New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-07-05
WHIT THE AGE OWES 70 AMERICA.
TIE HON. WILLIAM NJ. EyAITS AT PHIL.
ADLLPllIA.

The event which to-day we commemorate
supplies its own reflections and enthusiasm and brings
a, OWN piJdts Tucy U not IT a hang ON tie voice OF
tnc speaker nor 90 they greatly depend upon the con
facts and lssJggiUns oi tue place. The Declaration Of
American Independence wa,. when occurred capital
Transaction in human a1ls; rs such It has Kept It's
place In history; as such il viii maintain itself while
human interest la human Institutions shall endure. The
scene aud r their profound impression u1On
the world at the time ever sine, have owed nothing
to dramatic effects. nothing t. rpIcl cXaegcraons. To
The eye there nothing wonderful vast or splendid,
or ~. hetc I'm the movement or The di.pa". ihagHa-
ton or art can give -cu,ibc grace or decoration 20 the
prrsous the place. the performance, which made mp
the business of tIt day. The worth and force at be-
long t. the agents aud tie action rest wholly THE Wis
DOM the courage, and the faith that formed AMI exc
cutrd the great ds IN, ana he potency and ucmanCnrc
o. its opera upCn nc aGss OF tie world which. as,
forcscrn aud legitimate consequences. followed. The
dignity 1T the act Is the deliberate ccumsYcc OPEN,
and serene performance by these men IN the
clear light OF day and by conturren. purpose
Of civic duty, which embraced Gle greatest
hazards to IL, m-ciyvs and To all the people
from whom ,hcy held TINS d,putod discretion but which.
to their sober Judgments, promised benons 10 That
people and tlcir puscuty, ON -cucwtonto generation,
exceeding h.sr hazad and commensurate with is own
fitness. The question o. their conduct il b De measured
by The actual weight aud pressure ~ tie manifold con-
,derrl,ns which surrounded the subject before them,
and los tue abundant evidence that they cOmpreheuded
their yasness aud variety. by voluntary and RESPONSE
hc choice tacy willod do what done, ana what
without their win would MT have been done. Thus
estimated TIE usrious act covers al who participated
i'm il with s TenOWn, and makes them forever con
spicuous among men, 1t IS forever famous among
events And titus the sluers OF The Declaration ~ our
Independence, "wrHte their names where all nations
shoud behold them, and az time should not cHtce them
fl was "in the OF human eyonts' iutrusted 10
them 10 determine whether the tut aess Of time had
come When a nation should be born In a day. They
declared the ndep, ndence of new nation In tho sense
in which men declare emancipation or dccalIe war; The
declaration created what declared.
Famous always, among men are the founders Of
States and fortunate above al Others IN such fame
thrsc oar fathers whose combined wisdom ard courage
began the great structure OF national existence and
laid cure the foundations of liberty and justice on which
a rests Fortunate, first. in the tearness Of their tide
and in the worlds acceptance OF their rghiim claim
Fortunate next, in the enduring magnitude Of tie STATE
they founded and tie benelcence of IL protection of the
yasi interests OF human Lille and happiness which nave
here had their home. Fortunate again. In the admirinl
imitation Of their work. which the Institutions OF the
most powerful and most advanced nations more anc
more exhibit and last OF ALL fortunate In the full demon
straon Of our later time that their work IL adequate