Sacramento daily record-union., 1882-05-08

Mr.. President, Ladies' and Gentlemen. IL is re.
lated in tho history Of England that for centuries
after the Norman conquest the Anglo Saxon, or
pure Englishmsn, wb) were unwilling to bow the
knee in humble submission to the naughty WILL
or Henry, Hafus, sought safet, Tor
and Protse their Ia the wids and ID
depths Of the then almost boundess rests OF that
island Forced by circumstances, as well "a by
common feeling, to confde with the other they
became closely pnited in bonds Of friendship, and
for many years maintained their independence and
perpetuated thu Saxon memories, despite the efforts
of the monarch and his nobemen. Compelled to
rely almost exclusively upon the game OF the forests
for their food nd upon the spoil taken from their
enemies for their support denied the use Of the
armor and tff weapons of the proud mobiles,
they grew expe4t in oil the lore OF woods and fields,
Of running w4ers and beautiful forests among
which they reared their households and daily moved
From these factb they became known Us Foresters,
and they were Foresters in reality as well as in
name unitstof feeling as regarded the true aims
OF life. unity f purpose as regarded the persons
who ought TO be and were their enemies. unity yf
action In providing one for the other brought them
more closely together than other organizations Of
man were able to unite their members at that time.
They became bound together by the ties born Of
danger as well as those the outgrowth OF peace
The necessities Of the case required them to have
certain methods OF becoming acquainted one with
the other and each with ALL when the exgencies OF
life compelled them to be far from the sequestered
glade which they called home and from these ne
cessites arose among them code Of signs, bywords
Forester, however disguised or wherever they
mt ht be.
These men were devoted to the chase they we're
the mo { skilied OF al England In the use Of arms
peculiar to hunters, and derived most OF their food
from their use. They reverted as II we're, TO the
early condition OF man, abandoning agriculture as
Of living, and thus were obliged by the force
OF their methods Of existence, TO do as primitive
man did, form grand fraternity, embracing all who
entered their forests and sympathiz-d with their
lives wherein all could meet an equality, all
mngle In common wherein the spoil taken from
the enemy was divided amongst every member Of
the bans, share and share alike where tha
race and caste distinctions, so prominently char
ac.oristic OF the Normans and their followers.
were, both in theory and In practice, unknown.
They sometimes, perhaps frequently, raided the
unduly rich, and constituted themselves the dis
poser OF their fortunes; but to their credit be it
said they always remembered and assisted the poor
even IL they originally furnished not the means Of
sucn remembrance. No outcast ever went from
Sherwood Forest hungry or naked no poor widow
eI or raised unanswered to the Forester, that plum
dered arrogant Baron or pompous Bishop, her voice
in piteous appeal Tor aims no orphan seeking that
protection denied him in the cold world, ever failed
TO find comfort and support at the hands of the BOLD
Foresters who kept alive, in the wilds Of Merrie
England, the spirit Of Apglo-Saxon independence
Compelled to deal with others not members Of
their fraternity, obliged sometimes TO rely upon
people connected with the outer world for the trans
action Of even their simple business, called upon by
their very mode OF life 10 make friends and 70 help
those friends hunting-horn and teaching them
how to blow with the born three peculiar notes, and
nstructing them that, wherever they might be, and
help was needed, either to protect them from the
violence and rapine Of the banded knights In the
highways valleys OF the lanl when lost in the
secret walks and wooded glens Of the vast forests
that then spread their almost impenetrable shade
the farest shires OF Britain to release them.
selves from the grim grasp OF sorrow and poverty,
the sounding upon the horn OF the three cabai tic
blasts would summon TO their aid those ready and
willing 70 render assistance. The rules OF these
men bound every Forester 20 answer at once the call
1 thus made upon him. They prescribed that any
and all Foresters to whose ears the well-known sig
nal Of the huntingdon was borne were bound 70
drop all business, 10 all pleasure and hasten
to rive the help required thus at their hands. The
| how ready drawn 10 hurl the arrow upon beast or
man. must be relaxed the knife, cleaning at the
throat of the captured stag or doe must be sheathed
and the captured suffered TO go unharned; the
feast must be left 10 mouder or TO waste all work
be cast asde and every hasten TO the spot from
which the call was made.
MANY are the deeds Of daring, many are the heroic
acts recounted Of the brave men OF Sherwood Forest
when doing their duty Foresters in thus
ing the cry for aid made by the friend TO whom
they had intristed their signalhorn Their proud
and truthful boast was that the Foresters warn
ing notes were never uttered in vain, whether
beneath the glowing MONDAY SUD, the blaekness Of
nights encompassing clouds amidst sylvan retreats,
or under the frowning turrets OF noatcd castles
that the green ierkin immortalized BY Robin Hood
nroye by action the faith plghted 10 man. or by the
neglect to exemplfy in deed the friendship pledged
( iI word.
We Of this later day who call ourselves Foresters,
and In part have copied the signals and founded our
society upon the rules and regulations OF the Forest
ers Of DID, have horn have 0pr three notes, have
ogr methods Of making one another acquainted, our
means Of rallying 10 the support Of every weak and
suffering brother the whole vast membership Of the
Ancient Order Of Foresters from all portions Of the
h.bitable globe. We come not, however 20 answer
their summons with sword or bow, not obliged
TO to seek the battlefield Of life in order 70
aid those asking us by the powsr Of our Order 70
assist them In the Forest Of Life
The notes sounded by the FOresters OF this day
are Unity, BenevOlence and Concord as tau ht in
the Courts OF the Ancient Order Of Forsstsrs
When hear Of brother asking in the name Of
the Order, for assistance, we not to know his
birthplace, care not 70 know his age his stand.
ing, his wealth, or his position we care not where
he cometh from whittier he goetb. We know
only that in the name of the Order to which we be.
long and Of which we living part he has called
upon US TO render him our active sympathy aud,
one and ALL we strive TO excel ia deeds Of beBevo-
ing together In concord that may help him, fol.
lowing the unity Of thought and action prescribed
In the ritual OF The Order that may prove 70 him
that the beneyolenee preach Is also the benevo.
lence We practice.
The Ancient Order OF Foresters, in comrnemora-
tion Of whose founding and In celebration of the
maintenance and prosperity Of one Of the Courts OF
which meet here on this May day in our picnic
gathering, Is OF English origin, formed by the toilers
of that island which has dominated the world whose
nag mas hoated 10 triumph from the capitals OF
every nation Of the earth, whose pennant horne at
the masthead Of It's ships has carried the terror
of the English arms TO the faftherest gion u the
giobe. For one, | am proud Of England | glory
In the TACT that America is descended from her
honor her men OF science, inventive skilled
mad hnr hnr Watt har Gf.fana