New-York tribune., 1875-12-23
.DDPFSS OF WILLIAM T. DAVIS.

Mr.. President: / thank you for this repeated recog'
nton Of the Society which have the honor 10 pre-
eide am here tonight its representative, 10 assure
rou that on this hallowed anniversary its memories
mnele with yours recalling the heroic deeds OF the
Fathers of England II is especially fit In this cen
tepn wear OF our nation when the events OF the Revo
uOp are touched with fresh co0rs on the canvas OF MS
lory that we should look beyond the scenes thus revived
An our memories and gaze for awhile on that grander
nicture in which are grouped in uniadng colors
tpe trric founders Of our Republic While we remem-
Der with glowing patriotism the achievements
st Concord, at Lexington, and Bunker Hil,
ht US never forget those remoter lncldShts
In the early settlement OF country which were the
fountain and source from which flowed in an ever swell
ing stream that love Of liberty which animated the hearts
and nerved the Of our revolutionary sres IN the
struggle for independence That love ef Rrty buPbns
pp in the compact Of the Meyower through the hardened
trusts of empires and dynastes became living stream,
pouring invigoratng food into the hearts OF genera
hon after generation, until il so permeated the civil GOV
rrnmonS Of the colonies that neither kings nor cou
pOuld check career and IL flowed on with an ressl
be tide into the great ocean OF national freedom
trust that may not be wanting IN reverence S I0r
those noble men who during prOtIacled and bloody
war sacrificed life and estate In resisting the aggression
pf desPoic power when claim that inc Reyoqu9n was
nativity, like the explorer OF the Nile who searches or as
n end 40 sou source Tsoes lar eSIe s S % an almost
bile wilderness must look beyond the events Of the
pur fathers Of which they the legitimate develop
ment and growth The Revolution not the infancy,
but the manhood Of the Republic, ana the assG-
citation formed for self-govemment IN the cabin
of the May1Ower as necessarily involved the
The child is followed by his freedom from parental
restraint when be has reached the mature years OF man
Like the lfegvng stream. which starting from the root
flows on through the unseen channels OF trunk ana
branch betrayng its existence unless brought to
Iecs flower and fruit Of the full tree, the sen
Mn 2 eG h1gSi f6S hon e eGnpac Of
popular thought only revealing us p!esenGe uhdef the
attacks aud ucnaees OF despotic Lanus unt ptsI on
the gaze OF the world III The perennial bloom OF national
All honor then TO the founders o the Republic. Let
cot leaf in their laurel fade Wth the hought that they
were Of the magnitude ~ the structure to be
slows its honC1s with lavish hand al its beneacor
though the work they began has been finished by other
The grandeur and pcrpetu'ty OF ther work. II
they had not designed the establishment OF
life In the wilderness aud is privations were
ered in yain for in Holland they had found tiat
sought ia cOmprehended the character of the sruc-
t1r 20 be bnit or they would no, have laid fOunda-
tOns so broad and deep. A permanent free State was
the enl and Of then lab0rsa state permanent
that Their Governor became its historian, and free
fhat even ROGER Williams separated from them in cOnse
quenCe Of tier tOleratOn Nowhere u the records OF
our race can be found thorough history Of co!On
PATTON au in the pages OF Bradford which he wrote
be SAID that the children OF the Pilgrims might see
witt what difficulties their fathers wrested in going
through the ese things Eeir beginnings, and how
God brought them along, n0tWh andne al thelr weak
ness amt nfInltes" OF those 10l men and women and
children dropped OF the thought aud memory OF
men old world and landed in tic wilderness of the
pew every individual is accounted for and has distinct
aud positive record. permanent tree state was the
structure whose foundations they laying, and with
ana dabeTatOn they performed the work al
lOtted 20 them 20 DO leaving 10 others its gradual deVe
opmeLt and perfect eOnsumnation.
All honor also that ilustriOus line Of lberty0ying
men who through generation after gcnerauon watched
and Watcrcd t their fathers planted and without
whose care ana culture would have Tithered and ded
The Revolution became possible as the result OF then
faithful aud persistent effort, and even with its sue
Cessfu issue the permanent establishment OF
republican institutions in our land depended on
tho lessons they had learned through years of
The efforts which have Witnessed on the cont
ncnt OF Europe in behalf Of popular rights have been
futile in cOusegU nee Of the undue haste Of popular
leaders 10 b. republicans In name before they are re
pubcans In spirit Cur hopes are small OF TIE erec-
lion Oi a tine republic foundations from which by
revolutionary action the structure or despotsn has
been suddenly OyerthrOwn. As weA may we eX-
,pect the trees Of Tire forest 10 shake from Their
bloom before the airs Of spring have drawn nom then
gai 20 pay due homage the memory Of those noble
men who under the leadership OF Burke and Chatham
stood az the foot Cf the throne, aud with farseeus
statesmansp protested in words OF burning elOquence
against the blows which mcnaced Our freedom Al.
honor too in the year opening while we celebrate
the hndredh anniversary OF assured Independence,
Immortal nOnOr the patriots Of the Revolution, who,
under the flag OF battle, reared INTO noble manhood
this majestic Republic, into which the fathers OF Newn-
gland trials and suherlngs, first bgeathed the warm
breath of life