Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1882-07-14
COMMENCEMENT ORA 7YONS.

Those who have read the local columns
of the press cannot have failed TO notice the
conspicuous place which the school COM
mencements now hold. The orations, es-
says and yalcdctories incident upon such
occasions furnish an opportunity for pane
gyrics on our country, its institutions, and
especially grand and lofty comparisons of
the progress and achievements of the pres
ent age compared with all former ages and
people. A collection of these addresses, even
for the season which has just closed, would
I'LL many volumes, and would show u sub
stantial uniformity of gloriGcation, and if
laid by for the pcrusal of posterity, some
centuries hence would, with great una.
ninsity, bear witness that We were the mos
accomplished, prosperous, yirtuous and high
iy educated people that the world had ever
produced.
II We can imagine, however, that the
future historian, seeking for the truth as To
this golden age, should find an equal nun.
her of volumes Of the daily newspapers of
this same year of grace, the contrast Of their
revelations might seem startling and ire.
concilable. II would find a large portion
of those daily news records devoted 10 the
relations Of murders, assassinatons, rob.
berries and crime Of every nature. In an
other portion he would find that labor trou.
bles were arraying the employed and the
employers throughout the northern portion
of the Union; that troops aud police forces
were called 10 preserve the public peace and
To guard life from the bludgeon and pro.
perty from the torch OF the locked -out
laborer. lie would find that the theoreti-
cally, nicely balanced constitutional gov.
ernment-the perfection Of human govern
ments--was practically the government of a
party which held control OF lis places,
emoluments, patronage and power for its
own adhcrents alone That this party real
iy consisted OF few leaders, called by their
opponents "machine BOSSES" who were able
TO control and direct their followers as To
what men should be- supported for Office,
what measures should he sustained or OPP
posed. That whilst these very commence
ment addresses were being uttered, men
who had held high positions in the govern
ment were undergoing trial for making use
of their official positions to rob the govern.
ment by conspiracios and combinations with
contractors. That in order TO keep thom.
selves in power, the Republican party at
the seat Of government was entrenching
itself in order to retain possession of the
patronage OF the goyernment--that tue Con.
gressional Republican Committee inaugu-
rated a plan OF systematic and biennial us.
sessments upon all persons. who. In any
capacity, received pay for their services to
the government, and that these several as
sessments were used in order TO bride the
voter and thus control the elections.
1t is quite possible, in view OF the develop.
ment of the seeds Of corruption in our gov.
eminent, that the future historian may select
this very period as the beginning Of the de
cline and fall of the American Republic
That the corruption Of the times, the sub
servience 10 party, the recklessness and ar
rogance Of party domination, the blind, un-
reasoning fealty Of Che mass 10 the leaders
IN support OF whatever measures they may
uphold, may be the cutting loose 0f the |
thoughtful independence Of mind on which
lone our government should rest