. Let these youths and mai
dens, and the men and matrOns Join in
sport and dance. Let old age r~eiuvenste
Itself, forget its piping treble" and lean
aud slippered panJaloOn," and in the
presence Of sweet childhood, and of youth
and beauty, and these pleasant scenes,
grow young again. Let the festivities 90
on. Let MOmus lead the train-"jOcund
laughter holding both his sides; !" mirth,
m~errinent, joy and pleasure regulated by
reason. Let the vocal anthem resound.
con with the dance,
Let JOY be uncOnhned.'
the festivities 60 on. May nsught oc-
cur TO mar them, and when they close
may not one single heart Do compelled to
away from the grounds saying unto
Itself, And yet I am not happy"
After this the festivities of the day were
resumed with sue vigOr, that there was
no time nor inclination for taking notes
Of anything. The cOncOurse of people
became d6nser every hour until eight
One would imagine that every
in the city Was standing outside
.he Park 40 that hour. The street rail-