Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1873-07-16
GRAFTON.
Delivered by T. J. McLaIn, Jr., at
Warren, July 4, 1873.

-
FELLOW CITIZENS We celebrat
to-day a nations festival. As we az
smeble to commemorate the birth @
our national liberty, in harmony an
unity, let US forget all differences c
political opinion. Let us Danish from
our minds all sectional jealousies-
remembering only, as grand centrs
thought, that we are citizens of on
common country, members of on
national family; united by indissolu
BILE bonds in one common destiny
and animated by the one patrioti
sentiment: "Our country-may sh
ever be right; but right or wrong-ou
country STILL"
i Let us not forget that we are de
scendants of a noble race, who braveC
all dangers, who endured all hard
ships, who made all sacrifices in be
half of the inalienable rights of man
and that as such we are bound by
ties which none may sunder.
The fathers of the republici How
the heart thrills, how the blood cour
ses through the veins at the recollec-
| ton of Washington, and Adams, anC
| Jefferson-of Franklin, and Otis, anC
Henry-from whom we inherit the
precious legacy of freedom-whosC
memory is cherished in our hearts
whose valorous deeds and virtues are
! immortalized on earth and consecrat-
ed in heaven.
Ninety-seven years ago to day, a
band of patriotic men assembled in
Independence Hall, PHILADELPHIA and
issued to the world that wonderful
document, which has just been read
in your hearing, the Declaration OF
American Independence.
There have been those who style
this Declaration 1.-THE passionate mani
festo of q revolutionary war" Such
men have no true conception of that
noble document. The American
Revolution was not q sudden outbreak
of mad passion. 1t was the result of
years of peaceful but animated dis
cussion affecting the general and
natural rights of man to self-govern-
ment-
Slavery antedates civilization. It's
locks are whittier and more venerable
than history. Originating in war in
the savage and barbarian ages, it has
maintained its power even amidst the
refinement and civilization of nations
down to the middle of the 18th Gen.
tury. Slavery has lived, whilst re-
ligions aud empires have decayed.
The issue of the Declaration of In
dependence and the accompanying
American Revolution, was a long
stride in favor of equal rights. The
Declaration contained propositions so
startling and novel to European ears
that monarchs trembled on their
thrones; and yet it was but the en-
bodiment of principles of civil and po-
litical liberty which had foryears been
gradually growing in the minds of the
American people.
To-day we are enjoying the legiti-
mate development Of these ideas, held
established and promulgated by the
fathers and we are witnesses Of the
gradual but certain spread Of these
principles amongst the nations Of
earth. We recognize too the fact that
Just so far as principalities and pow
ers acknowledge the truth of these
eternal principles and incorporate
them into their political system, to
that same extent do the blessings of
peace and prosperity attend them.
We behold France, but lately plung-
ed into humiliating and disgraceful
wer to crafty the pride and ambition
of Louis Napoleon, now emerging
from her degradation and reaching
o0t after the blessings of a republic.
We see Spain, for centuries the
abode of despOtism, superstition, and
priestly oppression, rising in her
might to overthrow kingly power and
a popular government.
We perceive the constant relaxa-
tion of power in the hands of nearly
every monarch of Europe, and the
accession of rights to the people.
We behold the mighty Prussian
banishing the crafty Jesuits
from its borders, those cunning men
nf the gown, whose lives are devoted
to lying in wait for republican prin-
ciples as the tiger lies in wait for its
prey, whilst even under the shadow
Of the Vatican, the pope hides his
head, stripped of his tenn
poral power and defeated in his en-
against the inherent
rights of man.
Whilst liberty is thus marching on
with giant strides abroad /; we at home
are widening and deepening our foun-
iations, and building higher and
more symmetrical year by year the
fair fabric Of our American Republic
Our PRINCIPLEs are the benign prin-
ciples of civil liberty; our CREED is
tequsl and exact rights to all men :"
our FAITH is the permanency of our
government, under the !
of Almighty God.
American slavery is dead. That |
dark stain upon our national escutch-
con is gone, and gone forever. That
mighty power once so weighty in our
councils Of State
Now lies he there
And none SO poor TO do him reverence"
Old England's proud boast that tie |
a slave touched English |
soil, his manacles fell from his limbs, |
ian now be made cur own; for in ali |
fair land there is not, |
here can not be human slave.
We are q peculiar people. We are
both the governed and the governors.
The people are the source of all DOW
sr, and II for the sake OF convenience
hey delegate the exercise OF their
for limited periods, to /
the hands OF the few, they Will ever
hold them to a strict account for the |
Sc Of the same.
Our Presidents our Governors, our
and our Legislators are
put the stewards of the people. To
hem we delegate pro ten1pore the
exercise Of our sovereignty for brief
periods we permit them to WELD the
1estinies of State but the reins of &C.
are still held by the peo-
pie. Our officers have no hereditary
rights, no divine right of kings, but
hey are merely the stewards or agents
II the sovereign people who select
hem at pleasure to labor in the ma
.ional vineyard.
Woe unto those then who prove
Infaithful to their trust The eye Of
he Master-the peoples upon them,
de that can create-he it is that can
lestroy. The good sense of the pop
liar mind seldom errs. II deals speed
ly and correctly, and is ever ready if
iced be to temper justice with mercy.
The will Of the people is the highest
,ourt Of appeal : to it we submit un-
Iuestioningly. Our government, in
way peculiar to itself, insures per-
&c. civil equality to all, the rich and
he poor, the learned and the ignorant
he high and the low. "CiviI liberty
nd equality" is henceforth our ma
ions motto. Our work is now to
trengthen, to develope.