New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-07-05
THE ACT A GREAT REALITY.

Why is thsl is question the answer tc which should
Interpret and vndicate our asscmbagr It's not Simply
because century happens TO h.vo passed since the
event thus remembered occurred hundred years are
always closing from event, All have been since
Adam was in his prime. There WIS of course some
spccia importance the action there accomplishment
the nature of that action since not IN It's circumstance
TO Justify long record Of IT. emo that Impotence
Is ours to define In the = acSiyc OF distance the
small things disappear bite j'o great and eminent
Keep their place. AS Carly j- >aid, KING IN the
midst of his body guards W h trUmpots, war horses
and gilt staudardboarcrs. ok great though he be
little; only some Roman ..s can give ondience to
satrap ambassadors, while strl on the ground. with
WOODEN cap. and suppins oiled peas like common
soldier"
What was then. the great reality of power IN what
was done 100 years since which gives it rs maseliui
pl.ce in history makes it Roman and regal amid AZ Its
siI phi. iiF'
ure,ufs. the prime element of its power it was the
action E uaope and not merely Of persons; and such
action o. , pca pic has always momentum, public
force n at,..r significance which can pertain to no
individual u.-., ;nts appeals. Thee are times III
deed. wb,. the energy and authority IN 1t Of
secular intg Ion; when the supreme soul which ruo5
the world through II % utter,mce ana - thOuSht
SURPRISING ,ia.s wses plan. Will Transforming his
strongest pu Sc is heard IN its commanding voice.
does not seem extravagant to say that the time to
which our thoughts turned one of these For
century and a half the emgrants from Europe had
hrourht hitbc the letters alone the arts and indus
tries or the religious convictions but the hardy moral
and potical life which had there been DEVELOPED IN ages
of strenuous struggle and work France and Germany
Holland ana Sweden, as well as England Scotland and
Ireland had contributed TO this. The Austrian Iyr0l
the Bavarian hi yhands the bohemian plain, Denmark
even Portugal, had had their part in TINS colonization
The ample domain which here received the earliest I'M
migrants had impaired 10 them Of It's own oneness ana
diyersties OF LANGUAGE ana custom had idst dsa
peared IN the governing unity OF common ASPIRATION
and a common purpose 10 work out through freedom
nObler We-being
Tho general moral life of this people various IN orr
gin so accordaut in spirit, he'd only risen to grandcr
force through the toll and strife, the austcre tainn5
the long patience of endurance 20 NCh mere Dad Decn
subjected Tho exposures 10 heat and cold and famine
TO unaccistomed laboTs, to alterations Of climate I'M
known in the Old World, 70 malaIia forces roOdng
above the mellow and drainlcss recent lands-these had
fatally stricken many but those who survived were
tough and robust the more pcrh s because Of the
perils which they had surnOuDted Education Wa MOI
easy books were not many, and the daily newspaper vas
unknown; but political discussion had been always 90
ing on aud mems minds had gathered UNCONSCIOUS
force as thcy orOYc with each other in eager debate on
uesiions concerning the common welfare They had had
much experience in subordinate legislation on tie local
matters belonging their care, had acquired deTery
in performing public business and had often had 10 re-
st or amend The Suggestions dictates OF royal Govern
ors For recent people dwelling apart from oder ana
conflicting States they had large experience in war
the crack of the rifle being never unfamiliar along the
near frontier where disciplined skin was often combined
with savage fnry sweep with sword OK scar WIN Ire
their scattered settlements.