Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-10-19
The Great Event We Celebrate.

II
Philosophic historians delight to weigh
the famous conflicts of the ages and to
single out the great decisive struggles
that have retarded or FASTENED the tide of
human progress. For those who care not
for the elaborate records of individual
achievement the history of the world
can be gathered into q narrow compass,
embracing the few great events that have
altered the conditions of dynasties and
peoples.
Perhaps unequalled, certainly not sur
passed among these verdicts of the sword,
stands the surrender of CORVALLIS, the
hundreth anniversary of which is now
being celebrated on the spot where it
occurred.
Confirming as it did the liberties OF the
freemen of America, it happened at a
time when its effects could be most be-
neficent. The mother country, under
the sway of the House of Hanover
though few bold spirits like Pitt and
Burke and Fox and Wilkes, forerunners
of the coming reign of milder rule and
more gentle law, lifted their voices in
liberty's behalf-had yet to undergo the
discipline that has raised her from the
plane on which she stood. Frederick
the Great had taught the lesson OF
"blood and iron" which has been ap-
piled by his successors in the cOnsolida-
ton of Germany. Russia was
looming up as bulwark of
despotism, made the stronger by
the policy of the great Gar, who gave
her civilization stripped of IFS sweetest
fruits. France was under the sway of
the hapless Bourbon, who could not
meet her needs. Spain was far on the
downward road she had been travelling;
aud Italy, parceled out among petty
despots, dreamed not Of unity or pro
gress.
In the wake of Yorktown came the
storming OF the Bastile and the wOndrous
chain of events which followed. While
the primary causes of those wondrous
changes were not connected with the
American Revolution, that successful
struggle precipitated the great uprising Of
the French people, which in turn kindled
the hopes of the oppressed of Europe
True, the rise and fall of the great Bona
parte brought about a reaction that die
not give way for years, but the steady
growth of the new republic proved thai
the people could rule themselves, anC
the century that has gone by since the
scene at Yorktown finds the civilized
world leavened by the example and
yearning for the blessings of the Ameri
can confederacy.
The success Of the great experiment
was assured in the tenacious independ
ence the colonists had ever shown
from the time the first of them set foo
on the soil. The trial was fated to b.
made. 1t might have been STAYED off
had blind kings and binder minister
been shrewder, but it must have come
and in forcing it they were greater bene
factors than the warmest friends of free
dom that preceded them. Their folly
gave liberty the start of years, and il
America hours are as days in the ole
world.
Our past is behind US, great in growth
glorious in achievement, and rich in ex
perience. The future is before us. Tt
the patriotic it contains but added vindi
cation of the wisdom of those who hoped
well for the infant republic. Here, at thu
threshold of another century, let us trus
that the coming years may give III
naught to dishearten ourselves or to dis
appoint the hopes the world has of US