The New York herald., 1876-07-05

|
structure the temple, The fortress, which the great
| Arrhcer all the while cared for and built up. As
| through the long march of time this work
! advanced the forms and fashions OF government
| seemed TO them To be but the scanodIng
ana apparatus by which the developments
Satisfied that the people whose institutions
10 be projected had reached all that measure Of
strength and rness OF preparation for self govern
ment which Old Institutions could give they earessy
seized the happy opportunity to clothe The people
and consecrate them TO the adm nisraon of their own
| priesthood.
| WHAT AMERICA HAS BEEN PREPARED FOR.
And SO this people, oil various and kindred OF
| the Oh World-3etted and trans.used their cls-
atlantic home INTO harmonious fellowship IN The sent
mcn;s the Interests, the habits the affections which
| develop and sustain love OF couniry-wero COM
mitIed to he common fortunes which should attend
an absolute trust III The primary relations beweon man
ard his fellows aud between and his Maker. This
Nor hern continent OF America has been opened and
prepared for the ranspan ation OF the full grown
hood OF the highest civilization Of the Old World to
place where could be free from mixture collision
with competing or hostile elements, and separated
from the weakness and the burdens which II would
leave behind The impulses and attractions which
moved the emigration, and directed hither various
In form, yet had so much common character as 10
merit the description OF beng public, elevated, moral
religious. They included the desire OF new and bet
oppor Tor institutions consonant the
dignity o. human nature and with the immortal and
infinite relations OF the race.
LIBERTY
In the language OF the times the search for civ and
religious liberty animated the Pilgrims, the Puritans
and the Churchmen, the Presbyterians. the Catholics
Walloons, the Waldcnses, the Germans and the
swedes in Their several migrations which
up the coonia ia population Their experience and for
tunes here had done nothing reduce, everything
confirm, the and traits which brought them
huher. To se:er all political relations, then, with
Europe seemed o these people but the realization OF
the purposes which had led them across the ocean,
but the thing needfu to complete this continent for
their home and IT, give the absolute c that
higher life which they wished to lead. The preparation
the past and the enthusiasm of the future couspred
TO favor the project oil sligovernment and invest 1t
with moral grandeur which furnished the best
and the best guarantees for It's prosperity Instead of
capricious gddy exaltation OF spirit, ut
ga ned liberty n sober solemn the larger
and duty took possession OF their souls II the
Great Master had found them faithful over lew
things and had made them rulers many.
THE QUESTION OF TO-DAY.
And now, after century OF growth, OF trial. OF
experience, of observation and OF demonstration
met, the spot and the date OF the great Dec
araton, to compare our age with that OF fathers,
structure with thcir foundation. Intervening
history and present condition with their faith and
prophecy. That 'rcspec to the opinion of mank nd,
In attention to which our statesmen framed the Dcca-
ration Of Independence we, too acknowledge AS a SEN
tiinea most iii to influence us In our commemorative
graluialons to-day To this opinion OF mankind. then,
how shall the questioning Of this day How
have tho vigor and success OF the countrys warfare
comportcd with the sounding phrase of tho great
manestoy Eas the nation been able to hold its
territory on the eastern rim of the continent has
coyetous Europe orven in ITS boundaries internal
disscnsions dismembered its itteprity2 Have its
members kept pace with natural increases or have tho
,nothcr countries received back tho shelter OF
nrmcr institution. the ropenlant tide OF emisraonY
or have the woes Of unstable society distressed and
reduced me shrunkcn populaliony Has the free
suGr,gc, quicksand, loosened the foundations OF
pow, and undermined the pillars OF the State, Has
the Tree press. with lmiiabe sweep, blown down the
props and buresses OF order and authority govern
nent driven before Its wind the barriers which icnco
IN society and unrooied the homes which were
castles against the intrusion OF king: Has freedom
religion ended IN freedom from religion and inde-
pendonce by law run into independence of law?
