Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-07-04
Our Country.

time We strutted proud urchin /
with our pockets crammed with .
"Fourth of July tire-crackers until |
now. To-day, for the one hum
dred and third time, will be told
to listening millions, the story OF our
count,y's birth, and what a story 1t
is!
Children celebrate their birth /.
days; we celebrate the birthday Of
the great and good; loyal subjects
celebrate the birthdays of their
kings and queens; but where is
there another nation of fifty millions
of people that celebrates the ami
versa,y of its own natal day? There
is something sublimely enlivening in
the thought that, from the Atlantic
to the Pacific, from Alaska to the
Gulf States, one individual senti-
ment will inspire our people to-
day. Yes, another glorious Fourth
has come; and as the light of its
dawn broke through the mists of
the retiring night; when the sun
grazed the horizon and thousand
brazen throated heralds throughout
our land proclaimed to drowsy
world that this great and joyful an
niyersary had come, who did not
feel his heart grow bigger and beat
faster, while the red blood flew with
increased energy through his veins ?
Into whose mind did there not come
snatches of sweet old songs and
cherished memories of many former
old celebrations like unto the pre-
sent? We feel persuaded to believe
that there is not, within the pale of
Christendom, another national ami
versary or holiday which will bear
q moments comparison, in point of
magnitude and deep interest, with
that of the American Independence.
Think of national domain compris-
ing nearly ten millions of square
miles, enjoying the agreeable vicissi-
tudes of every variety of climate
and beautified by the grandest seen
cry on the globe. And all this d.
versity of climate, mountain scenery,
hills, valleys and plains.is one coun-
try and that, thanks to the God of
nations, our country! One thought
and theme and one common joy
should inspire all of its subjects
upon each return of it's natal morn
ing. Show US q man of whatever
political creed or persuation, be he
for peace or Tor war, If he claims the
proud title of an American citizen,
if there CLEANS in his oye the light
of human freedom, if there burns in
his heart one spark of the fire of sew
enty-six and he has left in his veins
one drop of the noble old blood of
our Fathers, then will that man quit
the turmoil of LIES business and
join, with his whole soul, in the ju-
bilee of this memorable day. 1t
matters little where one is born; he
loves the land that bore him. 1t is
the proud boast of the Laplander
that his is the fairest land that the
sun shines upon. The naked saw
age of the tropics, sold into slavery
and transported thousand leagues
from his native jungles, pines for
the endearments of his simple home,
sickeus, droops and dies, ali for pa
triotism.
The impulsive Greeks worshiped
their native hills almost as they wor-
shipped the gods that presided over
them and the Romans believed the
Eternal City" was impregnable to
the assaults of the world. The Jews
wept when they hanged their harps
upon the willows in an eneny's
country and bewailed their beloved
Zion. eff forget thee, o Jerusa-
lem, let my right hand forget her
cunning" All this was but the
Borrowing outburst of the purest
form OF patriotism. But we must
not transcend our limits. May we
have many happy returns of the
Glorious old Fourth"
SOMEBODY reports that the Chinese