Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-02-24
NO. s.

along tAe wires Of Geographic esmmu-
nioatiOn. The whole world is waking
from the sleep Of centuries. Religion
and philosophy are sowing seed in tho
multitude, held down for ages by mer-
ci1ess prescription, and humanity is III
sing up to claim its birth right. So rapid
is the spread Of all these Influences, so
resistless is the march Of the predomi-
nant ideas Of American civilization.
that am not afraid to say here now,
that believe that the child is born, to-
day, which shall see the birth Of a grand
republic ofconfederated nations, spread
ing throughout the earth the divine
blessings OF liberty, and peace.
! sometimes meet with persons, who,
in the evaporation of defeat, or in re-
sentiment against the excuses of q pap--
ty, arc willing to surrender their lot and
parcel in this glorious experiment; such
is not the case with me, While / yield
to no! man in antagonism to party
winch has given the most violent shock
to the just balance of the constitution,
| yield, at the same time, to no man, in
the ardor 0fmydevotion to the essential
principles OF American freedom. Never
BY any decision of mine will | relin-
quish the portion, that fortune, and the
circumstances of birth have conferred
upon me, Of the glories of American cit
izenship. l rejoice every day, that am
q compatriOt of Washington, and that
over me, like protecting shield, is
hung the Constitution of these States,
which Washington approved, and OF
which he was the first executive arm.
Let US all, to-day, reach upwards to y
higher conception of the proud privi-
leges we have inherited. Ii is written
in Holy Book, that the chosen peo-
pie were led to a land flowing with milk
and honey; but the promised land,
which was hid behind the mountains
and the desert, was but a miniature.
compared with that, which was hid be-
hind the western ocean, and reserved for
the heirs Of freedom. The Divine Ru-
Ter ofall, in the expression ofhis Proyi-
dence, gave to Obedience rock bound
province, but to Liberty he has given q T.
continent uncoufned, Tapped on two
mighty oceans, aud bounded only by
the Northern limit of perpetual frost,
and by the Southern border of ever
blooming flowers. For us the heritage
OF thousand hills spring spontaneous
for the herds, and q thousand fruitful
valleys spreads sustenance for the tiscks.
For us a thousand lordly rivers offer
their copious floods for the transport of
our superabundant stores; for us, the
Titans of the darkling mines propel the
machinery of commerce along the ring
ing grooves of a million tracks of steel;
and for u.s. the lightnings of Heaven,
subjugated to human necessities, flash
the currents of our thought.
/ have stood on a gontle ACTIVITY, and
seen the sun coming as e bride groom
from his chambers in the east, to his
espousals with the vestal earth. The
wedding hymn was sung by silver
throated birds, mingling with the ;eolian
monotone of the wind, playing through
the trees Incense was waited from I'M
seen censers by the Hamadryads in the
the grove. On the eastern horizon, Au-
rora spread the tapestry Of the skies,
where Persian dyes mingled with the
glory OF the new efiulgence OF the morn
ing. Ash gazed on the captivating spec
tacle my heart swelled with eSultation,
and / thanked my God. that this ismy
own, my native land. And as boy
among the vineclad hills of my native
parish, have seen the same SIM. tired
with his diurnal toll, piling his couch
for his repose, with soft tinted clouds on
the Olympian heights Of amber and OF
gold. | have gazed in ecstacy, till
Venus lit her evening lamp; till the
MhippoowilPs lone cry came over the
hills from out her leafy covert, till the
hoyden wind sobbed herself to sleep on
tffe bosom OF her mother earth. and
have warmed with the thought, that all
this glorious land is heritage to my
race. From where the sentinel noun
tains overlook the silvery eastern sea- to
the sunny gulf, where 'the purple null
let and the red fish rove; from where the
turbid Missouri pours its tribute food,
to the vast horizon-bounded meadows,
sloping to the Rio Grande-all this teem-
ing land Of hill, and dale, and stream,
and forest is ours. This is. the posses
sion that has descended to rs from the
lay we celebrate. The Father of his
country has left us such a heritage, that
when it is divided by long division,
among fifty million of people, every one
has an allotment which of properly APP
preciated is richer than ducal coronet,
D. entailed estate. 1t is the glory. the
honor, the secure protection of Ameri-
IAN citizenship.
The speaker was frequently applaud
I'd during the delivery Of his ornate ora
ion, and at the close received the warm
congratulations Of his attentive listen
rs. The column was then reformed TO
tllow the companies to escort one an
,ther to their respective halls to house
heir apparatus, after doing which, they
we're marched to Pixies hall, where
hree long tables had been laden with .
repast, set by W. =. Kirby,
Who proved himself caterer of the first
rider. Everything was well arranged and
prepared. Much credit is due him fnc
he handsome dinner, which was highly
elished by all the guests. Capt. Stroube