The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-07-08

the Ouawa Band, alter which Rev. L. j.
| Valentine Offered prayer The Declaration
| of Independence was then read by Charles
Blanchard, ESQ and for once IL WAS listened
to and some OF IT'S bet passages eerec.
The reaoIng was followed by music ny
the Morris Band, after which Mayor Lynch
President of the day, made the following so'
dress of welcome:
The citizens Of Ottawa desire, throus me, 10 pidh
q most cordial and hearty welcome 10 lhe citl'
zens Of other cities and towns VINO nave come 10
join us in celebrating the foufih OF ouly, 1910
the Centennial of our National independence.
We unite with YOU In thought aid in spirit, and
thus united, our hearts overfowing with patri:
otto enthusiasm, we will together celebrate and
rejoice, while exclaiming, GLORY to God. glory 10
Washington, glory to Jefferson, glory 70 Maai;
son glory TO all the patriots, men and women, OF
1776 who, through their toll and blood, secured
for MS not only an unbounded national territory
but the best government on the face OF the earth
And thus, while celebrating and rejoicing
we will not forget our obligations TO the noble
soldiers, who, in after years, fought bled and
died to perpctuate the gift OF our fathers. There
| are men who move their heads omnously, and
doubt the perpetuity OF our government; buf
fellow citizens, there is no more fear OF the stars
on that flag becoming less, than there Is OF the
stars of heaven becoming less. On the contrary
as the irresistible roll OF time is sure to contln
ne to bring from the depths Of eternal space the
| light of new stars TO be added 10 the heavenly
consultations, so surely will 1t continue 10 add
new stars to our flag, until every foot OF terri
tory on the American continent is embodied in
| the United States OF America.
hIr. Weldon began Ills adore at 1910,
ard occupied an honr in the delivery. The
attention during the whole tme was undl.
yided, and the speaker WAS repeatedly ap.
| plaude6, ana NJ the close three rouslng
| cheers were given him With hearty good
| vii. The following is an abstract 81 the
| Grafton We regret that we cannot give
| II ~ fu'l:
! Man in his individual and aggregate capacity,
| In all forms OF existence, from the highest CIV
| ilization to the rudest barbarism has certain
great epochs to mark his journey along the
| highway OF time. One hundred years ago the
| existence OF nation was developing, the pro-
| gress, grandeur and greatness OF which has no
| parallel in the history Of the race. The day
! we celebrate Is memorable In the annals OF
time Us the anniversary OF the most splendid
system of civil and religious liberty yet con.
| cciyed by the genius OF man or blessed oY the
mercy OF God. As we meet this day 10 ceie.
| brate with appropriate ceremony this centen.
NAL of American independence, We may well
exclaim, "The lines have fallen to US In pleas.
| ant places; Iyea, we have Soodly heritage
The government established by the fathers has
| no favorites-no royal partakers OF lis bless
| lngs. us DuTueIs dUu ITO lhNois bh az
alike. Our liberty is not alone the result Of sa-
gacity manifested in early craftsmanship, or
| human bravery exhibited in revolutionary he
roism. The physical formation OF our country
was well calculated TO suggest the truths TO
which the revolution directed the attention
of the world. Its fertile plains, beautiful riv-
ers and majestic mountains, all minging in
| the beauty OF harmony, were well adapted to
suggest the out lines OF government as 1t was
foreshadowed in the declaration, and more fully
established in the Constitution OF the I. :. AS
| the poet CLEANS HE brightest thoughts from the
lofty moods Of nature, so too has American
states manship been inspired by the phsyical
splendors OF our country. The mountains and
the meadows, the coasts and the crags, the
plain and the prairie, joined hands with your
| fathers in the solemn asseveration that" all
men are created equal" The works OF nature
and of man joined in the unison Of opposition
TO the dominion OF England Every corn field
was a rebel against oppression, and every
smokes tack was monument TO freedom. An
isle of the sea, though its commerce was fam
ed Nv every breeze its literature read by ev-
cry scholar, and its laws the pride and boast OF
the worlds civilization, was not TO hold in
slavery a western world abounding in all that
was 10 make nation great at home and re-
spected abroad. The triumph which We now
celebrate was a triumph Of men, inspired by
! love Of lberty-a liberty recognizing the right
to pursue individual happiness In and under
government deriving its just powers from
the consent Of the governed. MI. w, after
quoting the words Of John Adams as TO the
observance OF the day on which the declara-
ton was passed. said: What q splendid full
tllment of that prophecy is made throughout
the length aud breadth OF this broadlandl In
crowded street and on far reaching plain, from
! ocean to ocean, from the lakes TO the gull, and
| upon every sea wherever the sun lights the flag
OF our freedom, there is the proud conscious.
ness and pstriotic Joy inspired by this centen.
NAL of American liberty. Standing as we do
century removed from that prediction, sur.
rounded by the accumulation OF one hundred
years rich In the grandest achievements of the
| world in gratitude let us say, GOD bless the
memory of the man who had the forecast to see
and the boldness to proclaim such results"
Mr.. W. then gave brief history Of some OF
the events which preceded and happened dur
ing the revolution. In the struggle were en-.
gagged statesmen who would have honored
Westminster Hall, heroes who would have
graeed the chiyalry OF any age, and philosoph.
ers whose learning has lighted the pathway Of
the scholar in every land
II was not a contest between the roundhead
and the cavalier for popular rights or legitimate
succession; not struggle between the Saxon
aud the Norman, TO test their superiority in
war; it was not the thunGers OF the Vatican or
the voice of the Reformation; but 1t was the
promiscuous yet harmonious union OF the
whole, that In this country civil and religious
liberty might be the common lot Of all.
Mr. W. thus briefly narratated the event at
the close OF the war, and the formation Of the
constitution, and remarked that it was at this
juncture that Washington shone In all the out
lines of his splendid character But liberty,
union and national prosperity are not to be
preserved by the glorifcaton of the past. II
is proper that on this Centennial occasion, as it
comes with Its hallowed memories, its richness
OF historical Interest, that we should indulge
in pleasant recollcctions of what the fathers
had done; but the great question is, what will
ne do in the guardianship Of the freedom trans
mitted to u.s.
As 4 nation, We are still in the infancy of
undevelOped resources. Our effort TO make
universal suffrage the basis Of law and polti-
cal action IS yet an experiment. 1--WE may have
grown us the lily, but not cast forth our roots
as Lebanon" The grand idea OF our system is
cqualty-an equal and a fair chance for all is
the crowning glory OF our institutions. Our
freedom lifts man into higher regions of hope
purpose and humanity II spreads around
him opportunities and stimulates him in the
cultivation Of the higher qualities OF his being.
| However humble may be his position, his right