The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-07-09
A HIGHER TONE OF PUBLIC ADDRESS.

more elevated and better taste are the spirit
and methods of public address upon ami
versary occasions and college commence
mcnts. In the place of dealing in adu'ation
Of the superiority of American institutions
over all others, the practical phases of our
political life and the workings OF our re-
publican systems re the themes selected
for di cussion. The stereotypcd compar
ison between ancient and modern civiliza-
ton and the discussion of the relative value
of classical rs compared with scientific
education are laid aside. Fresher and
more practical topics are prcsented-sub-
jects which come home more directly to
the understanding and every day life of
the particular class to which they may be
I'D lressed The marked tendencies of pub
lie speech to the consideration of current
questions, and to the utterance of instruct
i've sentiments pertinent to the occasion
and intended to reach the hearts of the
people should be hailed as an augury of the
dawning of better era of thought and ac-
ton, and as stimulative toward better
citizenship.
Notable examples of this elevation of
public address are, the Grafton of James
Freeman Clarke, on the fifth of July. in
Boston, and the Grafton OF David Dudley
Field before the alumni at Williams col
legc. To the latter we desire especially to
draw attention. The occasion was the
semi-centennial of the orators graduation.
The address was mainly devoted to re-
view of the last half century and the
changes accomplished during that period,
not only in the college but in the affairs of
the country and world at large. The
varied phases of college life are presented
in striking language, and the active life of
many of the members of the class are
graphically described. He easily turns to
the position of the country fifty years ago,
and the customs of that time in contrast
with the present, marking the progress
that has been made in the march of years.
The country stretches, from ocean to
ocean, with population of forty millions,
with not slave. In Europe, we see Italy
and Germany united, after ages of dis
union and conflict. China and Japan are
open to the world No less remarkable are
the changes in the condition of the people.
In some countries of the old world the
franchise has been extended, laws have
been reformed, monopolies have been
thrown down, the principles of constitu-
tional government have slowly penetrated
that reason instead of force is to rule.
Parliamentary governments have taken
root until there il not an autocratc Coy
eminent in all Europe excepting the Rus
sian and Ottoman empires.
The political changes, he argues, denote
progress, but the material has outstripped
the political. The retrospect of half cen.
fury teaches not only the accountability of
nations, as well as the personality of ma.
ton. The tendency of these times is tc
the uniication of nations. The world in
this respect has changed, there is a ten.
dency to sentiment of national unity
The tide is all but irresistible. Mr.. Felt
thus pOintedly speaks of the future before
MS The future of the country depends
"upon its laws and their administration
" With an honest government administered
" in the spirit of its founders, and accord
" ing to fundamental maxims establshs,
" By them, it may last forever, but if it i
" administered with "A disregard of it
g original constitution, with an indilfer
GO ence to constitutional restraints and &c
Z" cording to the caprice of majorities,
g cannot, as it should not, last. If at til
+" end of fifty years, Massachusetts stand
" self-governed, making her own laws an
g administering her own affairs, accordin
ito her own notions of what is good 70
:" her people, without interference frol
" other states or from Washington, excer
g in that limited sphere in which the fec
" eral government was by the consttutio
Z" of our fathers permitted to move, the
Massachusetts will be, as she is nov
A" free, and the other states will be frct
- and the Union will be strong in til
hearts of the people, and strong in all tn
- world"
He also forcibly speaks of the country
perils in manner worthy OF thoughtfl
consideration: "But If there be found In
future congress any members like the IL
"who, in the last house of representative
voted to clothe the president with powt
"to suspend the habeas corpus, two men
Z" beers from Massachusetts, l am grieve
Z" to say, among them, then indeed we sha
stand in imminent peril. II those mer
u or anu considerable number of them. aI