The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1876-07-14

REV. MIR. WYsoNa's Address. The adj
dress of Rev. II. T. Wysong, at the Fourth
of July celebration at Rock View was well
written and interesting production, admira-
bly, suited to the occasion and the audience.
Want of space prevents us from publishing
it entire, but the following is an extract
thcrclrom:
cit was not without anxiety and forcbod.
ihgs OF possible failure that our fathers Ell
Tered upon the experiment of q republican
form of government. 1t was new and
almost unlracked ocean upon which thnv
launched their ship of state, and percbance
it might be wrecked on some hidden rock,
or cnguled by some trcacherous whirlpool'
oihers had failed in the experiment and so
might they: And there were not wanting
those who from CONVICTION Of the inapplica.
billty and unfitness of republican institu.
lions to society rs then existing, or yLo
prompted by feelings of envy and hate. nrc
dictcd the speedy and utter failure of The OK.
pertinent Our weakness, they said, wonld
lnVEc The aggression of powerful foes, or we
would be torn by internal disscnsions. For
eign wars have been the history ofall nations,
end none have been exempt from intestine
commollons In these respects we have
10 come forth from each contest stronger
The seyerest strain upon our institutions
and that which taxed to the very utmost the
power and resources of the government was
our late unhappy strife. From that conflict,
so greatly dcplorcd by every lover of his
country, the nation has emerged TO enter on
career OF increased prosperity. In this al
fusion to our recent conflict | shall not he
unders' Dod as speaking in the spirit of par
tlzanship, or as deciding upon the merits of
that controycrsy-old rs the government il.
self-whicl eliminated in secession and war
Nor shall in this reference be underst god
TO lack appreciation of the motives which
led SO many States of the Union to seek to
dissolve the bonds that had so long hon
ored and protected them. Nor do | fail TO
admire the bravery and spirit of self sacrifice
that characterized the people of the South
And OF this am confident that the names of
Lee and Jackson will not only be ombalmel
IN the hearts OF tho people of the section with
whom They identified their interests and for
whose supposed welfare they impcrilled for.
tune and life, but that the heart of the whole
American people will ever beat responsive
to the high instincts and lofty motives which
prompted the course they pursued And the
people OF The South, approaching the equally
high motives and noble purposes of their
brethren OF The North, will not only forget,
as the years pass on, the cnmilies cngendercd
by the strife, but also learn TO believe that
the issue which they deemed so unfortunate
for themselves and the cause of liberty
throughout the world was "a blessing in dis
guise.'
"Be this as it may, upon this centennial
day we recognize common country and a
common authority, and standing shoulder to
shoulder, as did our fathers, have il i'm orr
hearts to live or die for the land we love
We all feel as did Key when prisoner on
board British ship in the barbor of Balti
more during the war Of 1879, the inspira.
ton of tho sullmcst patriotism, and sing as
he sang on that dark and stormy night
The Star Spangled Banncrl Long NAV il
wave
Over the land of the free, and the home of the
bravcp"