The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-07-27

7
Or fxnci d. would be true,
who proyed-alas! she, TOO
False like the rest.
Inow am all hereft-
AS when some lower doth sai,
with ba,ticinents and Ssail,
And gate and bridge and all
And nothing seft.
Ru,I accourt it worth
Alipsugs OF fair hopes crossed
Ali loves and nonors lost
To gain the heavens, at cost
or losDg earth.
20. lest be inclined
To render Ill for III =
BeDccforrh In me inSt,',
O. G cd, y sweet goodwin,
To xN mankind.
.,.c,,., H,lLoec November /, 1871.
EurBtxh Reflections ON the EosSs' Oh
July.
U.opGou Morning Post, july a
Sinety.eight years ago to-day, in the SIN
taentf tear of the reign Of King George Ill.
= convention OF Euglish subjects assembled
in the CITY of philadelphia, the capita. OF
,rb.t was then the colony Of pennsylvania,
committed on act Of high treason whereby
fbev and their aSegs and sbetters forfeited
their lives and their foltuBes. Ga remark
nhe doc, ,nent, draw up by Dhemas Jetier-
SON and sigued by himself, ssygohn Hancock,
and }y ahe other dfty:ttVee members OF the
convention, they laid dawn >seme abstract
nrinci,scs of 9G.tical faith long afterwards
aptlr described by an American orator as
8. cj;ttes;sy cencralties,T' theS declared that
Afhe history Of the 6ten)'Frcsent klng OF
Great Rritain was u l,istory"af repeated IN
iu,ies and 1issarpatieHs, AL having in direct
Object the establishment osan Absolute ~.
ranny,- tliy endeEored TO support TINS
accusation by the recapiua'ation OF long
list of the acts of this Kiug they afhrmed
that "a prince whose character IS tnus
marked by every act which may dehuc
= tyraat is uiiEt 10 be the ruler OF
a free people," they 3amented that their
british tsethren," 'to~Rhom they haa ap,
pealcd .te disaVow these usurpatioDs," bad
been :. deaf tothe voice oN justice and Of con,
sanouini.y ":and they .ceu claded their mani
festo, speakipg "as 'therepresentatives of the
limited States Of America "a phrase now
for the first time framed and "appcaling to
the Supreu,e Judge oftthe world for the rec
,titude Of their Intentions" by solemnly de-
clariug "tbat these united colonies are, and
Of right ought to be, free and independent
States: that they are abs0lved from oil allie
glance to the BRITISH Grown, and that all po-
litical connections between them and the
State of Great Britain 'is, and ought to be,
totally dissolved" -
The populace of philadelphia had assem-
,bled in great numbers before the building
In which this rebeliaus Convention wus as
sembled, and waited in anxiety the result of
its deliberations. ATE o'clock in the after
neon the members OF the Convention, leay-
ing their chamber, appeared on the steps OF
the building, and sin sonorous voice" John
Hancock read the Declaration Of lndepen-
dence" As the last words left bis lips the
bell of the State House rang out peal of
rejoicing. As the news spread through the
city the bells ofthe churches joined in theclan-
gor, n salute was fired, AID at night the citi-
zens illuminated their houses. This was the
first celebration of the Fourth Of July, and
on each succeeding year Its return has been
welcomed and celebrated as the national
birthday of the Republic.
A war lasting seven years followed this
revolt. and 10 1888 our Government signed
treaty ackno wledging the independence oil
the United States, and entering into COM
pact of friendship with .them-a compact
which was broken in 1872. peaewed in 1915,
and since preserved ipviolase. 1t is useless
to speculate upon what might have hap.
Oened had the Convention of Philadel-
Dhia never assembled, and had these
children of ours never auarrelbad with their
mother. JnguestionabIy the growth of the
United States hes been wonderful. The
thirteen original colonies 10 l77s had a pop
1llation of a,0Cc geo souls; the tkirty-seVen
States and nine Territories which GOV com.
nose the Eepublie have & population OF 90.
100000 Tits nearly SO, Qeaa0Ql pesF1e. The
entire wealth Of the thirteen colonies was
estimated at about .G1R5, 600, 600 sterling
the assessed valuation OF properly in
the United States in 1870 was e., S66,
100000 sterling. Since obtaining the
recognition 4el It's independence the Re
public has been engaged la three great
WuH-oae with as. enc wfta MeXics, anG
one With large section of lis own people
and 1t has carried on aAR!mOS. endless sue
cessou Of petty but bloody and expensive
campaigns against Its indian tribes. 1t kas
incurred Graded debt almost equal an
amount to cur own - national blessing" ;; 1t
has constructed fftya6Se thousand miles Ct
railways; 1t has Developed to ar immense
extent the natural resources fits donains
and its people have displayed Ga amaz-
ing ssnoast of enterprise industry, and
capacity fsr improvement But We may
be sure that IN the countless ora
tons Hhich vii, be delivered to-day
throughout the United States there will be-
mingled strains ct sorreWful eamplaiSt Of
the present and soMbEe forebadings Of the
future of the republic. In former days ''a
Fourth of July oration'' was composed of
denunciations of British tyranny, ,eulogilcas
upon the virtue and wisdom Ct the founders
of the republic, and uastinLsa praise of the
merits of their defendants. To-day there
will be many Americans Rho will confess to
Themselves that it might have been better for
them and for their country had the Declare
ton Of Independence never been written.
And lamentations ager the deeayof public
yirtne, the presence Of eorrspdsn in the
public service, and the growth of discomfort
among the people will take the place of sek-
laudation. In many Of the southern States
speakers today may take up the indictment
framed against Hing George Ill Ia the De-
ciaration Of Independence, and with perfect
truth assert that the conduct Of the Federal
Government towards the conquered South
has been worse than that imputed to the
British King. In the West the angry and
discontinued farmers, who believe them
selves ito be oppressed and plundered1
by, the railway corporations, may COM
plain that even under the effete mon.
arches of the Old World" the rights Of
the people are better protected than they are
In the republic. In the East tens Of thou |
sands OF workmen without work will listen |
to the teachings OF eummuni.tic dema. |
gogues, and respond with zeal to the decia- |
ration that leDf The inaiienabie rights Of
man is to live undera Government whose |
first duty Is to provide easy work and large |
pay for all its citizens. -.
The unparalleled natural advantages Of
America have hitherto enabled iss people to /
put aside. for solution at future day. the