Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-07-06

/ blu AutA luC now vi SBuI DCHdDs al
nold's fine brass band delighted the
crowd by playing q varied selection Of
national and patriotic airs. Meanwhile
the citizens, old and young, male and
female, continued to pour in at the sew
eral entrances to the square, and by
eight o'clock over three thousand per-
sans bad assembled in the vicinity of
the stand.
CALLED TO ORDER.
Mr.. Joseph Barbiere called the meet
| ing to order, and nominated Mr. X, j.
B. l.. VIM as presiding officer and
Captain J. c. M'Cabe as secretary. The
nominations were unanimous Y cor
| firmed, and both gentlemen took their
appropriate positions on the platform.
Tine president said that the exercises
would be opened by Rev. Mr. Stain
back and the audience engaging in
| prayer.
THE PRAYER.
Rev. Mr.. Stainback, after referring in
| chaste terms to the fact that our fore
fathers were men Of prayer az well as
valOr, addressed the throne Of grace in 3
| most appropriate manner, and asked
! Gods blessing on all Throughout the
country who we'e celebrating The nine
! ty-ninth natal day of the independence
|
phis, Shelby county, State of Tennessee,
or in other distant towns and cities.
THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
Captain J. Harvey Mathes was next
| introduced and spoke as foliows:
! LADIES AND GENTLEMEN-EveIy ma
| ton has its plant. The seed Gown nine
/ ty-nine years ago is about TO bring forth
| mature fruit. This is the centennial
| Oil 4
! perfect, is about to shed new luster upon
| the history of the world. The promise
/ of liberty and human progress, uttered
| at Independence hall in 1875, will be
| fulfilled and eXemplified at the same
| spot year hence, when the products,
| industries and arts of thirty-eight States
| will be exhibited to an aGmiring world.
| Three million people, who thought they
should and of right ought to be free,
| have increased to forty millions Of in.
| telligent, prosperous and happy people,
| including many languages, lineages and
creeds, but all one nation by common
pOtriOtism, true to common flag, ard
equally jealous of its origin, its Cfadi-
| tiOns and its future. The men who set
their names to this immortal paper in
the hour OF peril and doubt, little
dreamed of the magnificent empire they
were founding. Its enlarged boundaries,
its developed aud undeveleped resources,
martial spirit in war and industrial en-
ergy in peace, Sre themes that may
properly stimulate our pride, and have
for generation CHALLENGED the wonder
and admiration of all civilized nations.
Emigration from this land is IN
known, because it is the highly-favOred
on earth, while those who seek. q
home and citizenship here are seldom
drawn away even by the strong ties of
kindred and birthplace. AS We APP
preach our centennial maywe not pause
20 look back and see what grand strides
have been made in less than century?
1t is many years since We Of the south
stopped to read Fourth of July mile |
stone, and generation has grown 10
since, and its imprint almost lost in the |
eager pursuits of life or the destruction
Of civil war. Bot the spirit Of fraterni- |
cation is abroad; white-Winged peace |
brOOds over and plenty blezses the land; |
and we owe it 10 The past, as well as |
those 10 come after Us, to acknowledge |
our blessings, aud consider our RESPONSE |
bilitie5. The Issues thai engaged these !
who laid rich and deep the permanent |
institutions OF this favored land, are /
most sOlemnly and elOquentiy set forth |
in the declaration which l have the |
honor to read.
Csptain Mathes then, in q loud and |
clear tone OF voice, read the Declaration |
Of Independence.
Band-"Hail Columbia"
RELIGIOUS.
The president, in few felicitous re-
marks, which were cordially received, !
introduced Mr.. Joseph Barbiere, vice |
president OF the centennial commission |
of Tennessee, rs great Traveller, q great |
writer and great orator.
MR.. BARBIERE's SPEECH.
Mr.. Barbiere, who was warmly re-
ceived, spoke substantially as follows:
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN-If there is
one principle in life that is more
economical than another, it is that Of
cooperation. We can discover Its
healthful workings in the individual, in
corporate capacity, orfrom national
standpoint; and when this economical
principle is applied to international |
polity, the results are most remuneTa-
tive, as it individualizes mankind and
transfers US to q useful whole, where the
genius snd energy Of each may be real
lied to the advancement of the interna-
tiOnal; hence the sta tie and general god.
This attractive, adhesive principle that
draws men out OF their Teclusive
dispositions and forces them into
communion with their fellows is
GOd-gift, given humanity as illustrative
Of the grand workings CT the celestial
spheres. The glorious sun, while diff.
fusing his life-giving warmth to mste-
rial conditions, IS not lost to the de-
mands OF those celestial Orbs that exist
in their respective systems OF Luna,
Stella, and those of his own magnificent |
and sublime area, but, in reflection and
direct connection, yields his Corpora
ton in furnishing a comprehensive ar
rangement Of good that the heavens
would be imperfect without this untitled
construction, Let us turn to man, who
is selfish and ambitious criminal, and
happily SO, for il the one case he is
stimulated to energetic advancement,
and in the other all his forces are ener-
giZed to the accomplishment of per-
sonal ends, the results Of which action
will certainly perform a part Of
plan Tor universal progression.
In these emotions of selfish and ambi-
ti0us thoughts, man, while aiming st
individual aggrandizement in the execu-
ton of the idea, is but adding to the
general vOlttiOn, the spirit Of which is
conservative Of the public good. AS the
skillful husbandmau places his foot upon
the plOWshare, stimulated by the refec.
ton that he is earning his bread by the
sweat Of his brow, and cOntemplates
with selfish satisfaction the rich returns
that nature will lavish upon his labor,
Sd will nature, in cOnceding to honest
effort bOuntiful return, demand her
1.-THE for the refreshing shower, the rays
OF the fructifying sun, the gentle dew
and life-giving soil. Thus it Is, that Ia
Dor and nature work hand in hand, ex-
hibiting how generous each can
be when the cooperation is for the
good Of all. II nature and all
her forces demonstrates the practical
appliance of this theory of cooperation,
how readily should we, IS individ-
ual parts OF this great system, enter
heartily into the spirit of principle that
will furnish us means for aidingi in pro-
tecting the interests of ipdividuoi5 in |