The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-07-05
The Irving Hall Celebration.

Tho Irving Hall Celebration.
Irving Hall was very tastefully deco
rated yesterday for the exercises Of the New
York Democratic County Committee In celebra-
tlon Of the Centennial anniversary. National
flags depended from the ceiling were festooned
along the gallery rails and around the chande-
liers, aud an eagle With outstretched wings and
bearing In Its talons the armorial crossed hags
swung as In mid air In the centre OF the hall.
The assent blage was called to order by Emman-
uel II. Hsrt, Esq, who named Judge Henry A.
Giidersleeve for Chairman, and read the follow
ing names Of Vice-Prsslderts: Oswald Often
dorfer, John NJ. Barbour, Charles +. Sanford,
Andrew IL. Green. Charles Crary, Sylvauus
Halght, Bryan Reilly, John Monks. Michael Hal
pin. Jr., John 5. Busslns, Henry Murray, Timothy
Shea aud John o. roole. MIR. Hart introduced
Judge Gilder.lecve, and his honor said;
FELLOW CITIZENS: We are gathered here to-
day from every qu rtcr Of this great metropolis,
imbued with a common purpose and actuated
by common motive, which every individual
straining to hear, and our minds are eager 20
receive the words Of gratitude and patriotism
aud liberty, the themes to-day OF forty millions
OF freemen. Our hearts are swelling to greet
these sentiments, and with shouts OF applause
to watt them on until they ecno amid the white M
hills OF the East and the mountains Of the Far
West, or die away on the placid gulf OF the
South.
one hundred years Of liberty and union. Not
every year enc Of peace and quiet; but II main
tained sometimes by battle ani blood, so much
the richer and deareri Shail We not be pardoned
In TINS dsy for manifestations OF pride over the
success of the repubicf
The history of the world shows that the pc y
pie OF every nation possess instncuvey pride
and love of country. aud are not We justly proud
VI our country. VINO can point to more pro
century than have been vouchsafed to any other
| nation Ia IA decade of centuriesf
The loyS o. sou9try lime sa1sot sHaes I'm, I'm
Nor adverse fame nor iortune e'er deiace lt,
Who would not be an American citizen and
| proudly claim home in the United states. II
| has home, bread, and rdimeDt for the family
under Whist sky his ewes first saw the light Of
DAY, or oy what language he would ne heard.
| Our lands are broad and free to all. The latch
| string Of the door that opens 10 Uncle sam
| domains hangs ever ON the outside. and r
| emierants are always welcome within our oo.d
der-. We try to-day 10 show our gratitude to the
| noble men who secured our Independence and
| laid the foundations Of our property. What a
| pleasant task but on how uinicult to httingiy
perform. We nave no memory rich with thank-
| fulnes, that is not theirs! We have no prsls .
rich with reverence that Is not theirs! The
triots no legislative hall ever held wiser states
men. Our liberty Is the fruit OF their labor and
sacrifice. At the n ention OF toe name OF the
| hum biest OF their numbers we now bow In hum
| ble ad doratio and tn nksgiving.
| NAV this warm affection never cool In the
hearts OF the American people. May we never
| tire IN studying the early history OF our repuo.
| lie, and the characters ana lives OF the great
men VINO forged for ia SO strong and well the
pillars OF liberty ana equality.
| They are tue boasted strength OF our Govern
ment and envy OF the other nations OF the world
| The past Is a sure and safe guide by which u
| build hereafter Our history assures us OF a
bright and lasting future. II we but adhere Arm
| ly 10 the sheet chor OF our safety tue Consti-
tuition OF the United states. ana In harmonious
accord remain loyal to our country's ~, em-
bem OF liberty.
Flag of the free hearts hope and home.
And when thrones shall have crumbed int
dust. when scepters and di ,dems shall hay'
shall shall .ti n' wave en- and its stars its stripes' il
eagle, shall still noat IN prize and strensth anI
or polluted nor a single star obscured.
