Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1882-06-13

forgive as we are forgiven.
"Forbearing one another, forgiving one an
other, If any man have quarrel against any
even as Christ forgave you, SO also do ye."
Thus spake Paul, the Apostle, to the Colossi-
ans. -
Yes, we put the past behind u.s. we stand in
the present and reach out for the future. We
are under our fathers roof tree-under our
fathers flag. Under this roof-tree we intend
to stay-under this flag we intend to live.
Standing in the present, how much is open
before us for our thoughtful meditation.
Our national existence has been short, In
deed. when we contemplate nations life. We
are but in our infancy as compared with the
ages attained by the mighty republics Of his.
ry. They fell after attaining to full stature and
rising to the dizziest heights of civilization and
enlightenment. What remains of Egypt but
her pyramids and mutilated sphinxes and ru-
ined temples? And Greece, the mother Of the
arts-the land of the philosopher. the states
man and the patriot: she who encountered the
formidable Persians and oyerth rev him.
Back, back into the vista the genius OF ro-
nance in dreamy lands still loves to resort,
and to muse amid the ruins + OF these decayed
warning and to teach US that the fatrest and
brightest have given away to the darkest and
most fr1ghtful.
Man grows up from infancy into manhood.
His faculties one by one are developed. His
physical system expands. Mind, tnat ethereal es-
sence gnay stalks ABROAD az H., ana ISM nn
and then follows it through the Heavens and
watches 1t to that moment, when with It's last
rays it bids the world good night. 1t follows
each star in its path of light counts the myr1ads
host and chases the come in its eccentric flight.
Chains cannot bind, nor dungeons confine it.
which accompany these high gifts disease
strikes him, and he sinks down Into the grave
of mankind. So it has been, SO 1t will ever be
with man.
So it has ever been. and SO it will ever be
The United States stands to. day in point of
r,hxy tool 0or1 fu mill
renown, and craftsmanship. the superior of
any land upon which tn sun OF Heaven shines.
The theory Of her federative system-the en-
charged with electric thought. and, might
say almost, without being sacrilegious, with
inspiration from that God whose almighty eye
had witnessed the downfall and failure of 80
many republics that had preceded its fOrma-
tions-is the admiration and wonder of the
world.
Tat theory, most beautiful in its design is that
of a free people-free in thought. free in mind.
| free in action. free in fact-that theory is SOW
sreignty In the people recognizdin'g no crowned
gardtng the rulers Of this land as holding a
q trust from the people and for the people.
federative system shall be broken down, or
fail to be put in practice by the delegated SER
wants of the people. and there will remain
no means of correction, 1t will require no pro-
phetic vision to read the terrible decree of the
downfall of this republic, which the sovereign
people will pronounce.
viii that time ever come? This question 1
cannot answer, but pray the God who
| walked upon. the turbulent sea pillows and
Gained the storm, and who directs the des-
TIMES of nations. to deliver us and ours from
SO terrible a calamity.
Yes, a terrible calamity 4! For the sun, though
in the very meridian of national power would
be blotted out in blood; each star in the
Unions starry constellation would be plucked
from its sock ct; every column would totter
and fall, and the very grass would wIther un-
der the scorching wrath OF an outraged people
and there would be no restoration, Tor such
is the unbending decree which history with its
pen of steel upon its tablets of brass has re-
corded.
How watchful then should we be OF this grand
governmental edifice. whose very foundation
stone is liberty constitutional lberty-the
liberty our fathers gave u.s. The trite saying,
External vigilance is the price of liberty
has groWn INTO prGyero yet now N Little DO
the sky; he knows that it portends a storm !;
he prepares TO meet it; he takes in sail, rights
his vessel, and thus by his vigilance, he rides
| the waves in safety while the storIn-clouds are
spending their fury.
The physician observes small, hard, une-
| 1t is to the inexpe; fenced eye slight matter
but the quick eye of the physician discovers
that 1t is a cancerous growth and as quickly
does ne apply his knife to remove the roots and
save the life of his patient.
