The Ottawa free trader., 1881-07-09

I gTICGu
Gods footstool. great majority have now
| crossed the river of Jordan. There Is a Strobe,
| Collins, Butterleld Of Chlcago; there Is Pet.
ers and Purple OF Peoria; there was lamented
Ed Baker, and might say the finest orator that
America ever produced; ald not the least among
the great and lllustrious is Douglas aud Lin
coin. We propose to build upon the ruins OF
the old court house much grander ediice, one
that will reach down to unborn generations, and
| II they In their day will find II necessary to en-
large their boundaries, God grant that they may
be as prosperous as we loud applause and when
the time viii come that that foundation will
bring to light the revealed mysteries Of that box,
may they be heard with rs much interest and
reverence as we have manifested to-day.
The president here introduced the Hon. Judge
Wallace, OF Chicago, who in the absence OF Jas
w, Duncan, to whom the duty was assigned, in
response to the toast, Resources OF La Sale
County," responded as follows:
1t may be appropriate, looking out from under
the cloud that hangs over the public mind, for
monment to consider the resources Of La Sale
county; for, fellow. citizens, whatever may be our
grief whatever may be our untoward circum.
stances, whatever weight there may be bearing
down upon our hearts 1t Is always appropriate
that we should see about the resources from
which we expect oar substance and prosperity
in the future, and we may say that the resources
Of any people do not consist simply in the calcu-
lation Of the amount of dollars and cents that
may be In our money boxes. La Sale county
to-day gives better evidence of her from
the fact that she is simply out of debt and Is pay
ing her expenses 10 she goes along than II she
had millions in her treasury; for the accumula-
ton Of dollars and cents accumulates cOrrup-
ton. Let people once have such control OF
themselves rs TO keep their circumstances and
their revenue about equal and they are happy
people full OF resources. l understand, while |
know but little about your finances or your fl
nanCial condition, that this beautiful edlice that
is about to be erected upon the ashes OF the old
court house is to be paid for rs the stones arel laid
In their places; that one.thrd OF the expense OF
this building has already been put upon the as.
sessment roll, and many of the people declare it
is not there. tell you, friends, that this gives
evidence of resource that no other people ever
heard Of can boast Of. 1t would be folly for any
portray to you the condition Of your treasury,
You all understand that and feel that you are on
sound financial basis and fear no evil from that
point But 1t came TO my mind when asked to
respond to this toast about twenty minutes ago
that the resources OF the people did not depend
entirely upon their finances; that the condition
of the finances OF any municipality was only an
evidence of resource. The real resources OF the
people are In The people themselves; and when
we find people prosperous and happy when
we find them carrying along their public affairs
without any friction, all moving along happily
together, il is evidence OF resource other than
the balance sheet in the treasurer's office. Ana
right here let me call your attention to the les
son given to you by Mr.. Cook, aud emphasize it,
il possible, that the resources OF any people, any
county, state, United States, what
ever it may be, that the resources OF any people
are IN the family circle. There we find the root
from which springs prosperity; there we fad
the germ from which spring those things that
carry us along in the light of progress; there We
find the germ from which springs the evidence
of peoples condition morally; there we find
the germ that circumstances the Sunday school;
there we find the germ that circumstances the
church, the root from which springs everything
in the catalogue that is good. And where would
those soldiers have come from, where would this
nation have been but for the domestic happiness
of the American people. We would to-day have
been in u Mexcanizcd condition. The strength
of this nation rests in the family circle. Give me
the man that loves his children and will trust
his patriotism TO the very last drop of his blood.
Now, is it worth while, ladies and gentlemen,
for to recount to you the gallantry of the sol
diers that left La Sale county in the late war?
those courageous men that came from
La Sale county who contributed more than their
quota to the salvation of the nation In its peru.
This, say, gives me evidence that in La Sale
county the domestic circle is happy. 1t IL IN &C
cordance with divine justice and divine instruc-
ton How would we have furnished them il it
had not been 80? Suppose the people ot shls
county had been but a cosmopolitan people,
people floating about, changing from year to year,
no home, no land, no interest, no nothing OF
local character; why, La Sale county would not
have been known upon the roll OF honor. She
there recorded. The speaker here pointed to
the monument in Washington square, which
stood Immediately before him. She can look
with pride upon that death roll; she can look
with pride upon q preserved country, the fruit OF
the blood they spilled; and they can justly and
without fear of successful contradiction refer
that result to the fact that in the majority of the
domestic circles of La Sale county the Father of
Heaven is ever present in all his goodness.
1t is pleasant to talk of these things under
the cloud: the cloud impresses them upon our
hearts, we are in better condition to consider
our actual resources than If the cloud were not
upon us. Were We today IN the usual rourth
of July condition, any person getting up and
talking about loving children and parents prob
ably would not be listened to; but under this
cloud we are impressed, born down by the ma
tional calamity and it is easy for US to look
around and see what our resources are. 1t is, la
dies and gentlemen, of more Importance to IS.
under this condition Of things, to examine our
resources than if We were simply celebrating the
Fourth Of July: for under calamity we should
look to our resources. Then let us carry home
the lesson that so eloquently presented to
YOU and TO all Of us by Mr. Cook. Go home and
with the impression upon our minds and with
the prayer in our hearts that He who Is ever
over US may continue to protect US In that circle
from which spring all resources OF every knd.
name and nature, that is for good, and that in
answer TO that prayer we shall never, never want
FOR resources.
The president then introduced the Hon. Sam
uer Lewis, who responded to the toast, "rhe
New Courthouse" as follows:
Mr.. President and Ladies and Gentlemen: Not
withs.anding the solemnity OF the day and
the occasion, and the sympathetic and eloauen.
tributes which have gone up TO heaven this day
from the lips of my respected brothers regard
ing the attempted assassination OF our beloved
president, shall contine myself to the subject
matter which has been placed under my con
sideration.
1t is no new idea to me, this little enthusiasm
over a new court house. forty years ago wit
messed similar experience; stood by and saw
the bricks laid which formed structure at that
time full Of architectural beauty. Then there
was group OF men who stood around full Of en-
thusiasm, watching the masons apo mechanics
rear that structure. The authorities Of the
county were selling its bonds at 50 per cent dis