The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-07-06

And so Mowatt bombarded and DESTROYED
our town. The fires lit by the shot and she'll
OF the British ships soon went out, and left
our fair town smouldering heap OF ashes; but
the light Of this brave act of our fathers illum-
ines the page of history, and will shine on.
down the annals of time, as long as liberty
honor, and patriotism have a place in the
heart OF man.
SO Falmouth was offered a sacrifice on the
altar OF our country's liberties, and the words
'Strangulatus pro Republicd," might have
been inscribed upon the ashes of ruined Fal-
mouth, as truthfully as this same sad legend
was written upon the death-bed of our martyr
President.
But the destruction OF our beautiful town
was not in vain. 1t helped show the colonies
the true spirit of Great Britain, it confirmed
the wavering, il convinced the weak The
news of the inhuman bombardment of Fal-
mouth sounded over the land like the blast of
trumpet. Ii girded up the loins of our sol
diers in the field; it strengthened the determ-
lnatlon OF our representatives in the Continent
al Congress, and helped nerve them to the
adoption of that immortal declaration of in
dependence for which our country fought and
Suffered, and which was at last recognized by
all the nations of the globe.
o. 1t is the genius Of the nineteenth century
that has seized the Sphinx by the throat and
compelled her to disclose the riddle OF nature
And in this grand conquest of the forces OF
nature BY man, no nation has borne 80 illus
trious a part as our own America
And this because the shackles of dependence
have been stricken from hand and brain, be-
cause thought and act on this continent are
forever free to work out the great problems Of
life for the good of man.
1t 10 now just 100 years since England re-
cognized the independence of these United
States In this century our country has grown
from thirteen to thirty-eight states, in popula-
ton 1t has increased from three millions to
over tifty millions, from scattered settlements
| along the Atlantic coast we have extended
our domain across the continent. Our adj
vance along the century in numbers, in wealth,
in material resources, in intellectual activity,
and in moral power excells that OF anJ people
the sun ever shone upon.
Possessors and developers of the best land on
the planet a land awakened to colossal produc-
ton by our genius, our industry and our skill
| we to-day are not surpassed in any element of
greatness by any nation known to history, and
are only equalled by the empires of Britain
and of Rome.
| While some among you. my countrymen,
who are within the sound OF my voice will live
| TO see the day when an imperial republic
| stretching from the Arctic seas to the Gulf, as
| 1t now extends from ocean to ocean, will offer
| to the world its best and brightest example of
national greatness, because its greatness will be
based upon the bruadest and highest develop
ment of every individual in the nation.
But let us ever remember that America
holds the great principles of liberty and equal
ity, not for herself alone but as sacred trust
for all mankind. All over this world the toll
| ing masses look towards America as the storm
tossed mariner looks towards the beacon light
of the desired haven.
In the summer of 1S65-the summer after
the downfall of our great rebellion-a company
OF Americans, sailing along the Arctic Ocean,
landed on the wild coast of Norway, where the
ice-clad fields overtop the sea, and where the
sun sinks not, but shines full and clear through
out the night. A giant cliff lowered from th o
beach half 3, mile in air. At its base, clus-
tered around fire of drift wood, crouched a
group of Lapp sayages,. clad in the skins of the
reindeer. AS we approached, the chief of the
| party, an old man, decrepit and bent with
| years, advanced to meet us, enduring in the
Norwegian tongue, whence we came. When
we replied From America" the old man
paused; then raising himself to his full height,
and stretching forth his hand. he asked with
eager, trembling voice, "TeH irle, sirs, does
freedom get ice IN that far off loTsd?"
| Ali Little did Americans think as we fought
for fieedom and country, that the contest was
anxiously watched by even the savages of the
Frigid Zone. But so it was, and so it is, that
| America, "the land of the free" is now, as
then, the hope Of the poor and downtrodden
this wide world over.
May we ever guard our liberties with eternal
vigilance, "that the government of the people
by the people, and for the people, shall moi
perish from the EARTH"