, 1876-07-04

hRt bo the offer, We repent what VIC eaid
1t ought to be accepted.
..-------" -.--.---"--
THE PRESENT DUTY. Il
It Is not out Of time on this Centennial
anniversary Of the national birth. whilc
RlorifyinR the wonderful progress made
since thu memorable declaration was pro.
claimed III Philadelphia ono hundred yonra
ago, to nsk ourselves If wo have not lost
giyon to US by tho fathers, and
whether we should not sock to rcgain It.
During tho intervening century wo hnve
passed through four wars: the Revolution,
the second war with Great Britain, the Mex
loan War, and tho war Of 18Gl-'5. We haso
oot through with great wara. We hive ex-
hausted even wlatovor causes there may
l,avo existed for civii atrifo. We have ex-
tinpuished sco.ioualis1n We have ceased to |
be nation Of States and communities; we
layo become homogeneous people, having
q common interest and common destiny.
Tho romotest districts arc now inscparably
bound together by the countless ties OF trade
aud commerce, by social rotations, md by
common national interest," It will be impos-
siblo ovor again to divido the American peo-
plo by geographical lines or by sectional ILL.,
slitntions, so that great danger hes been
overcome oven by tic cost Of torrihlo civil
war. We hive survived oil occasion for for
oiCn wars. There IL nothing that IL likely to
occur in o1r relations with European Gov
crn1ncnts that can lead 10 war. Ihoro can
be 10 possible disagreements betwoan tho
United Statos md foreign Governments
that may not bo settled by
diplomacy or by an appenl to tho courts. We
enter, therefore, upon the second century OF
ths national life with m established policy Of
peaco. Fully abio to resist all expressions,
haying no interest in making aggrcssions
upon others, war becomes a possibility 60 re.
moto ns to be excluded from tho national
rcrils A hundred :ycarB ngo, tho handful OF
| people scattered along tho Atlantic coast
proclaimed their Independence whilo tho
land was swarming with hostile soldfery.
How changed tho conditionl long war WAS
before them, aud, even when their indopcnd.
enco was acknowledged, their condition was
almost hopeless ono. Without money, and
without credit, without o Government, and
without national authority, they began the
great !. Experiment" Thoy woro weak In
all Tho material powers of nationality. They
wero without trado aud commerce, wero with
out manufactures, and produced barely snfsi
c;opt to meet tho ordinnry wants Of life
These people were weak whora we aro strong
but they wcre strong whero We orc weak
The war through which they had passed wa
ono of sacrifice. It wns soason Of suffering
and priyationH. It was not contractors
war. There w0s no fortunes madc
by selling to tho army; there wa
no sudden increase Of wealth, n
audden departure from poverty and rugs t
eilks aud diamonds. Tho war, though lon
and e1haustina, had not the usual demoraliz
inn effects of wars; It did not corrupt til
personal integrity Of tho people; it did nc
weaken tleir personal morals; 1t did nc
erect wealth as tho standard of honor m
respect; It did not bogot a univoraai dosi,
to uot rich without reference to the mean
nor cultivate the sentiment that 1t were bettt
10 bo rich, oven if covered with crime, thu
:, moor and Obliged to labor. Tho war throug
which these men Of 100 years ago struggle
:. md successfully emerged did not breed
contempt for lnbor, nor did it loayo mon at
- women educated, by. the owl example
others, to abandon honest toll. sober i
:, dustry, and slow thrift, to sock tho moans
,1 riotous and luxurious living and taWdry di
- play, without caring whether these mea
vcre honest and virtuous or criminal and 4
l., erndotl Tint var was not followed by
- general relaxation Of NIL the innate feolin
- NJ