Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1875-11-19
The Lecture, Last Evening,

The winter Lecture course Oi the Dung
Mems Association opened Tuesday p III. will
lecture by Carl Schurz, under exception
ceedingly Indictment character of the wea
Their, the body of the house was filled with
an intelligent. cultivated and appreciatiye
audience, and large number. unable to OBJ.
tain seats on the floor. occupied the CALLER
les.
Centennial Thoughts was the title Of
Mr.. Schurz's lecture. and it was delivered
last night for the first time. Such being
the case it wa. not, naturally. perfectly
memorized, and there were hesitatons, at
times. that somewhat injured the effect OF
Schurz hal an attack If illness. during the
day, from which he had not fully recovered
and on account of which he asked the indul-
| geace Of his auditors Blu. the lecture it.
! self was Of sterling character. Delivered
with none OF the orator 5 tricks,I commend
| ed itself to the attention Of the audience by
its common sense, its patriotism its hatred
| of shams and its truthfulness. The speaker
was frequently intercepted by hearty APP
| plause, and we are sure that in the estima-
tion Of his hearers he more than sustained
his exalted reputation The following i All
| abstract Of the lecture:
centennial THOUGHTS.
/ Many have been led by the title of my
lecture to expect from me something in the
nature of Fourth of July Grafton but
intend to speak of serious things. in seri
Gus manner; for | am one Of those who aim
only to speak the truth and by 50 doing
to do good In few months we
will celebrate the one hundredth birthday
of our country. We will have great things
to show on that occasiou-a great continent,
but a hundred years ago wilderness now
teemiug with life and activity ; the highest
and mos. periect forms Of machinery and
the products Of useful industries and
mines OF iron. coal, silver and stone. We
can carry our guests in railway cars from
ocean /, ocean, and show them the almost
countless cities, towns aud Villages, the
Product OF one poor century. But VII!
these displays satisfy us Do these things
represent the tall and perfect Development
OF American lllC " Z IIuNt tAIlHAL lut
fruits Of the -elt-goyernmont Of free PEG
pie We should be able to say one hua-
drqd years ago our fathers established this
Republic see how We have improved in
the wisdom and purity that 10 former days
made our country the guiding star for all
nations. This troubles many and causes
them to think of the things we shall wish
10 conceal.
We d. not approach the Centennial with
feeling OF exultation. The American
eagle, winch is additionally supposed t.
dip one wing in the Atlantic ocean, the
other in the Pacific, while II drinks from
the Gulf Of Mexico and touches the Moth
Pole with its tail. will not soar a OF yore
The popular heart can no longer be fired
with the spread eagle oratory once 81 much
n vogue The Centennial year finds the
American people sober. The experience OF
,he last decade makes u feel uncomfortable,
ami We feel that at she Centennial ceietrA
tion We may show more than We wish.
invite You t. look back to the tune
when The thirteen colonies dissolved their
allegiance to the King. The country then
had but few people, and they were ytr1
poor. Their contest with England was a.
il mere boy should challenge a giant Bat
after seven years Of peril and despoulency
and prlvau0n they gained the final triumph
aud gave the country a national govern
ment. People then were human AMI had
their rai-lec.l 4. and ovI!-loer-. Bat Look at
the government thew set up They set at
tie heed the modest and best aud wi-e,t
n,fu P.ln, Mace was the highest ambi-
ton .r :h. iaAGt service Wa pcrvaded
with ,be LIl.t spirit. Thus the Ameri-
can gor,rum,t. wA- the true representa-
tive Of the best thoughts. the no6lest viz
tpe- and the highest purity Of the Ameri-
ear people Now. hundred years later in
the midst of immense materla! prosperity.
with great population. with wealth and
power enough - place Us in the very front
rank Of the nations of the world, where j.
the prestige of the example of the father, p
Where Is The moral leadership once recoc-
nizsa hy ALP Il Is lost. We have sunk
morally. InWe'c5me As the fac: Is. We
mn.t lac, II.
The cause may be f,und n two things
the growth Of corruption and the le-
cline of sn,eemanshlp. The growth OF
corruption needs 10 demonstration IL Is
sufh,iqnty indicated by the fact that the
term christian statesman" has become 3
term If reproach that a cabinet officer
leay ing hi. positiou. "upder fire. needs
recommendation ior honesty from his -ape-
nor and that the organization OF ring,
bay,ng Nb3,e- ale UlunIer for Their object
has become a scientific uccupauon. some
time AGO p cabinet officer wa appointed
who seemed ~5mewhar deficient ia
some desirable qualification for the
Office and he found hi. cniet praise
in the ststeneu; hv hl, trieni- that he
Wa personally honest and rich enough
I, be- ah,ye stealing Think Of snch
a state of affairs under Washington or JET
NOT +, ate,l wa s. hiyh political yirtue
P.litIcal neT.i-m now consist. In hunting
thieves emoro marry friends and recovering
Stolen money And in the latter respect
the two preat political parties are having
n lively compe;ition. one being at latest
date 800 600 ahead What Eas Income
of the olt feeling. when A man in hubble
nlare onarlet IN. own honor more Jealous
10 r,r rba honor of ms rouutry2 How prond
,Soul5 W. ~, r,nId We exhibit tins al the
Centennial The element OF CORRUPTION has
eaten in SD d.e3,y that honest men shrink
from attackio, If reyarJing il A. homeless
Ao1n,,, ,. T., ne decline in et,tesmsn-
hin Arc ,nr nsonle loss INTELLIGENT or
have "a, ls.. riueqtei well-trained talent
tL,oa brndrst vaarsag,g Certainly nor
K,rthel nstre las faded in H.. atmini.trs-
ti,, n,bli. affair, and in the science and
nr,ctire of Government State.men de-
trade themselves :, mer. noIitirians and
-. host mn Desert tn, nuh,ie pmnlovment
for more conoen,al pur.uits in the h5nora-
blr ,ealks at private life. BIT # our moral
greatness hss irretrievallv declin,i We ,.4n
VI lea.t .hnw At The Centsnnial a peopls At
r.mntine IA remedy their detects aod mi
tate the fathers " no lett a Government the
sdmirstian OF mankind.
y.,.,.-.