The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-07-10
THURSDAY JULY 10. 1879.

how much blood was shed in procuring
the liberty that we enjoy to-day Those
scenes are too fresh ON the minds of many
who are listening to me. For it has
been but few years since the beautiful
sun was darkened by war clouds from
our own civil war. When the hills were
shaken by the reverberations of cannon,
and the air was was filled with sulphur
ious clouds. 1t was then that America
trembled for her safety. 1t was then that
many of the bravest doubted that the
boosted American Government could
withstand the terrible ordeal, but my
friends she not only stood the test, but
she struck the letters from 4,OOO,OO be-
ings and made them free and independ
ent, thereby demonstrating what other
nations had failed in,> this glourious
young republic born from the hearts of
freeman had accomplished. But, as in
other lands she has buried the Ratchet of
war. The traces of mans ferocious pas
sions are gradually being obliterated. To-
day if we were to wander over those
fields which were so lately the scenes of
dreadful carnage, we would hardly find
trace to mark the ground. 1t is a noble
effort ON the part of the men who are try
ing to forget all bitterness, who wish all
malice to die with the obliteratiOn. At
each gathering where floral decorations
take place, we notice that the words
grow softer the voice is less harsh, and
heart is Kidding itself of its poisonous
blood. But, let the experience live, the
history be made up, and the record stand.
Certainly we can never forget the cost at
which its power and unity were vindicat-
ed, but We can forget its bitterness and
its animosities.
We will not speak to-day of it's flaws or
it's weakness. We have no fear for the
future of this grand organization. 1t is
stronger than Russia Germany or Eng
land with all their age and power. 1t is
strong in the hearts of its people and in
the hopes of its citizens. Why? Be-
cause we are marching onward to a bet
ter intelligence. To-day will be gathered
as here, the representatives of many Ma
tions, all living under one flag, having
the same hopes and the same love.
AS said in the beginning. what little
intelligence the world had lay idle in
the parlors of the aristocracy. The null
titudes have remained ignorant too long,
Everything that was associated with
them was held to be mean and low, and
for that reason the higher classes had ca
sy work to keep them in bondage. But
the growing intelligence of the people
was too much for them, for as the people
began to drink from the fountain of lib
erty, and found it's sweetness, their en-
thusiasm knew no stormy oceans, or wild
wildernesses. Amid the greatest difficult
ties they came to the land of the free.
With nothing to guide them but their
faith in liberty loving people they came
to risk their life and their fortune. They
are tiocking to our shores to-day by the
thousands. At the beginning or 1916 we
had but tritle over d, OOO, 600 but, to-day
it foots Al, OUO, 900. Many were the wild
coniecturcs regarding the future of this
great West. Commencing with but thir-
teen, she now numbers thirtyeight
States. Wise and good men prOphesied
that the boundless West never would be
opened up to civilization. Its immense
mineral and coal resources were un-
thought of. The fact that oil flowed be-
meath their feet as flows the water in the
river, would have been too much for
them. They never expected that the
rush of the locomotive would ever startle
the wild beast from his den. The immor-
tai Franklin expressed wish that he
might be awakened in one hundred years
to see what progress the country had made,
and could he have been awakened at the
ScutCHHldl OEApSIoouAVh
would have been far behind the realiza-
ton. To have seen that concourse of
people congregated there at Philadelphia
doing honors to one of the most illustri-
Gus republics that ever was founded,
would have done his old eyes good.
Where but few years ago lay wilder
ness, now greeted the eye with broad av
enues, lined on either side by palatial
residences; while from the house tops
and windows hung banners of various
colors until one might imagine he was
in fairy land. Well might Jefferson
exclaim, America, thou hast indeed
place among the Nations of the Earth"
Well might we with pride point to the
bronze statues of the immortal Washing
ton, whose fathership We all so gladly
own. One would hardly think as he saw
floating in the breeze Americas Starry
Banner and England's Crown that they
were once the bitterest enimies, but now
the very breeze was entwining their
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