Have free schools, by too much learning, made tho
people mads Have manners declined, letters lam
gushcd. art faded, wealth decayed, public spirit with
cred Have other nations summed the evil example
held aoof from It's lnfectiony Or have reflection
and hard fortune dspelled the illusions under which
this people "burned vanity and stumbled
their ways from the ancient pathsY" Have they,
fleeing from the double destruction which attends oly
and arrogance restored the throne, rebuilt the altar
rolad the foundations OF society and again shell
ter the old projections against the pers shocks and
changes IN human affairs which
Divert aud crack rend and deracinate
The unity and married calm OF States
Quite from their fixture
riMx's FOOTPRINTS
Who can recount in an hour what has been done In
century so wide Held and in all its mu!titudnous
aspects? Yet may not avoid insisting upon de-
csive lneamens OF the material social and political
development OF our country which the record OF he
hundred years displays and I'll us present 'he opin
of mankind tor ITS generous judgment.
1t is TO dayour land, our people and our laws And
FIRST we notice the wide territory to which We have
stcaiy pushed on cur limits. Lines OF climate mark
boundaries north and south, and two east
and west The space between, speaking by and large
the whole temperate zone OF the continent,
and measures near tenold the possessions of
the thirteen colonies The natural features, the eli
world. all implied in the immensely of this DOMAIN
for they embrace all that the goodness and the
power of God have planned for large share OF the
habtahc globe. The steps of the successive acquisi
lions. tho impulses which assisted and the motives
which retarded the expansion oi our territory; the play
the competing clements III civilization and their
ncessant struggle each To outrun the other the
pressbe csnict thus nursed IN the bosom OF the State
the lesson in humility and patience. u charity all
and malice toward none,'' which the study of tho
manifest designs o! Providence SO plainly teach s.
these may well dctain US Tor a nome nts illus tratou
n he
population OF this country which came, not from
the eliminated pride OF Europe but from the abject
despondency of Africa; discrim mated from all
the converging streams OF immigration which have
named by ineiIsceabe distinctions OF nature; which
was brought hithcr by a forced migration and into
slavery. while all others came by choice aud for
greater liberty; race unrepresentcd in the Con-
gress which issued the Decl ration OF Independence,
but now IN the persons OF 100000 OF our country
men. raised. by The power of the great truths then
cared It were from the dead, and rejoicing one
country and the same constituted liberties with our
selves.
Mr. Eyarts then, at some length, sketched the orr
gn, progress and ultimate extension OF slavery, and
then said:-l mud, then IN the methods and the re-
suits OF the century's progress OF the nation in this
amplhcation of its domain, promise dura-
ton of the body pohtic, whose growth to these
proportions has. AS yet, but laid out the ground
The free society and the peoples government here
founded, have by their vigor uade this natural
growth strength and symmetry have knit together
great frame It's bulk increased and the spirit
the nation animatcs the whole
--totameue, iniuss per artus,
Mems agitat mosm. ct inagnosc corporc INSECT.
We turn from the survey OF this vast territory,
when tue closing century has consolidated and
hrmcd the ample homo Tor a nation to exhibit the
greatness IN numsers. the spirit, the character, the
port and men OF the people that dwell in this secure
habltation. That in these years our population has
steadily advanced iii 1t counts 40 600 900 instead OF
1000 0Oo bears witness not to DO disparagcd gain
SAID the general congruity OF social and civil
institutions with the happiness and prosperity OF
DIrFUsiOS or KNOWLEDGE.
knowledge, intellectual activity, the mastery OF ma
ture, the discipline OF liica That makes up the educa
tion OF pcople-are developed and ciiused through
the masses o our population ia ample and generous
distribution as to make this the spcuous TRAIT
our national character as the faithful provision and
extension OF the means and opportunities Of this edu
cation are the cherished Institution OF the country
Learning literature scicnce. art, are cultivated, in
tier widest range and ighest reach by larger and
larger humber OF our people, not their praise be 1t
said, personal distinction selfish possession,
but, NANNY, as general caven to quicken and expand
ALtaIt