The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1875-07-14

polls On the Fourth.
On Monday, of last week, the peo-
pie of indianapolis celebrated the 4th
of July, turning out generally for that
purpose-suspending business. etc.
Maj. Gordon read the Declaration of
Independence, and made a brief
speech, and was followed by General
Coburn, Senator Morton, and Gov
, ernor Hendricks. Below we copy
from the Indianapolis journal:
Mr.. President and Fellow citizens
I have seen large assemblages in the
State house yard in the dark and
gloomy hours of our country's history,
but not one under circumstances more
auspic ious and pleasant than those
that surround as this evening. l
wish to inquire very briefly what is
the significance of Fourth of July
celebration. 1t is complained that
the Fourth Of July celebrations are
the same old story over again, but
repetition of what we have all heard
from childhood Those who make
this complaint forget that the cele-
bration of a past event is an appeal to
i the old and not to the new, and that
the very purpose of il is to revive old
memories, old associa lions and old
sentiments. But it is to be said that
the celebration of this day is now
more significant; that it has far diff
ferent meaning from that which it
had fifteen years ago. Then it was
more the celebration of the declara-
ton of independence Of the mother
country. of the separation of the colo
, nies from the country Of Great Britain.
Such events have occurred often in
the worlds history, Of countries sepa-
i rated from each other. Colonies have
divided from the mother country; and
in that respect the event was not so
remarkable This celebration is now
connected with something far more
interesting to the world than that, of
far greater significance in the coming
centuries, and l allude to the great
doctrines in tho Declaration of lnde-
peudence that have made that instra-
ment immortal, the influence Of which
l see here, the influence of which has
gone all over the world, and l have
| faith that they are yet to conquer the
| world.
When the Declaration was made,
| the institution of slavery existed in
1
| try lived in fragrant violation OF the
great doctrines of that instrument
until within the last ten or twelve
years. To celebrate those doctrines
with human slavery in our midst was
but a solemn mockeEy, bat ID the
process of time and in the dealings of
! an all-wise Providence, we can eele
brate those great doctrines in spirit
| and in fact. We can commend their
beauty and their excellence to the
world What are the doctrines that
| immortallized the Declaration? That
all men are ere: ted equal; that they
are endowed by their Creator with in
alienable rights. among which are life,
liberty and the pursuit of happiness;
and that to secure these ends govern
ments are instituted among men, that
derive their just powers from the con-
sent of the governed In these few
words are embraced that great doc
trine which was to give liberty to the
world Our fathers said these doc
trines were self evident I have some
times wondered at the use of that Ian
guage in the Declaration; for the
understandings Of men were engaged
through centuries in evolving that
simple proposition, and at the time il
was pronounced 10 the world there
was but small part of the worlds
/ population that accepted these doc
trincs. They were not new. On the
4th Of July, .1776, they had been pro-
claimed by distinguished writer's, not
only in the coloB.es, hut upon the
continent OF Europe They had been
pronounced by distinguished states
men, been uttered time and again bJ
colonial conventions, but that was rhe
first time that the nation through Its
/ authorized representatives proclaimed
to the world that new government
was to be established upon these
i principles.
1t will be one hundred years nexi
4th of July since that was done. and
not until within the last ten years
less time than that-havc those great
principles been carried out.
Human institutions are not invent
i've; they grow. No great law, NJ
great institution, was ever conceived
by one man at q single period of time
Whatever we may say about the doc
trine of evolution or development 81
lar as the human species are con
cerned. we may reject that, yet it il
very certain that so far as the grea
institutions are concerned, they com,
up through process Of development
and always from small beginnings.
has taken us hundred years to carr,
out these doctrines. 1t may tax,
Europe FIVE hundred years; but tn
seed has been sown; the leaven i
working, and We see its operation
now in every civilized country in tn
world.
At LII oa.>,:a. - -. IL. IL =.
night, have been somewhat surprised
that philosophers and writers in ou
own country have not commented up
on the United States and the effort
that have been produced in othe
countries by the doctrines Of the Dee
laration OF Independence. Their ef
equal to their effects in this country
o more marked anG powerful charac
ter. They have extended even t.
Russia, and within few years hav,
the serfs of that country; to Spain
which has been bound in iron an,
bloody chains. We have seen Spain
within few years, erecting repub
lie she was not prepared TO maintain
She will behave exceedingly well
however, in due time. The seed
sown. Spain will yet have republic
Having once tasted the sweets of hu
man liberty she will never abandon il
Although France has had revolutions
she has free government, and moth
ing but free government can live il
France forty EIGHT hours. So we sc
that great Declaration is now oper
ating all over the world.