The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1872-05-17
Ladies' and Gentlemen:

| tf"''@e o0 SSI@tot'
Ladies and Gentlemen sags 4st
We have assembled in commemo-
ration OF a custom that was intro
dnced into the ancient governments
OF Greece--more especially OF Athens
and Sparta-somewhere about TWEEN
ty-hve hundred years ngo.
The name Of Nay is of uncertain
origin, consequently the precise time
OF the introduction Of the celebra-
ton of the first of May cannot be
definitely fixed. The Governments
of Sparta and Athens, which made
the first advancement in the history
OF the civilization of the world, was
accustomed to the celebration Of the
first OF May; and upon those occa-
sIons 1t vas their custom 10 crown
their most beautiful maiden as MAY
/ Queen. Subsequently it became ga
cred TO Apollo, which was the great
est among ths great oracles oil the
| Grccian gods.
| The same custom was afterwards
| introduced into the Roman Repub-
| lies, but TO much greater extent
Almost the entire month Of May was
set apart by the Romans for festivals
aud public games; these were Of diff
ferGnt kinds at different periods of
| the Republic, and constituted a part
Of the religious worship, and hence,
before they began, 1t was their prac-
tlcc TO carry along on mems shoul-
ders, or III carriages, and IN frames,
the images Of TIE gods.
The eaine custom that started with
1 the earliest advancement of civiliza-
ton III the history Of Greece has
been promulgated and has come
! down to the present time. It has
been practice by the four greatest
! governments OF the world Il history.
embracing Greece, Rome, England
| nd America
The priests OF the primitive inhab-
itants Of Italy, GauI, Spain and Brt-
ain were accustomed to light large
/ tires on the submits OF the hills on
the eve of May.
Virgil says that it was customary
| 10 adorn. not oHiy houses aud gates.
/ but churches, with branches and
/ flowers. IL has been almost from
/ time immemoriai the custom in Lon
/ don TO Join together and have their
/ May parties. The young people
/ would assemble around the May-poie
/ and engage Iii G dance on the green.
There has some change in the cele-
bratlon of the first day of May since
! ancient times, bot the difference can
/ only be attributed to the different be-
/ liefs tha. have been entertained by
! the people OF ancient and modern
times concerning tue supreme being
| that controls the destiny OF this UNI
| verse.
| What We possess more than the
! Greeks and Romans think can be
| attributed 10 the fact that we are liy-
| ing n that period of the worlds his.
| tory when men $ minds ale more set
tied upon the powers of that Being
| that controls the destiny of man,
and under the light and teachings OF
the christian religion. That prob
lem, which stood prominently above
| all others with the Greek aud Roman,
was simply a question of speculation,
aud they were governed only by their
imaginntions. With us it is like a
problem already solved, Chiist being
the key by which Its mysteries are un-
locked aud explained so that it can
be readily understood.
If this nation was compared with
those Governments of ancient times,
in some respects, we might fall far
| short. No man has ever lived In
modern times who would bear a sue
cess:ul comparison with the Athenian
orator or the Roman statesman, and
| do not know where, in the past
few centuries, could be found supe-
rior To Plato, Socrates, Scipio or
Brutus. If we shonld continue to
draw the line between the ancients
and moderns, and enter into the So
cial circles and examine society, as it
has existed through the various ages
of civilization, the scale would go
down i'll favor of the moderns.
Society, az it now exists in this
country and England, has been
through many changes since the days
of antiquity. During and including
the heroic ages society was uncultl-
waited, and the greater portion of the
people of those ages were as uncouth
as the savage Of this country. The
element of society AMONGST the Ro-
mans, during the earlier days of the
| Republic, was very simple, but when
the Roman empire became wealthy
they introduced many of the customs
that are now practiced in this coun-
try. The mission of society is to
/ crafty the social instinct. Human
propensities and passions must be
subject to the restraint of law before
society can be rendered a success. =
i But society is not alone the offspring
Of sentiment and passion. but it gath
ers it's strength and receives its sup-
plies from. the acts of the people
within its social range. 1t presides
over the pleasures of childhood, the
sports and conviviaiities of middle
age, the socialities of more advanced
life, and finally, it throws its last
glare over the inanimate body as it
sinks to its final resting place.
The organization Of fire compan-
les, for the purpose of protection
against incendiaries, is of quite an
cient date. The, first record that we
have of fire engines is found in. the
history of Rome. The engines used
in England, France and Germany
! were not of much utility until about
+ba olooa IF tha 17th 4nant,ru x.hon