Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1879-07-11
FOURTH tF JULY GRAFTON,
delivered by MIR. A Quackehhush.

Mr.. President: Ladies and Gen.
ttemua:
Little more than century ago the
immortal declaration of principles ius
read to you so eloqnen'ly by Judge
Leland. was adopted as the groundwork
of our national government. But the
lapse Of time has lett no insiena Of age
upon that cherished document.
Notwithstanding nerations of man.
kind have passed from the theatre Of
mortality since this declaration was
prot laimed to the world, the instrument
is as fresh 10 the hearts of Americans
to day as when FIRST the inspra ion OF
its moral fragrance led our noble ances-
tors into the b'oodyTe'd of battle.
The restless wheels of time may usher
iuto the irredeemahle past, one, ten.
twenty or hundred centuries to come.
| and still will the sentiment of liberty
embodied in that cpitome of human
government, reflect the lustre of a
genius Of virtue which could em,natc
only from the fountains of divine wis
dom and pnri'y. Infancy may dovel
op into youth, youth into manhood,
manhond into age, and age be reborn
into the mysteries Of an eternal Inherit
ance.. Spring ,ane maY be followed by
Summers, Summers by autumDs, au
tumns by Winters. King 'oms nay
rise and fall empires spring into life.
blodm AMI decay; despotisms may
WELD their cruel sccpters and sink into
oblivion. Prosperity may thrive be
ne til the olive brancf, Of peace or
cruel wars deva>,atc tn, Garth. Yet
through all these changes in organic
and inorganic life. the naclara'ian al
the IndereniaDrc of the Enltea States
Of imcrted will stand rs mnnumen
Of virtue ur9n the rock Of aYes, a.
sgmmctric.l in its moral sculpture o.
when ii left the studio of our first grea
artists Of free gorernmcm.
Not so with lth of Ju7y orations
They h&ve bee M drag on the mar
ket. They are as he sun flower in tn,
florist conserva' 0ry, too common f.
general admiration. and yet too lofty il
pretepsion and original nifty TO receiv
cntir disap' 'r 'ba,ion, The r,onoton
of 4'h of July oratons has mado then
+, unatructivc, AMI uncai'vinr The
,, rcncrally occasion nau en- in the poliii
cal and intellectual stomachs Of III
, people. They have lnst their cid tiu
power of enthusiasm. and we listen t
r them rs some people read their prayer:
in spirit Of surerst'tious tolerance 70
3, what excessive u>c has made a yer
respc ctablc nuisance. Not bearing til
"ame OF an orator my present effo'
t cannot bankrupt me, and thus, not ha,
: ing stakcd anything on the original il
# vestment. if it should yield profit
anyone it will be miraculous Gu
;. .rowth of something from nothing.
s. Your committee is responsible f
my appearance before you, and while
- hope to command your attention. if
weary you please retir, without sian
er ming the gate.
Al This is no occasion for partisa
speech and l shall not pollute Il
,,ee sacred memory of the day by the d
section and discussion of party issue
We meet here as common humanlt
er upon the broad platform Of social al
ra poltica! liberty. Let not prejudlc
er opinions or party animositics obstru
ne the free exercise of that grateful !
No No membrane, which we all owe to I
lie departed heroes who bequeathed to
he glorious legacy of freedom. n
=, , ther shall ! resolve myself into NJ
nd ror of revenge for the purpose of
ne ne fecting upon our mother country hal
II
er full and bitter invectivc, because, II
os sootn, she sought to punish and
claim wayward and retell'ous 81
Our present relations with Great 5r
,se ain arc amicable and friendly.
ms owe her % grudge. Our ancest
nv condemned her policy for our govel
all ment and in :he bloody arbitration
I'm I'm tie disputed question We establish