All the concerns of life demand vigilance
| Every blessing should be guarded with vigil
lance, and liberty that greatest of all blessings
should beguarded with as much vigilance and
watchfulness, and care, as we're Juno's golden
l apples Dy Inc Iapi6O nyIQpQS III Inc SaTQon OF
| Hesperides It would not be proper for me in
| an address like this and upon such an occasion
as this to discuss questions of political discord
| I have not done SOL shall not do SO I have
dwelt in SO general way that no exception
can be taken by the disciple of any political
| creed. 1 have endeavored to steer clear #
| Scylla and Charybdis, and to pursue a channel
through which every citizen of this land can
pass, If he truly desires to worship at the shrine
o. his country and follow the beacon light of
And now, my countrymen and countrywo-
men. apart from the beauty Of our system Of
government, we have grand heritage. Well.
| indeed, can each of us say in the language of
the Psalmist:-"The lines are fallen unto me
| in pleasant places: yea, have goodly heri-
| of plenty hangs within the reach of every man
who is industrious and frugal A rich and lux
| uriant soil rewards mans ehOrts-and every
sea bears upon its bosom the rich productions
of his labor. Here, every citizen can acquire
| an interest in the soil and secure for himself
place which he can call home Yes. home-the
ly dream. How softly and tenderly we utter
the word When absent from its sacred pre-
ing around us. How they INTERVENE them
| selves about the tendri!s of our hearts, and
| though some may be sad memories, yet we
| would not have them bIotted out for the gold
| of California, for their very sadness makes
| them precious. Yes, every American citizen
has the right to acquire a portion of American
| soil and there erect his own roof tree and live
under 1t with those whom God has given him
with none to modest or make him afraid.
| How thankful ne SnOutQ De LDaL MS lou mas
been cast in such land, surrounded by plenty
| and with the right to secure an indefeasible
| interest in the soil, and he should never fail
with the tolls and bending under the cares of
| the day, to return his thanks to the throne
| of Heavenly Grace for these blessings vouch-
safed unto him by the Mighty Ruler of the
universe.
| Yea, more, his heart should go out in SYM
pathy for those less favored Of other chimes.
And In speaking of the chimes less favored
than ours, tfust you will pardon me by reason
of the pride feel in the stock from which
sprang and in the blood d. that courses in my
story and brave men, yes OF that
| "Fairest isle that spreads
| The history of Ireland is one long-drawn,
continued story Of wrong and oppression.
| Home. home with the humble Irishman in
! his native land is
"a name without thing!
| Like cen as lonely bird,
| Whose home is on the wing"
which he can plant his foot and oall 1t home.
] 81 e can acquire no interest, however industri-
GUS and frugal he may be, in the soil of his ma
may be laid when his troubles are DER, and his
| f1tful, feyerish brow is cold. and death claims
him as his own.
voted his sweat aud toll arc given in support
of his task-masters, who make their levles up
| luxuries. Yet, in spite of all these things-in
spite of oppression and tyranny, and blood, and
| sweat, and tOIl-he stands forth the admira-
| ton of the world. For the courage, the valor
| the spirit, the manhood, the patriotism of an
| Irtshman have never tagged but he walks his
| native peat with his head as erect, and his step
| as proud, the same flash in his eye and the
same resolution in his countenance when
| more than 800 years ago he went forth to meet
and drive for the last time the Danish invad-
ers at the battle of Clentarf. Yes. proudly does
| he step. for the memory and traditions of Ire
| land make him proud He loves her. with
| that beautiful tenderness which roetic fancy
| has immOrtalized. and if there is but one
prayer that an Irishman ever offers, that prayer
| is, God save, God bless old Ireland.'
| His privat1Ons and wants; his sufferings and
wrongs have made it second nature to him
ever to relieve the distressed and to feel for the
| oppressed
! Show me true Irishman and will show you
| a man who has 9 heart to feel for the woes of
| his fellow-nlan, and an arm TO strike in de-
| fence of the dOwn-trOdden and the right.
Show me true Irishman and I will show
you man whose hand is ever open to the calls
| of charity, and whose ties of friendship are
like hooks of steel-standing by his friends
! amid the frowns and sneers and even curses of
| the world.
Oh that the spirit OF our free institutions
| could hover liS white winged angel OF love,
| tranquility, and peace over this now distracted
| and unhappy land.
| In contemplating the dark, dismal land of
| the shamrock, | repeat, how thankful we
should be that our lot is cast in a land like this
And in speaking of this braye and chivalrous
people, If time allowed would like to speak
| Of that number, who, as Union and Confader-
ate soldiers, locked bayOnets and streWed their