The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1876-07-17

OF our forefathers to build upa great
political fabric, where justice should
BIO equally, inpartially, freely and
promptly administered" was iustillsd
in tho minds Of this liberty loving
, people long before tho dying groans Of
General Warren issued from tho battle.
torn field of BunkGr's Hill. The same
spirit Of independence that had glowed
in the bosoms Of The patriotic signers Of
the Declaration Of Independence, had
been transmitted to that undetermined,
valorous. accomplished aud highly
gifted young man, who persisted at tho
siege Of Quebec. I lncau General
Montgomery, a son Of Erin. Near
St. Paul's Church, New York. a beat.
.iful monument marks the sepulchre Of
bin.
"Whose name We love 10 hear
Has been CARED for many year
Gu the tomb"
Fellow Citizens-well may you DO
proud Of your noble race. Sixteen
thousand heroic sous Of the Green Isl
and Of the AIlaatie fought mantully for
tho CAUSE Of Independence. OF your
race was John G Calhoun, whose pro.
found craftsmanship, scrupuloas in
rtgri.y aud uusuIlisd patriotism are to.
day engraited in the very existence Of
our national glory. OF such sus Cap
tain Barry, whom Washington himself
appropriately styled the Father of the
A merican Navy. OF such was Charles
Carroll, whose name and address ap-
pear in fadaless letter, upon the face Of
that memorable document so we'll read
by my learned friend. His addrcss,ho
added in order that tho pledge Of bis
fortune might be beyond doubt. Thus
might proceed ad iiyfnisum, as,ocia'
ting
Those who have persisted for their coun-
uy's right,
Or nobly triumphed on the field Of fght
With thJss who leave deathleSs name be-
hind,
Rrisads..of the world and fathers Of maa.
kind."
OF these illustrious examples,
destined to live forever on tho charter
of human freedom, Ireland may we'll
be proud for toe world, revolutions,
with all the mutations OF time, will
never present such another tablet to
the "childrcn Of men,"
Your conmcndabIe demonstrations
Of patriotism. by annually commUm-
Grazing tho 4th OF July. tue day on
which that instrument was adopted,
which declared in term5 mos: positive
and emphatic that tho thirteen Amer
lean colon,es should be free aud indie.
pendent, l have always admired Well
might yhc news of lis adoption have
been hailed with universal joy through.
out tho limits OF tho thirteen United
States Of America. Well might the
bells of every village have toIled the
glad tidings Of freedom to all and op'
preston to none. We are not surpris.
ed that enthusiastic aud tumultuous as.
semblies would welcome the intclli-
geucs of civil aud religious liberty.
Within the last century. our oOun-
try has suelled from thirteen ieable
aud dependent colonies TO thirty seven
powerful and independent States.
Our population has iucraused from thres
millions to over forty millions. The
people Of this great, free couutry are
first in arts. 6rss in sciences and first
in the field Of war. Although our
internal improvements, public lustitu.
tons aud mechanical arts have been
improved for beyond description, with
10 the last hundred years, corruption
has poured forth from public Offices
like melted lava from tho vast volcano.
The official robes Of our public servants
have been branded with the stigma Of
pccuIation aud mll-Rdministra,ion.
Thong htfal men have shudlsrad al
the increase Of crime and scanned With
ANXIOUS eye the threatening aspect Of
the future. When momsutous duties,
such as pertain to the workings Of our
government, ara reposed in the hands
Of the csil aud the evil designing, au.
arcby and oesposiSm must inevitably
follow. I therefore solicit your ad.
vert'nce to tho fact, that the exercise
Of The elective franchise is the highes.
attribute ofan American citizen, aud
wheu guided by virtue. Intelligence
and patr olism it constitutes the true
basis Of q Democratic form Of govern.
mcnt, in which the sovereign power il
lodged is the body vfthe people. Tho
baliot-box should be regarded as the
sacred channel. through which flows the
sovereign will Of thepeople. lsshould
DO the receptacle Of the expression Of
IN intelligent populaco. 10 the Ian.
gunge Of Samuel Lewis, slightly varied,
Liberty and general intelligence arc
twins, tied by nature, ::whea they part
they die. Ancient republics claimed
to be free when half their people were
slaves, AMI Lr: few were entitled to a
part in the government. We. unlike
them, are a nation Of sorereigus. aud
whether we govern BY ourselves or by
our agents. direct the government.
We should therefore. each be qualified
either to perform these aIl.impOrtan'
duties ourselves, or to direct o.hs rs
how to do it, aad 10 Judge wisely OIL
their acts. In a free country, every
man controls, 50 far as his vote Is con-
cerncd, tho legislative forum of The
government. In a Democracy The