Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1876-07-13
CENTENNIAL DAY
At Lancaster, July 4th, 1876.
GRAFTON BY HON. ]. T. MILLS
Speech of Hon. J. w. Seaton,
President Of the Day.

Hon. J. w. Seaton, of Potosi, apor
being introduced to the assembly
spoke as follows:
We have assembled this day for no
ordinary occasion. We are not here
to endorse and ratify the action of the
great contending political parties Of
the Nation that claim at once our
homage and our suffrage for the
chieftains whom they have chosen
to lead us to victory in the great
political strife. We are not here TO
give utterance to words of pleasure
to the ear, and broken to the promise,
in favor of some grand scheme OF
National ACKNOWLEDGMENT. We well
come not to our midst the hero of q
hundred battles" returning from the
CORY field with his frightening train
of spoils and trophies. No We
have performed our additions, and
come according to the custom of our
fathers TO celebrate the Centennial
of American Freedom.
The designs of men often take O
wider scope in their accomplishment
than the most ardent could have an
ticipatcd in the beginning. When
the infant colonies began resistance
to the encroachment OF British power,
they little dreamed OF the mighty
forces they were marshaling into
action. James Otis, with an elegance
that has never been surpassed, in old
Fanieul Hall, denied the right of
search to the crown officers in the
in the humble dwellings of the col
onists for contraband goods. Patrick
Henry, a beardless youth from the
back woods of Virginia, amid the
SCOTS and jeers of the surpliced and
well fed priests of the English church
plead the cause of the impoverished
parishoner against the exorbitant to-
bacco tax of the church, but they
dreamed not of independence. His
tory informs us that on tho 18th day OF
June, 1870, Richard Henry Lee, then
member of Continental Congress
from Virginia, solemly arose in
his seat and moved that these colon.
les are, and of right ought to be, free
and independent states. An altar TO
freedom had already been built in the
hearts of our exasperated people.
The sacrifice had already been pre-
pared, and the time came when the
high priests should kindle the sacred
fire. Thomas Jefferson, of Virginia,
Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania
John Adams, of Massachusetts,
Roger Sherman, of Connecticut, and
Robert r. Livingston, of New York
were appointed committee, to draft
a declaration of rights and griey'
| ances. That duty devolved upor
Thomas Jefferson, and, as if inspired
by the Divine inHatus, he gave word:
| and thoughts to mankind, that have
secured both to immortality. If we
except the Christian era, no day II
the calendar of time can approach in
| the magnitude of its influence upon
the destinies Of the human race, the
4th of July, 1870. We are told the
eager crowd thronged the streets Of
Philadelphia awaiting the cnlmina
ton Of the great event. The old bel
ringer had taken his place in the
bellry; his boy was stationed below
ready to make known thevery moment
when John Hancock, the president.
should announce its final adoption
Charles Carol, had added sof Carol
ton to his name that the minions ofpow
err might not be mistaken in their vic
| tim; the ink from the trembling per
of old Stephen Hopkins was not YET
dry upon the parchment, when the
boy shouted-"ring, father, ring J
The old bell chimed the glad tiding'
and the throng without took up tb'
mighty chorus and made the welkir
ring. The populace were wild will
excitement. A new government hac
taken its place among the nations o
the earth, a new era had come, a new
life on the shores of time had beer
ushered in and it was almight!
hailed The bells peeled forth the
vote of liberty, bontres Illuminated
the darkened heavens, and the lie
public-now of hundred years, thel
of new and polished steel and burn
ished brass and decked with garland
of amaranth-with its head light
peering into the surrounding obscur
| ity, sped forth upon its high and no
Bile mission.
1t is not my province to pursue thi
theme. Another, and an ADLER speake
will tell you in fitting language, thu
grand old story of the American
| Revolution-this living well-sprin!
of inspiration to the poet and orator
| He will point out the rise and pro
grsss of our glorious institutions
| But TO him who shall succeed me, AM
10 those who shall listen, | give it Il
charge, as your president this da
upon every return of this Nations
anniversary, for all coming time
rally around the Star Spangled Ban
ner, cling to the constitution OF you
| country. initiate the heroism and de