The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1877-07-12

LADIES AND GENTLEMES-FEL-
Low CIrIzENs:-To think of the brave
deeds performed by the heroic to pur-
chase freedom, to reflect upon the
daring courage of patriots who gave
their lives, precious sacrifices, upon
the alter of freedom, so that postcritv
might enjoy the blessings Of Liberty,
to hold their noble example and glo-'
rious valor in remembrance is worthy
of every Americans attention, and IS
to me the fondest pleasure. Those
who bled and died in freedom cause
ever call forth the deepest gratitude
and reverence Of which we are capa-
bic. Ever is heroism, vaIor, and self
sacrificing conduct admired, and when
enlisted in cause that aids the hui
man race, it merits the highest praise
of man. 1t ennoblcs our nature and
exalts our being when we reflect upon
acts that contain the spirit of pure,
good and noble resolve. Fit it is, that
in our humble capacity, loyal and
free, undisturbed by the cities tur-
mol, untrammelcd by the animosi-
ties, by the jealousies of the proud and
ostentatious, on the banks of the ma
iestic Columbia, emblem Of eternity;
within sight of those colossal giants,
Mt. Hood and Mt. jefferson, cloud and
snow-capped scntinelspointing us on
ward and upward, within the emo
bling influence of such company, as
sociatcd in thoughts with the brave,
the loyal, the heroic OF other days, we,
in communion with nature, the parent
of all beauty and truth, turn our
minds to contemplate, with reveren-
tial gratitude, those men whose lives
shine down through the vista Of timc.
as stars from the silent beauty OF
heavens depth. Suitable il is shat
we. leaving our homes in peaceful Sc
curitv, assemble TO celebrate our IA
tons one hundred and first anniver-
sarv of existence. America was the
cradle of freedom; the spirit Of noble
independence ever possessed the early
pioneer. The dignity Of manhood
was too sacred to be delegated TO any
guardian keeper on The globe; to De
"A free man, erect in natures noble
ness, was a conception clearly per-
ceived, and worthly maintained.-
The wild grandeur of America, her
exhaustless forests, her far-reaching
plains, herrivers, rushing unrestraincd
ever on to the sea, her lofty noun
tains, broad lakes, foaming waterfalls,
her sky, in the repose of an infant,
then in the rage Of giant, all, al, in
their wild, free majesty, reused with
in him the Hottest conception of indi-
vidual freedom. Nature, mans best
teacher, early instructed those plon-
GERS in the lessons of integrity. perse-
verence and self-reliance. Left to
combat the wilds of rugged barbarlc
land. to overcome the obstacles OF an
unknown country, severed from all
support on the parent land by a wide
and billowy ocean, they developed
that brave, heroic, determined spirit,
dauntless by difficulties, deathess III
duration and illustrious for history.
United by a common bond OF self
preservation against an Indian foe,
animated by hope OF higher, freer
life. undisturbed by the bigot's and
tyrant's mandate, they sought to found
for themselves and posterity coun-
try of free men and free institutions.
How nobly did they succeed. Their
dreams could not have approached
the realization. They did not think
themselves the fathers of this power
full nation, that challenges and re-
ceives the admiration of the world.
In 1853 the Connecticut Colony adopt
cd a written constitution which gave.
the right OF suffrage to every freeman.
This was the first instance in the long
toilsome march of the human race In
which there was constitution made
by the people for the people. Others
had been made by the kings of earth
TO govern the people: There had
been charters expressing the kings
will, but this one expressed the peo-
ple's will. The idea then and previ-
ouslv entertained was that the king
and the priest were the only ones
whom the Gods favored, and that the
people had no other duty or privilege
than to pay the one their subs taueeand
the other their honor, ana aetween
the two there was httle honor, love or
duty left for the people themselves,
The result of human excellence ana
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