New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-07-05
HONOR TO THE SIGNERS.
THE HON. ROBERT c. WINTHROP AT BOSTON.
l.


THE HON. ROBERT C. WINTHROP AT BOSTON.
l.
Again and again, Mr.. Mayor and FellOw-Cit-
izs In ears gone by considerations Circumstances
OF some SORT public private know not what-haye
prevented my acceptance OF most kind and catering IN
vaiOus deliver the Grafton IN this my native city Oh
tie Fourth OF July on OF those occasions, long
long ago. am said to have playfully replied 10 the
Mayor of that period, that, il lived 10 witness this Cen
ternal anniversary. would not refuse any service
which might I've required of me- That pledge has been
recalled by Others II not remembered by myself and by
the grace Of God am here to-day to fulfil It. have
come at last In obedience to your call 10 add my name
to the distinguished rpl of those who have dscha sed
tits service in unbroke succession since the year 1888,
when the date OF glorious act Of patriots was subs-
tuted for OF dastrdy deed of hreincs-tho 4th
of july for the 9th Of March-as day Of annual cee-
grafton by the people Of Boston.
In rising to redeem the promise thus inconsdcr2tely
given. may be rardoncd for not forgetting NJ the out
set who presided the Executive Council OF Massa
,husetts when the Declaration, which has Just been
cad first formally and soemnly proclaimed 10 the
people from the balcony Of y0nder Old State House on
the 18th OF July, 1776 and whose privilege il was,
amid the sbounSs of the assembled multitude the rrg-
g bells sautes Of the surrounding forts, ard
the firing of Is volleys from IS successive divisions OF
the Continental regiments drawn up" IN correspondence
with the number of the American States United" to in
woke Stability and Perpetuity To American independ-
enee God American states!
That invocation not in vain. That wish, that
prayer has been gracously granted. We here ths
day 10 thank God We do thank God FOR It with 81
hearts, AMI ascrbe TO Him all the glory. And 1t
would be unnatural II did not feel more han common
saf otion. that the privilege OF giving expression to
your OF JOY aud gratitude at this bo should
have been assigned the eldest living desceDdcpt OF him
by whom that invocation uttered and that prayer
Oreathed MP to heaven.
And IT, indeed, In addition TO this-as you, Mr. Mayor
30 kindly urged In originally inviting meth6 name
bear may in any sOrt linz between the earliest
settlement OF NewEngland. two centuries Snd half
ago. and aud eunnatiOn OF that settlement In this
Centennial epoch American Independence all the less
may be- at liberty to express anything OF he comlc
ton or regret which cannot but sincerely feel that 20
responsible and dffcnlt task had not been Imposed
apon sufficient certainly upon some Younger
Yet what can sayt What any one say, here or
elsewhere to-day which shal either satisfy theeIpeca-
ions of Others or meet his OF the demands Of
such ali occasion For myself certainly, the longer
have cOn,emp ated 1.-THE more deeply have rejected
on i-So much tho hopeless have beeoue OF find
ing myself able give any adequate expression 70 It's
full Significance its real subliInty and grandeur
hundredfold than when John Adams wrote 20 his
wife IL would be forever II occasion FOR shows,
games sports, Guns, bells bonires, and hiuIninauons
from one end of the continent the other OVatons,
rather than oration the order Of such day "a THIS
Emotions like those which ought to fl, and which do
I'LL All orr hearts, call for the swelling tones of multi
tude the cheers OF a mighty crowl and refuse 10 be
uttered by any single human voice. The ssronges;
phrases seem feeble and pOweress the best results OF
historical research have the dryneSs Of cbah and husks
and ths richest flowers of rhetoric the drOWsaess OF
"poppy or mandragora," in presence OF theEsimpest
statement OF the grand contamination we are here 10 cell
ebrate-a century of self-goeernment Completed
hundred wears Of free republican Institutions realized
and rounded Iut! An OF popular liberty continued
aud prolonged from generation to generation, unti To-
day 1t assumes its fun proportions, and asserts IT'S right
fl place among the ages! IL Is theme rom winch al
Everett Choate, Webster might have shrunE
But voices, alas! were hushed hong ago IL Is
theme on which any living or dead might have been
glad to follow the precedent Of those few Incompatible
sentences at Gettysburg the 18th Of November 1865
and forbear from all attempt at extended discourse IL
Is not for me- to copy that unique orsna-nor
yet 10 shelter myself under an example, Wneh shouid
In vain aspire 10 equal
And indeed felow-citzeu. some formal words must
be spoken here to-day-tite, familiar, commonplace
words though they may be-some words Of common
grafton; some words of cong atuat0n; some words or
glory 10 God, and OF acknowledgment To uan; some
grateful bookings back; some hopeful trustfu bookings
forward-these sensible, cannot be spared from our
great assembly on this tennis Day. You would not
pardon me for emitting them. But where shall oe1nf
TO what specific subject shall turn for refuge from the
thousand thoughts which come orowding TO ones MIND
and rushing ones lips, all Jealous OF postponemeht ali
clamorng before our Festival shall Close
and before this Centennial shall setf The single,
simple act which has mace the Fourth of July mem0rs
bic forever-the mere scene Of the DechratoD-wonid
Of itself ard supply ample subject for far more
than the little hour which may dare 10 occupy; and
though has been described hundred times BEFORE IN
hstores and addresses and IN countless magazines and
Journals IL inpe atively demands something more than
a eursory ausCn to-day. and challenges our aten
ton as it never did BEFORE arJ hardly ever can challenge
II again.