The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-07-07
1870 AND 1877.
Address Delivered by the crater of the
Day mt DOnaldsOnyi1le.

/ AS WAS pEuuls6u uuE GphuSEs y0sbotuhys VIZ
give below the principal portions Of the address
delivered by Col. James Lingan, as orator Of the
day TO the Donaldsonville Osnnoneers and their
assembled guests on the occasion Of the celebrs-
/ .;on of the Fourth Of July:
| We have met to-day to join in the celebration
/ OF two most important events, the Declaration oil
| Independence by our for efathers and the reor-
ganization of the survivors OF that gallant band
| of patriots who went forth from your midst six
| teen years ago. and bsttled for the principles
which inspired Americans century ago. You
| all have no doubt been struck, as / Was struck,
/ by the remarkable similarity, nay, the exact
| identity of the grievances complained OF by the
| patriots of t77G, against the home government,
as England was called. and those grievances
OF which oar own State and section have COM
plsined since The war, as having been suffered at
/ the hands OF the government at Washington.
| There is scarcely q complaint In that time hon.
ored instrument against nsurpstions OF power,
encroachments upon personal rights or the priv.
/ epes OF representation in government, that
stands not justified in the mouth OF our people
against the leaders Of the Radical party, who
| have betrayed and debauched the constitutional
| liberties OF our forefathers One hundred years
ago the trainers Of that declaration Of indepen
dence stood defantly against the naughty pre-.
sumption OF afistocrstic England, In asserting and
defending the principle that the just powers of
government were derived solely from the consent
OF the governed. Sixteen years ago the Donald
eOOylle UhnH0nH6T6, WIFI 6QuHl O6BeTmIUAtlU0
and heroism, left their homes and embarked
| their lives and fortunes In defense OF the same
| principle.
However the direct issue may seem to have
gone against US, the day is now dswning when
we can once more, without division, claim the
triumph of the same doctrines.
There is no reason why Americans cannot join
from oil sections In the celebration OF this day.
IL is connecting link between the past and
| present, between the beginning and the close Of
Hrutp ootf nfA np liberkv. and chat.
ever OF sectional pride or interest or prejudice
may have parted us in the past, there IL now
clearer ground for the cultivation OF national
homugeneity, between all sections, than ever be-
fore. Patriotism has no politics, and belongs ex-
cusively TO no cline, or country or kind. Ties
of common brotherhood bind the spirits OF those
who unsefshly battle for the rights Of their kind,
and the affairs and firesides Of their birth or
adoption. II s thus that
"God fnlfills himself in many ways,
Lest one good custom should corrupt the world. I"
There Ia. in the growth Of nations, a seed time
and harvest. There are eddies OF existence in
which, in ercling idlensss as IL were, we con-
template the surging current OF outside progress
aud prepare our course Tor future OF activity.
II il our duty thus to mark our political course,
thst, avoiding the dangers experience has
pointed out, re may wrest from reluctant fate
future OF prosperity aud political success. We
desire to place ourselves and our Stste interests
and institutions en- rapport with the people OF
other sections and nstienalities, that we may
draw from their fullness the wherewithal to build
up our waste places and develope the neglected
resources Of our pnndered State.
To do this, public spirit, united action and
cultivation OF patriotic srdor In behalf OF our
State and country is essential. Nothing tends
more TO these ends than public holidays, when
the hearts of people unite In concentrating
heroic deeds, or the accomplishment OF some
great public benefit
A nation without holidays is a nation without
4 l. .t.. ctr So
like the work OF creation without the Sabbath
saint without the crown OF martyrdom-a
church without creed, heaven without re-
demption.
Holidays are the resting places in national life,
when we stop TO contemplate our achievements
and commemorate the virtues Of our dead and
encourage our living heroes. Il is these COCA
sions that stimulate mankind to deeds OF public
virtue and exalt the standard OF patriotic citizen
ship They give that holy cadence that makes
human history musical with heroic setiens
They are the shining stones that marx the path.
way from the gloom of national degeneracy and
decay, outward and upward into the fair helds aud
bright sunshine of national prosperity and great
ness-the broad steppiDg-stones, by which
people mount from obscurity to fame.
It is In vain to prate OF progress while the man
hood OF people Is Slapped ny debaslng oblects
and pursuits. An elevated standard OF eitlz N
ship must be cultivated, and people who desire
name in history must commemorate the virtues
Of their dead and revere the achievements OF the
past. II the disasters OF the past have disheart.
ened us, now that our State stands redeemed
from the domination Of the vicious and ignor ant,
we must take up our responsibilities and strike
manEully for new and progressive future
tttff reopte haTe already shown returning
spirit OF public advancement and activity. They
have shown that it lie not necessary TO preserve
the present by blackening the past. They have
reclaimed ths right Of local self-government, and
have no taste to fswn and bargain for rights oil.
ready their own. They reassert that political
powers and political rights originate with and
issue from the people, and do not come filtered
down from national reservoir through political
sponges aud compromise committees.
They do not propose TO seek the services OF
political jockeys, nor trust to such instrumental
ties the custody of the offerings laid on their
country's altar by her dead heroes, lest they be
made the subject of barter and exchange in dark
lantern committees, where the light is all thrown
away from the people. and directed towards the
spoils of office.
Bearing these things in view, we go forward
with hope to cheer, will to direct and nerve to
achieve all things for the good OF our Safe and
people-rich and poor, black and white alike.
There Ia no need, as there Is now no purpose or
object to draw distinctive lines OF race or color.
Not yielding to gloomy reflections, we look to the
future. II the ark of our political covenant hath
sojourned In the land OF the Philistines for
the past few years, we gather together
to-day as did the Children OF Israel at
Mizpah, and welcome its return by laying
aside sectionslisms and renewing our vows
at the altar of our country. In this view, the
Fourth of July of the future, chastened by the
sacrifices of the past, will bear higher. signf-
cance since the principles OF 1776 have bsen re-
baptized in the blood OF our martyred dead.
Thus elevated and purified BY tribulation and
battle, it will be harbiDger OF peace aud purity
in government and State and national progress.
II will be the regained ark Of our political cove
nant, the symbol OF our political salvation.
-. - hrxtl mn
TO the light of epfrancbissd truth. Through the
smoke of battle we see the faces OF friends and
tellow.countrymep. Through the mists that
blind our eyes as wa contemplate the graves OF
our dead we catch the da Hning light OF our Pc
lticsl resnrrecti D
Touched, but also inspired. by the memories Of
the past, feeling responsibilities in the pres.
eu., We shake CT the shackles OF dependency