The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1876-07-06
County of Preb1e,

-oF THE
County fPreb1e,
DELIVERED BY
A. HAINES, ST.,
AT THE FAIR GROUNDS,
July Ath, Is7e.
At the request of the citizens Of the
County.
FelloW Citizens:
This day one hundred years ago,
a Nation was born, which now con-
stitutes the noblest monument of
freedom of any government ever es-
tablished on earth. The causes
which led to this event are fully stat
ed in the Declaration Of Independ-
ence, which has just been read in
your hearing. That state paper, for
its perspicuity in arraigning the
British Ministry for the wrongs and
grievances perpetrated on the Colo
mics, and its legitimate assumption
of the inalienable.. rights of men has
no parallel, in the annals of either
ancient or modern history. 1t was
fearless and to the point, and the men
who drew and adoptedit, well under
stood that it was the great opening
drama to the revolutionary war
which, in the end would lead either
to independence or to the execution
of many noble and fearless patriots.
1t is not the purpose of the author
of this sketch to go into the details
of the revolutionary war, which fol
lowed the announcement of the dec
laration of independence, for these
have long since passed into history,
and in all ages to come will commem-
crate the noble ancestry ofour COM
mon countrymen. But in this con-
nection it may be proper to say, that
the patriots ofthe revolutionary war,
after a long and arduous struggle
against the combined forces Of one
of the strongest potentates on earth,
made their declaration a success,
which resulted on the Bird day OF
Sept, 1888, in a treaty of peace and
the acknowledgment ofthe~ Independ
ence of the North American Colo
mics. Those Colonies for awhile act
ed in unison under the old articles
of confederation, and through theil
Representatives in Congress disposed
of all matters wherein the welfare Of
the people was concerned as free and
independent States.
The first matter of great national
significance was the cession of the
northwest territory by the State o.
Virginia to the general government
This was a generous act on the par
of the old commonwealth and great
Ily advanced the future prospects o
the Republic. The next great mea
sure of national Importance was Thu
Ordinance of 1857, for the organize
ton and government of the north
western Territory. This is an abb,
document, drawn by Nathan Dane
of Massachusetts, and may be vel
styled the aMagua Charta" ofAmer
lea. The present Constitution 9th,
United States being adopted, abro
gated the old articles of confedera
ton and under this instrument GU
present Federal Government wa
permanently established by the con
f1sent of the States.
In many respects the American
Government has no parallel in eithe
ancient or modern history. Will
other Governments originated il
usurpation and wrong, dynasties es
| tablished by military chieftains il
} which the people had no interest, an,
) in conquest for the sake ofpower an,
oppression; the American Govern
ment took its origin from the choic
of the people, who consented to b
governed to secure their rights, an,
the greatest amount of freedom con
+ sistent with the welfare of the com
munity.
In this respect it is Government
of and for the benefit of the people
in whom the sovereign power resides
. 1t was considered and planned b
/. the wisest and best of statesmen, VIII
; had all the governments of the worl
before them, and upon mature delit
Grafton they adopted Representative
Republic. Such, in short, is the TIL,
.ory of our Government, and whate,
er abuses may manifest themselye
in its administration are not of th
Government itself, but of the ruler
who for the time being are charge
, with the execution of the powers n,
~cessarily conferred. But any sue
abuses which may be perpetrated b
> wicked and designing rulers, can b
: easily corrected by the people thr,
: the ballot-box, SO long as they r,
{ main intelligent and honest, for th
? tenure Of all official stations, exceI
that of the Supreme Court of th
United States, is of short duration
and under the Constitution must D,
r riodically be referred to the peopl
The Supreme Court is the only GER
!, of aristocracy left in our form of GO
eminent, and therefore the life tel
{ ure should be abolished.
Soon after Congress convened III
s der the present Constitution, th.
body passed an act for the COVER
ment of the territory Northwest oftt
Ohio River, according to the prov
n sions of the Ordinance of 1881, an
Gen. Arthur st. Clair was appointe
Governor and Commander in Chic
Samuel H. Parsons, James M. Va
mum and John Cleves Symms wei
appointed judges, and Winthrc
n Sargent, Secretary of the territor
e On the 9th of July, 1888, the Cove
nor, with the Judges and Secretar
arrived at Marietta, on the Ohio Ri
: err within the present limits of Il
). State Of Ohio, which locality hs
!, been previously settled by son
members Of the Ohio Land Compan