The silver state. [volume] (Unionville, Nev.) 1870-1903, 1879-07-07
But II once we saw fair Freedom,
Bleeding from the wounds she bore;
II for once We saw our country
Falling down to rise no more.
We would give away our riches,
Give our starlight, sunlight, TOO,
For the old familiar Freedom
To be had by me and you.

Give our starlight, sunlight, TOO,
For the old familiar Freedom
To be had by me and you.
Many years ago, upon an occasion
like this, at the Capital OF our country,
Daniel Webster said, 'the Declaration
that these United Colonies are, and OF
right ought to be, free and lndepend-
ent States, was made by most patriotic
and resolute men, trusting III the
Justice of their cause and the protec-
ton Of Heaven" To-day every school
boy knows that, even without the
utterances of the great Daniel. But 1T
is due to the great patriotic and reso-
| lutte dead to say as much, whenever we
meet to celebrate the act which most OF
all commands the admiration and be-
gets the gratitude OF mankind. And
in our effort to properly appreciate the
| great work that was wrought we must
not forget the circumstances OF the time
and occasion, We must remind our
selves of the difference between the
few weak, struggling Colonies OF l77o,
and the United States of America III
1879. In the science of war and all the
arts of peace-what strides have been
made since then, In population,
wealth and general intelligence OF me
masses-what a changed Then in all
the wildness of this continent, no rail-
road had been built and the shrill
whistle of the iron-horse had not been
heard. No Geographic wires had been
stretched; no needle guns or ironclads
invented. The cunning machinery,
that in every business now takes
human burdens away, was then almost
unknown. Women's friends-the spin
ming Jenny and loom controlled by
| water or steam, and the sewing
| machine-were yet among the discov-
| cries of the marvellous future. No
| steamboats, then stirred the waters of
/ magnificent rivers that have their birth
amid the SHOWS of the north, and meet
the ocean where winter never intrudes,
or ruffied the surface of lakes, the like
of which the world will not see again.
And the public press then known was
an infant i'll comparison with the giant
that now daily gives us the tidings of
events when we drink our coffee or sip
our tea. But why multiply examples
of the worlds progress, including our
own! ] only wished to say that what
the patriots of l776 did required much
greater courage, inherent strength and
conviction OF right, for its performance
than for the same acts by us would be
necessary to-day.
But why especially should we revere
the memory OF the fathers and mothers
| Of the Revolutions? | say the fathers
and the mothers; for while men only
appended their names to the immortal
| Dcclaration, and history speaks often
: est of them and their valorous deeds,
we know the words that one hundred
and three years ago to-day made
| tyrants think that liberty was not
necessarily confined to royalty, and
rendered possible the acts that fol-
lowed, were set in motion in great
part, at least, by the quiet encouraging
/ words, the brave hearts, the unseltish
| devotion of the noble women, who
| cheerfully surrendered their household
| gods as willing sacrifices for the honor
and liberty OF our country. Again |
ask, why most should we render to
them our songs Of thanksgiving to-day?
Is it because they pledged and gave
| their lives and fortunes for the right?
Those acts call loudly indeed for our
admiration and gratitude. But there
is still greater and better reason
| they not only advanced theory OF the
government we enjoy, but they for the
| first time gave that theory Importance
and value by furnishing it with body
and breathing into it the breath Of
national life. They made practical aud
lasting what before had been ephemeral
and theoretical. When they sent
across the blue Atlantic the grand
slogan of freemen. that all men
are created equal, their words were the
offspringof brave hearts that intended no
supertluous utterances. Other OPP
pressed people had often wished, prayed
and sometimes hoped for liberty; but at
last they submitted grumblingly to the
yoke prepared for them. Not so with
the patriots whose declarations we have
heard to-day. They petitioned and
supplicated Tor their rights, and remon-
strated against wrongs endured, until
patience ceased to be virtue. Then
they exchanged wishes for wills, and
when they prayed, with muskets in
hand, their prayers were offered only
to Him who thrice arms the weak
that hath his quarrel just. With
bleeding feet, but unfaltering hearts
poor in purse, bat rich in spirit; strong
in mind aud sturdy OF limb, they bat.
tied against superior forces, until al
last wishes Were ripened into hope, and
hope became. living reality that make