The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1881-03-12

o. the al February last. Col. K.
A. Cross, Editor Of the Baton Rouge
advocate. delivered % address to
the Firemen and citizsns oithe Capt..
tol city, closing With the following
beautiful sentiments:
Let % oil, to-day, reach upwards
10 . higher conception OF tho proud
privileges We have Inherited. Il u
written 10 Holy Book, that tho cho.
cen people were led to Q land flowing
With milk and honey; but the prom.
iced land, which Wss bid behind the
mountains and tho desert. wss but
miniature, compared With that, which
Va bid behind the western ocean,
and reserved for the heirs Of freedom.
The Divine Ruler OF oil, 10 tho ex.
preston Of bis Providence, gave to
Obedience Q rock.bound province,
but 70 Liberty be has given Q CONT.
nent unconfned. lspped on tWo
mighty 0cosDe and bounded only by
the Northern limit OF perpetual frost,
and by the Southern border OF ever
blooming flowers. For " tho her.
baRe OF Q thousand bills spring spon.
tsoe0us for the herds. and Q thou.
Sand fruitful valley spreads susie.
nance for the Jocks. For us Q thou.
ssod lordly rivers offer their copious
foods for the transport Of our super.
abundant stores; for 10, the Titans
OF tho darkling mines propel the
machinery OF commerce along the
ringing grooves OF = million tracks OF
steel: and for 10 tho lightninge Of
Heaven, subjugsted to human ne.
ceesittes, flash the currents Of our
thought.
I have stood on Q gentle acclivity
aud seen tho sun coming - Q bride.
Groom from bic chambero In tho
east, 70 bio espouoals With the w.
I'll earth. The wedding hymn Wss
sung BY silver throated birds. minR.
log With the eolisn monotone Of tie
Wiod. playing through tho trees. 10.
ceooe was waited fcOm upeeen cen.
eers By tho asmadrysdsin tho grove.
o. tho eastern horizon, Aurora
spread tho tapestry Of tho skiee,
we're Pes1ien dyeo mingled With tho
glory OF tho new eliulgepce Of tho
morning. Az I sased 90 tho capt..
waiting spectacle my heart sWelled
With e1ultati0n. and I thanked my
God, that this 70 my own, my native
land. And % boy among the vine.
clad bills OF my native parish, I have
0een tho eomo Gun, tired With bic
diurnsl toll. piling bio couch for bic
'repoee, With colt tinted clouds on tho
Olymptsn heights Of amber and Of
gold. ! have gazed 10 ecstscy, till
Venus lit her evening lamp; till tho
Whippo0rwill's lone cry came over
tho hills from out her lesiy covert,
till the hoyden wind sobbed herself
to sleep on the bosom OF her mother
earth, and I have warmed With the
thought, that oil this glorious land
10 Q heritage TO my race. From
where tho sentinel mountains over.
look tho ellvery eastern see, TO the
sunny cult. where ''the purple mul.
let and tho red 6sh rove" irom whore
tho turbid Missouri pours Ito tribute
flood, 20 the vast horixon-bounded
meadows. sloping to the Rio 0rande
all this teemi0g land OF bill, and
dale, and stream, and forest b ours.
THIS 70 the possession that bee de-
ecended % % from the day 10 cole.
brate. The father OF bio country
be- left % such Q heritage, that
when Il % divided BY long division,
among 1fty million Of people. every
ono be % allotment which II prop'
erly appreciated 10 richer than ducel
coIonot, Of entslled estate. i b the
glory, tho honor, tho secure protec
ton Of American citizenship.