Judge Giiuersleeve was thrice cheered at thu
conclusion OF his remarks.
gled Banner his powerful and melodious bari
tone voice evokins Continued applause and al
The Declaration OF Independence was read bl
| James D. McCleiland. Esq. Recretting letter
from Fernando Wood, Senator W 'lam plnskne
Richard Llther, Clarkson n. Potter, Ehiai
Ward, and Daniel Bait, were read by Denn'
! Judge tiildersleeve introduced the Hon. Rich
ard OGormau the orator Of the dAy. Mr.. O'Gor
man was received with cheers He said:
RICHARD o'0oRMASs GRAFTON.
| esteem myself much honored, citizens
IN being allowed to participate In your festivl
TO-DAY. l know that there Ia no need Of IN
speaking to you. know well that what at
able 10 say can add little or nothing to the grac
and splendor OF this occasion.
II seems to me, citizens, as II to-day wer
not like other days. Mel's voices have In them
more genital. a more hearty ring: mems look
are more cheerful and friendly. thousan
banners noat upon the breeze. From thousan
church steeples the chimes ring out their mel
ody on the throbbing air. In a thousand statel'
houses Of PRAYER anthems peal aud hymns o
pr ise os,end 10 heaven. These are the voices O
the great city, the signs apo symbols by which
strives to give utierance to the sentiments G
IHde, praise. ana exultation with which 1,
million hearts Sre Iubilant to-day.
And In all thi, tumult this tempest OF enthu
siaam, there Is neither snectation, nor exaggera
tion, nor excess. For the event we celebrate 1
a great oyent-great a hundred years ago. gres
to-day aud TO be great and memorable In tn
time to come, when you and shall all hay
uas ed away and the memory OF us shall hay
persned from the earth.
In other countries have seen national fest
walls splendllly Kept. They know well the ylTtu
of preserving a nations traditions and alvin
Its present, AZ fsr a. may be, with Whatever G
pride and honor belong To Its past. Aud ye
the events they COMMUNICATED we're ~ merel
local interest, and awakened but un tied an
partial sympatnes, some nard-fought battle
won. some enemy's city taken and sacked, SON
smiling Lana made desohte, some b. stile rae
snbdued. But such achievements triumphant
que cd only memories Of defeat and agony an
NUM- intiOn, what was a holiday TO one people
was a day ~ woe and mourning 90 another.
In tins day we celebrate there Is, thank God
no sorfow-OVer its clear SKY comes no cloud
It's memories are undimmel Dy a single teaI
There IL no man OF hng race or creed or natiO
or color under the sun who, looking back on tn
deed done mere Ia America hundred years axe
Can truly say that II wrought wrong or III To hiT
or his-nO man who can DENY that II was we
done, and deed wise and beneficial to all man
Kind.
! You have all read the Declaration OF Indt
pendence you have II by heart YOU have h. Ear
IL read TODAY. A hundred years ago II was
new revelation, startling with now terror, King
on their thrones, and bidding serfs in hclr pop
nuts arse and take heart, aud look up wit
new nope Of deliyeranor. IL assere ed mat IA
men, Kings and pe SAINTS, master ana servant
rich ana poor, were born equal, WITH equi
Ilghts, inbeTitOrs Of equal cain 70 prOtectlo
from the iw THAT gOyernnents derlyeu tnel
Just bowers, not from conquest or furc >, Du
| from the consent ~ the governed, and existe
| only for their irOtectlOn aud 10 make tnci
| happy. Tnb.e were the truths eternal. but ION
unspOken; truths that tow dared to ute
which Providence ordained, should be reveaie
here In AmeTioi, t. 10 the poll tlca creed oi IN
peoples all over the earth. Like trumpet blas
| blown IN tho night II pealed through the dar
abodes Of misery and aroused men 10 thouRi
and hope and action.
Ffanoe caught ths sound and awOke aud tor
OF the tattered traDplnIs from feudalisin' an