, 1880-07-04
THE FOURTH. OF JULY.

the one hundred anu III LII 5e<a1 W ene'A -.'@
tional Independence, and never did the Na-
honal anniversary find the country SO great
in all the elements Of National power and so
peaceful, happy, prosperous, anu pfospelms
as it does to-day. The world has moved on
in the WAYS of enlightenment and peace dur
ing the century. The stern, rough haha OF
National violence, though not wholly cufDed,
has beeh subjected to restraining Influences
Might has yielded to opinion, and the JUG
nent of mankind has grown into an lMpor-
tant factor in the law of nations. One ilu1l-
dred and four years ago the few feeble
and scattered colonists Of America,
without arms, money, or credit, de-
ma1,tled of their Imperial rulers certain
politicalrights and privileges. Their demand
was certainly at that time far i'll advance OF
what the nations OF the earth then recos-
nizcd as pertaining to the condition OF sub
iccts, or consistent with the safety Of Govern
ueuts. Popular liberty and the right of
subjects to control Governments were not
then acknowledged by any nation In the
world.
The Declaration of Rights and Liberties
Iy the American Congress Oh the Fourth OF
.Jnlv. 1776. was new revelation to mankind.
1t was hooted at and despised by those. who
ruled by Divine right and by force, but the
good seed sown by that Declaration has truc-
tilted wonderfully since that memorable
morning when the tidings Of Independence
was sounded at Philadelphia.
What wonderful changes have been
wrought in the politics and material conttl-
tion OF the world since that time! While the
infant Republic has grown as no other nation
has ever grown; while the sparscly-settied
provinces along the coast FROM Maine to
Georgia have spread their jurisdiction across
the continent; while Florida, Louisiana,
Texas. California, and Alaska, far surprising
the area of the original colonies, have been
added to the National Territory, and the
whole become pcoplctl by forty-eight millions
Of free, happy, industrious, anu prosperous
people; while the Republic has given per-
sonal freedom and political equality to four
millions Of human chattels, the Old World
has been in an almost perpetual stage
of revolution. In the American Union
alone have there been stabilityinnd growth,
PROSPEROUS increase, and nutural expansion
Of territory by the acquisition Of adjacent
land first nationalized by all overflow Of
American population.
In the 100 years during which the American
Union las been growing in strength and
wealth, and each day adding to tho National
stability, the changes III other lands nave
been Of the greatest magnitude. Ihe dcf-
man Empire, which had come down a thou-
sand years, abandoned title it could no
| longer maintain, and sunk into the mere
! Austrian Government Germany during
that century passed through various changes
| Divided up into numerous States, it passed
| under the rod Of French rule, was
LARGELY Incorporated with France, then
restored to quasi independent King
| don,s and States, and eventually, but
| mt until within the last decade, has
| again been united under new Imperial dy-
nasty. Tie Scandinavian States have had
their revolutions, their dislne1nbernents, and
their reorganization. France has had a sue
cession of widely different conditions The
revolution OF 1892, changed into state OF
anarchy, succeeded by the military govern
n,ent of Napoleon, and thence falling into
the tolls of Imperialism. The succession OF
revolutions under the Bourbons, followed by
the Rcpublicanism and the Imperialism OF
NAPOLEON Ill, have III the end found rest
in a Republic Which seems to have stabli-
ity such as has been unknown in French
Governments since the overthrow OF despot-
ism in 1790. Italy has been subjected to
long series OF changes of dynasty and form
of government, and has at last settled
down in united Kingdom. Spain has
during that century been shorn OF
] A A1nnrfHHn
sessions, retaining Cuba alone. She,
too. has had an almost constant sue
ccssion of civil wars and revolutions, tnclud'
inp a short-liyed Republic. The once power:
full Empire Of Turkey has been practically
dismcmbcred, and exists only by sufferance
and by the protection Of Powers who know
not what to do with her. In that same
century Russia has risen to be leading
Power, but even her absolute despotism llas
been seriously shaken. The political revolu
tions of the century have included the En-
pires Of China and Japan, opening thost
countries to the commerce Of the world a1lt
leading to important changes in their politica
condition.
Even the British Empire has not escaped
the wonderful changes wrought by TINT
since the American flag first challenged the
recognition Of the world. Great Britain
has pushed her conquests far into the East
overcoming and subduing the comparative
barbarians Of India, but has lost her prestige
| as a military power. The policy Of peace ha:
taken the place Of war, and the commerce.
and wealth of England, which have grown tt
such magnitude under this policy Of peace
have led to the taunt that the British havt
degenerated into nation Of shopkeepers.
The progress of the political world has
however, all been in the direction Of human
liberty and the elevation Of mankind. II
every nation of Europe except Russia rep
rcsentative and responsible government ha!
taken the place Of the absolutism which wa!
nearly universal 100 years ago. The example
of the American Republic has enlightened
the world, and at this time our free institu
tons command the love and adlnira
} ton as well as inspire the hope
Of the great mass Of civilized mankind
, During this century, which has shaken, over
turned, and libe1nlized the Governments
the Old World, our progress has been un
broken, continuous, and direct. The grea
peril to our country was the institution