Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1882-02-28

COntTlOuteu utE WluOW ihiSc W sho IL
ginia election. Laughter.l She has fur
nished President Arthur, who, In his short
term OF service is conquering public con-
fidence with almost unparalleled swiftness ;
a Judge ofthe Supreme Court ofthe United
States, who, descending from her own
chief justiceship, carries to his new post
great learning, indomitable industry, q
pure heart, and six feet four Of New Eng
land thoroughness. Nor does she de-
spise small things. without flinching or
resorting to draft, she will instantly oil
the quota just assigned her in the sub
service of the national House ofRepresent-
atives-one messenger, one page and one
laborer. Laughter. With her great
mother heart she has adopted and made her
own all the wandering children who have
come to her threshold. Plymouth Rock Is
their blarney-stone, as well as hers. JON
athan and Patrick, Fritz, Jean and Gio-
vanni, are all alike Pilgrims OF her origin
al stock, and for them, and for all who
dwell below the skies, she demands the
rights of man, the equality Of Gods child
ren, the blessings OF liberty. These are
the fundamentals which she breaches and
points, the letters OF light, in the words
and lives OF her sons, the Adams and Gar
rison and SumnerIa land Andrew, who have
so often aud so gloriously spoken, and
who, though dead, still speak her faith.
Applause. As for her daughters, it, OF
course goes without saying that there are
none nobler IN the world. They are the
inspiration Of her charities; they adorn
her literature; they are devoted to her
service; and they command respect for her
aud for themselves.
Yes, Mr.. chairman, am happy to bring
you words OF good cheer from Massachus-
e,ts. Her folk are happy; her heart Is
lighter than her purse; her generosity Is
large and just; II you should burn down
she would build you mp In forty minutes;
she has railroad At almost every mans
back. door: Horace Mann Is still her school
master; she has taken q contract, together
with certain citizens OF the Empire State,
TO reform the civil service OF the nation
and make II as good as her own; she has
set her face against intemperancc, though
her Cochtuatc has just had rather an an-
cient and tlshlike smell laughter ; she
has soft eide for the black man and the
rod-especially the Ponca; she clings TO
her meeting houses, and yet has the freest
mind OF her own her water. courses spark
lie in the sunshine with the golden prods
OF the wheels they turn; and her indus
tries are her civilization. May speak OF
one OF her workshops? refer TO Fall
River, which, with only 80, 900 inhabitants,
has one-seventh of all the spindles In the
United States and nearly onehfth OF those
in New England. Nor on this anniversary
night must forget my own county or its
cspital, that sacred town OF Plymouth, TO
well as those OF official lineage. There is
no doubt that Ssmoset has gone, although
the antiqusrians still have the question
under grave discussion. There is not, 1t
is believed, an original Pilgrim left. IL
the Maytiower Is there, she certainly
runs no regular trips. The Rock Is the
only one OF the first settlers OF any account
that still survives, and even that, following
the rest OF them, is now nearly under the
sod. Between the hill where sleep the
dead forefathers, under the very sumit
from which more than two hundred aud
sixty years ago they saw the sails OF the
MAY flower" fade out on her return to
England, between the hill and the sea Is
the life OF generous and busy town, with
its courthouse and churches, and its
newspaper and market, with its factories
for making boots and shoes and cotton
cloth, and good hempen cordage, which
may all good men escape. and with its
fishing schooners, little rusty since the
Washington treaty which gave SIS, 200, 900
to the Union and stripped New England
OF her fisheries, but yet active enough to
make the ancient Goldfish which hangs in
the hall Of the Massachusetts House Of
Representatives not altogether an unmean.
ing symbol.
But it is not becoming that / should
speak longer for Massachusetts. 1 might,
perhaps, have been justified in boasting
OF er history, her influence, her leader
ship, her names lustrous in war and peace.
Indeed, it is possible may already have
mentioned few Of them-those especially
which she keeps constantly on hand. l
might have referred to her as just one inch
taller than any OF her sisters, even when
she stoops; might have spoken Of the lib
erality of her capital and the intelligence
and dignity of her labor; might have count
ed the railroads Of New Mexico and the
West generally as a product of her &C.
MUS; might have suggested that the New
England idea-whatever that is is the
very life-blood and muscle of the republic,
and that Massachusetts, is New England;
might have named those famous fields
hal. forgotten with US and rarely, If ever,
reca,led-of Concord, Lexington and Bun
ker Hill; and might have enlarged upon
the unfamiliar topic of the character, pur-
poses and virtues Of the Pilgrim forefa-
thers. But have rcfrained from all this.
am not here for that purpose. II would
be simply insuferable. 1t Is something
you would not do in New York. The old