Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1873-07-24

Priding ourselves UPON the - - ens
+ railway system. With yet b1es !. 90
of people. We end that we . esns' sa 6ilb.
in their power. not 70 MUG q the
people may no. be able to'free 4 nslepu
from their grasp. hut because G. 1liaies
of transportation afforded b - in
mense lines are really uncsusI - task
Of moving the limitless pFodu6 = shs
country. Looking to the near g -. say
a third ofa century hence. Vt ekefs
win be 100. 900. 900 of peopls seor
borders. one-half If whom w;ltssisI Il q.
greet Mississippi vaIleyynario,,e Hsa q
whose labess sloss x;ll -
chrrying power Of the pf-.s I'VE
may be abe to realize thfs o. " .x,sW shis
question is really to be the gress5st one
wish which We will have to deal; and
some system should be inausurated to-
day. which will keep pace with the de-.
mands of the multitudes that are 50 swift
ly following US. When We contemplate,
that forever aud ever. with a soil as ex.
haustless as time itself. this grea. valley,
lying between the mountain chains on the
east and west, and the lakes and the gulf
on the north and south. i. to be pcopled
with a race. whose millions upon millions
are to feed and clothe the world with the
labor of their hands-we may form some
conception Of this sleeping giant. who is
just now bu. realizing his own strength,
and rousing himself. as it were, from his
lethargy. is looking after his future inter-
ests. and giving point to his ideas in the
development of his purposes. in the work
ing out of the great ends of his resistless
destiny. The crowning burden of rcpub-
iican government, is the responsibilities Of
government itself. Unlike the absoln.isms
Of Europe. this burden attaches to the peo-
pie themselves. aud the happiness and
prosperity Of the people is the measure of
the mode and manner in which We look
after this great political inheritance, be-
queathed to US By our fathers. and whose
patron saints We annually canonize on this
great day. It is. therefore. our highest
duty as we'll as our most important inter-
est to see that all those who are selected
to fill the various offices Of the govern
ment, from President down to the lowest
scale. should gill to its fullest extent the
measure Of that grandest Of all civil ser
vice rules. established by Jefferson him
self, aud embodied in these simple yet
all-embracing al questions "is lac honest
is he competent? is he faithful to the Con-
s'tiu'ion I" The responsibility Of educa-
ton is one that pertains to society and to
man without reference to his responsible
ty to government. To-day krSS Ls'e is
the greatest power of the wor.sala ytr-
forms feats and labor which no assS1nt Of
muscular strength could spproach. It's
progress and tendency seems bearing US
onward to that unknown and invisible
realm. to end it would seem. in the dis
covery of the very principle of life itself
Everything around us teaches US that our
interests lie in obtaining and developing
all the knowledge man ia capable OF re-
ceiving. and to no class is this more i'm
portant Il an the farmer.
| have thus attempted to call your at
tention to some of the burdens and re-
sponsibili:ies which rest upon the farmer.
thereby the more pcrtinently to direct at
ten,iou to his interests. I deduce there
from that the very highest interests Of our
class are involved in those questions per-
tanning to peace and good government
Peace. that We may have all the leisure
allotted to man for the development of bis
great resources-for the mental and NOR
al training OF his children, so that when
he leaves the helm of Government in their
hands they may be euducd with that high
courage to press forward in the great paths
that have been opened up before them.
bearing proudly in view the high destinics
of themselves and their country, until, with
the eonsummation of time. the labors Of
man are no longer needed. fgood gov
ernmcnt. so that there may grow up with
in the heart Of every one those germs of
light and love and strength which give to
government its character. confidence, and
fidelity. bringing in return happiness. pros
perity. aud contentment. 1t is said that
every free government is but the reflex Of
the average will of the people. That if
they are virtuous and honest their rulers
will also be, but if not, neither will be
their rulers. That dishonest people can
have virtuous and aonest rulers of their
own free choice seems almost impossible,
and yet We can readily imagine that ma
ton of honest people may fall under the
control of dishonest men simply from the
fact that the people. whilst engaged in at
tentiou to their home affairs. allow them
selves to be used indirectly in the selfish
interests Of those who manipulate party
and party conventions. A people who
are thus blinded BY mere party aud allow
themselves through prejudice or inatteu-
ton to matters of such vital importance
to be thus led by others. may fud them
selves in the end but vassais. bound in .
bondage whose cords may be so Strong as
to successfully resi- 5, every effort on their
part to unloose them. Indeed. the peril
nent inquiry Of the hour is. is not such
too nearly your condition to-day? II not,
what means the existence Of this powerful
band. composed of the peaceful hosts Of
agrieultur,sts. extending from the prairies
Of Minnesota to the sunny glades of Geor-
gia-from the beautiful valleys of New
York to the silver waves Of the Pacific.
Who are astonishing the' world with the
rapidity and strength Of their organisa-
ton! Why is it tha, on this day all over
the great State Of Illinois and other West
eru States the farmers have assembled and
are putting forth new declaration Of in.
dependence? And why is il that. embod-
led in these hosts. We look in vain for those