The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1875-04-28

DC % IdT US tHeN COllu SUI ivy |
stood among the unchanged conditions
of the early Republic. Aud these Condi-
tions are familiar. The men who founded
the Republic were few In number planted
chiefly along u temperate coast, remote
from tile world. They were huniDgonc-
Gus people, increasing by their own null
tipliCation, speaking The same lauguage,
of the same general religious faith, cher,
ishing the same historic and political /
| traditions. universally educated, hardy, |
| thrifty. with general equality Of fortune, |
aud long and intelligent practice OF self |
! government v bile the slavery that eX-
! istcd among them, lnhuinau in itself, was |
not seriously defended, and was believed |
TO bc disappearing.
ENLARGED RESPONSIBILITIES.
But within the last half century causes |
! then latent, or wholly incalculablc be
fore, have radically changed those cond-
| tons, and we enter upon the second cen
! fury Of the Republic with responsibilities
which neither our fathers nor the men
of hlty year ago could possibly forcsce'
THE DEAD HAND OF SLAVERY.
But the most formidable problem for
popular government which the opening
OF our second century presents, springs
| from a source which was unsupported a
hundred years ago, and which the orator.
of fifty years since ioreborc To name.
| This was the system of slave labor, which
vanished ia civil war. But slavery had
not been the fatal evil that II was, If with
lts abolition Its consequences had disap-
prarcd. Ii holds rs still In mortmain.
Its dead hand is strong, rs it, living pow
. or was terrible. Emancipation has left
{ the Republic exposed To new and extra
e ordinary trial OF the principles and piac-
, tees OF free government. \ civilization
resting upon slavery, as formerly ia part
, of the country, however polished and or
, nate. i necessarily uri.torratic aud hos
, tile to Republican equality, while the
u cNigcucics Of such u society forbid
: thai universal education which l.
t indispensable To- wise popular
h government. When war cmancipatc,
j. the slave, aud makes them equal citizens.
Y the ignorance and vcuality which are the
= fatal lcgacic. oil slavery to the subject
e. r8.s, whether white or black, and the
c natural alienation Of the master class.
: which alone has political knowledge and
t. experience. with all the secret COnspira-
= cc.. the reckless corruption, the political
. llnaycry, sprin%ing naturally from such
d n situation. and ending often in mcnacing
l. disorder that seems 10 invite the military
q interference and supervision of the gov
+ rrnmen!-all this accumulation OF dilli-
Il Guilty and danger lays strain along the
= very fiber OF free institutions. For it
J. suggest, the twOiold question whether
d the vast addition Of the ignorance of the
: cmancipatcd vote to that Of the immi-
i grant vote may not Overwhclm the intel
= ligent vote of the country, and whether
Y the constant appeal To the central hand OF
q power. however necessary IL may seem,
: and for whatever reason of humanity and
II Justice 1t may be urged, must not neces-
T. -arily destroy the local selfreliancc which
: was the very seed OF the American Re
a public. and fatally ialnliariZc the country
e with that employment of military power
i which is inconsistent with free instiul-
: tons. ana bold resistance to which has
+ forever consccrated the spot on which we
Z stand.
D Remember, fellow.
r citizens, that the impulse of Republican
I government, given Il century ago at the
4 Old North Bridge, has shaken every gov
| eminent in the world, but has been itself
{ wholly mistaken by them. IL has made
: monarchy impossible in France. 1t has
| freed the Russian scris. IL has united
4 Germany against ecclesiastical dcspoti.m.
= 1t has flashed into the night of Spain. It
q has cnaucipatcd Italy and discrowned the
It Pope a. King. In England, rcpcaliun Tho
; 'or"""ste tho saporanon ~ church an,
u state, aud step by step transforms mon
~ archy into another form ofrcpublc. An,
u here Il home how glorious its ntory! IN
At u tremendous war between men q
i the same blood--men who recognize
q and respect each others valor--We hav,
proved what was always doubted, tn,
prodigiOuS power, endurance. aud re
sources of Il Republic. and in cmancipa
ting an eighth of the population Wa hay,
al last gained the tull opportunity OF the
, Republican principle. Sir. it i the sigma
- felicity of this occasion that on the ON,
n huudrcdth anniversary of the first battle
/ In the war of American Independence,
n may salute you who led 10 victory tho
II citizen soldiers of American liberty, q,
;, the first elected President of the free Re.
1 public Of the United States. Fortunate
: man 10 whom God has given the price.
: less boon of associating your name with
/. that triumph of freedom which will pres
: emily bind the East and the West, the
/ North and the South in a closer and
4 more perfect union for the establishment
+ of justice and the security oithc blessing
a OF liberty than these States ever have
: known.
Fcllow-citizcns, that union /, the lofty
I task which this hallOwcd day and thi,
, sacred spot impose upon Us. And what
. clond of doubt so dark hangs over us as
that which lowered above the colonies
when the troops Of the King marched
into the town. and the men OF NiddlcScX
resolved to pass the bridgct with their
, faith and their will we shall win their
victory. No royal Governor. indeed.
,its in yOn stately capital, no hostile fleet
for many Il year has ycXcd the waters Of
our COASTS, nor il any army but our own
ever likely 10 tread our .Oil. Not such
| are our enemies to-day. They do not
come proudly topping 10 the drum-Lcat,
with bayonrt, flashing in the
, morning sun. But wherever party
! spirit shall strain the ancient guarantee,
OF freedom, or bigOtry and ignorance
,, shall lay their fatal hands upon education.
: or the arrogance Of caste shall strik" al
equal right,, or corruption shall poison
tuc very springs Of national life. there,
muutc-lncn OF liberty. are your IcXing-
/ ton, Green, and Concord bridge aud a.
you love your country and your kind, and
would have your children rise up and call
You blessed spare not the enemy Over
me llill-, ont Of the earth, down from the
clouds, pour In rc.i.tless might. Fire
from every rock and tree. from door and
/ window, from hcarth..tOnc and chamber 4:
haug upon his flank and rear from noon
10 sunset, and 80 through land blazing
WIN holy Indignation lurl the horGcs OF
a., | ignorance ana corruption and Injustice
back, back, IN utter defeat and ruin.
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