Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1876-07-12
The Fourth of July-The Lessons
of the Jubilee Europe Ameri-
canized within the Coming Cen

canized within the Coming Cen
tury.
The 4th of July, 1876, the f,st Cen
tennial of the Declaration of Indepen-
dence, of the American Colonies from
British rule is numbered among the
dates of the past. 1t has passed into
history, where it will become one of the
prominent places for the student of
1876 to stop at and review the past and
forecast the future, as was done on
Tuesday, the 4th. A class of people
had grown up among US, and the class
was or is not small, who claimed to see
signs of an abatement of real earnest
regard or love for the principle of gov
ernment as declared in the Declaration
of independence in l776. They have
been telling the country that the earn
est zeal that was necessary for our
forefathers to have, to establish the
government that we all enjoy, is want
ing among us. The Centennial 4th of
July has demonstrated that their con-
clusions we're without foundation, for
never in the history of man has there
been such spontaneous civil outburst
of real admiration, true regard for a
National event, as that of last week.
Every city was in whirl of Jubilee,
in honor of the Tooth year of the Ma
tion's birth, and nearly every town and
village was Moved to demonstrate in
some wsy its appreciation of the Ma
tional, State and Individual Liberty
that the system Of government that our
forefathers inaugurated in l776 has
conferred on them.
The late Centennial Jubilee teaches
a lesson that cannot be effaced from the
thoughtful spectator or participant
narely, that if the men of l776 were
in earnest to establish a government in
which all should be equal, their poster
ity is as much in earHes. to preserve
the inestimable Inheritance.
The demonstrations OF the 4th, DEM
onstrate that there is an enthusiasm
among the people in regard to the per
petuation OF the institutions of the
fathers that would arm them to defy
and fight the whole world at one time,
If necessary to DO so, in defence
of the fundamental iap that all men
are born free and equal before the
law. The demonstrations of the oc-
casion demonstrate to the world out
side of the United States, that people
can be free, and jubilate without abus-
ing the rights and privileges of each
other, that II is not necessary to have =
paid soldiery to guard individual and
community rights.
The great objection to free govern
nent from the old systems of govern
ment is, that what is called freedom runs
into abuse of individual and commu-
nifty rights, and that freedom move
ments degenerate to anarchy. The
late demonstrations clearly establish
the fact that the people are as we'll bal
anced on the question of good dcport-
ment as are those in official life under
the older forms of civilization.
The lesson of the Centennial Jubilee
is an instructive ole. The world learns
from it that the people are capable of
self government, and the utmost free
dom consistent with individual rights.
1t teaches that the Yankee Nation are
not only deeply in love with the iuher-
itance given them by the meH of rs,
but that they are ready to be turned
into a nation of missionaries to the old
governments of Europe to convert them
to the same National faith at the first
opportunity. Rome was between two
and three hundred years in establish
ing herself in Italy, but when she
stepped abroad to encounter people OF
foreign countries there was only one
result, and that was, all whom she met
she Romanized. The demonstrations
last week, while they were Of the most
peaceful character, clearly forecast that
when the day comes, and come it will.
when this nation is brought into con-
tact or conflict with the old govern
ments of Europe, that there will be
such an aggressive movement by the
Yankee nation to Americanize that
coxntry that it will be perfectly IRE
sistibie. There are scions of old Euro
peaa dynasties in the United States
The mass of her people are from
Europe. And who would have better
right to Europe than the. American peo'
plel They woald be simply getting
back their own. Who knows thar thu
Centennial Jubilee Of 1876 may no
have for its croWning glory, the Amer
iaanization of Europe' So mote Il be