Daily Los Angeles herald., 1881-09-06
The Plaza Demonstration.

ton last night, as 1t deserved to be
Nothing Is more suggestive of tn
old times than this venerable relic
Father Peter Verdaguer, its popu
lar and able Pastor, was at grea
pains to make the decoration
worthy OF the occasion. The Papa
flag surmounted the church, sup
ported ou one side by the flag of oil
Spain, and on the other by th,
Stars and Stripes. A platform hat
been erected inside the parsonag,
fence, flanked by portraits of Pres
ident Garfield and King Alphonso
and on which were grouped a num-
ber Of Spanish young ladies ant
children. Miss Hortense Sacristt
presided at the piano, and directed
the musical and vocal exercises
which were exceedingly melodious
and enjoyable. During the course
of the evening speeches were made
by Don Juan Torro and Father
Peter Verdaguer. The Grafton OF
the day was delivered by Hon.
Yguacio Sepulveda In Spanish and
English. The following Is a cor
rect report of the latter:
JUDGE sEPULvEDA's SPEECH.
Fellow citizens: There are epochs
-, . I, n N m fa Of finno z, "a nj
ways possess an enduring interest.
of the progress of the
people, they constitute the meas.
ure of their power, their worth and
their future. SOlicitude gathers
around the past as it tells us In ac-
cents of melancholy beauty, who
and what has preceded US, explain
ing to us the present aud illumin-
atipg the future. Our hopes and
our destiny are intimately connect
ed with the remembrance of our
in whose fame we claim
q share, over whose achievements
we rejoice. Reverence and grati-
tnde for the patriarchs of other
times, for the benefactors Of the
human race, link us in sympathy
with the past and future gener-
ations.
One hundred years ago, and
those friendly hills that shelter us,
those lovely valleys that smile in
all the splendor of wealth and
beauty that nature can lavish,
we're cold, gloomy and savage.
Dense, frowning forests. desolate
plains, solitary shores, impressed
upon the country type of utter
Isolation. Hordes Of primitive
people. with no past to enrich their
present, and no future to look to
for hope, stalked over the land.
had not yet placed upon
this remot region the zeal of peace
and civilization. The Spanish gov
ernment, from the year 1854, under
the auspices OF the great Cortez,
had made repeated ventures to re.
duce the natives of California. 1t
mad been baffled In it's efforts. The
task Of colonization would have
been abandoned, had 1t not been
that the Church, that great depos-
itory of 30 much good, faithful
channel of science, letters and
morals and promoter Of laudibIe
enterprises in those dark days, as.
sumed the responsibility of con-
verting the Californians and plac-
ing them under the authority of
Spain. And we'll did the Church
it's mission. Hence
Il IL l.
to glitter in the sunlight of this
Pueblos, missions, pre-
sidios. gulfs, bays, islands and riv-
ers were to perpstuate the names
OF saints. The great zeal Of the
priest, that devoted professist of
the faith, and the daring enter
prise of the Spanish soldier clasped
hands, and this land was converted
into a paradise, adding one more
chaplet of glory to redeemed hu.
Those missionaries, ad-
vance guards of civilization, best
type of manhood, casting from
them every hope of earthly pleas
ure or earthly aggrandizsment,
solitudes amidst dam
gers that no mortal before had
dared to confront. Their story is
repiete with marvels of simple sub
Unity. Burying themselves in
the deserts, facing death with the
courage OF heros, and enduring tor
msnts with the constancy of mar.
tyrs, theirs was indeed weary
apostleship, full of toll, peril and
suffering. And we meet on this
SPOT, trodden by their footsteps, on
the centennial of the founding of
the pueblo, to commemorate the
event and to offer our homage to
the men who first planted the seeds
of religion, industry aud intelli-
gence In the fruitful soil of our
lovely valleys. Those who can ap.
preciate the blessings Resulting to
US from their efforts, need only
the thrift, content anu
prosperity that meet the eye
wherever We turn. To us, who
feel the inspiration OF the place,
the day is crowded with fond re-
of the days that are
past. Those times are forever
gone. In their stead we have ell
the fair accomplishments of opu-
lence and re finement, of knowledge
and power. Yet in the very place
we stand the voice of prayer was
first raised, and death and immor-
tality, and the triumphs of faith
were discussed. ! Jet Ms rejoice
then, aud hail the day as one of
profoundly dear, con-
nected by the worth of those who
the land from barbarian
without shedding one drop of blood,
without allowing one solitary tear
to flow.
Fellow citizens: What marve-
lous changes since the days when
the peaceful man of Goj pur-
sued his sacred avocations, guid-
ing, teaching and controlling the
simple neophyte, and radiant in
the vestments of his prlestly office.
he Administered the sacramental
bread to thousands of kneeling
proselytes! Progress and civiiiza-
lion have transformed all. In the
midst of culture, surroanded by