The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1883-07-07
FOURTH OF JULY !!
1ts Observance In Ressburg On Last
Wednesday.

The 10th anniversary Of American
lndependenence dawned upon the peo-
pie of Umpqua valley as serenely and
TRANQUILITY as could be desired. By
eight o'clock the streets assumed a
holiday appearance, and before the
hour set for the forming of the process.
sion, Jackson and other principal thor
oughfarcs presented an entivening
appearance as the crowd thronged the
sidewalks or hurried rapidly fro1n one
street to smother
Owing to the non-appearance of the
grand marshal no procession was
formed, the people simply assembling
at the grounds. Mr.. Sheriff Purdon,
acted as marshal. Hon. w. F. Ben
jamin president of the day, announced
the program. After music by thecornet
band and prayer by the chaplain Miss
Hattie Benjamin read the Declaration
of Independence. The orator of the
day was then introduced and delivered
the following oration:
ADDRESS OF HON. A. F. CAMABELL.
FELLOW CIrIzE S: In all this goodlv
concourse of American citizens, how
many remember distinctly as many
things as they have forgottenl appre-
hend that there is not one. For there
is silent and unseen ocean Of forget
fulness continuously assaulting and
wearing away the foundations Of the
facts which are forever being made by our
uneasy lives, and which stand out Of
this oblivion waste as sand banks, is
lands and noun tains, according as they
are more or less important. And it re-
quirss constant effort and unceasing
observation to prevent their being over
whelmed and washed from our view by
the eternally rising and mercilessly de-
stroving wave.
A few men, by most strenuous cf-
forts have lived, died, and are remem-
ber,.d; while no figures have been
written to represent the myriads who
despite their most strenuous efsrts
have lived, died and ars fslgotten.
| Huge piles Of stone and metal have been
huilded to perpetuate the memory o.
small great men; cities have been pro-
iected which dazzled the world; and
names have boen carved In most lasting
material; Tut time and change the hand
maidens of forsetfulness, spare them
not, and the monuments fall or lose
their significance; the cities are en-
/ quilted in some heal trending calamity,
and the very material upon which
names have been carved decays and Is
known no more. And why? Because
the principles which these men advo-
Gated and which made them famous art
forgotten. Because men first becans
careless in the protection of their mon
uments and afterwards ceased to pro
tect or preserve them at ALL.
Events are not unlike men in tn,
difficulty with which their m memery is pr,
served fot future generations. Ancien
Greece is 4 fact. Her existence ha,
been crystalized in what is known al
classic literature and is known to thos.
who care to search her history. Blu
what idea is conjured up by her nam,
in the minds of people generally, who
have neither time nor inclination tt
breathe out their lives against tn.
mouldy pages Of some ancient tome
Do their minds reach cut over thou
sands of miles and through thousands
of years and see ancient Greece, witl
its singing sea and laughing sk.r; will
its people surging towards the Acrop-
oils to be swayed and driven by tn,
eloquence of Demosthenes or Pericles
OF to be taught the true reasons O
things by Socrates or Plato4 Do the,
see their struggles to establish democ-
racy and their miracles to preserve it
Can they observe the unanimity whicl
guaranteed them success at first, ant
the dissension, selfshness and ambition
which accomplished their final luin
, While we may not remember ancisn
| Greece nor her successes and failures
and while We may not be reminded Q
anything definite by her tame, ther
: is one name which makes our mind
luminous and our hearts t,lmultuous-
n America the living exempliiicatio
$ of the Declaration of Independence
g enunciAted one hundred and seve
years ago to-day-the existing proc
that men who know what constitute
+ liberty are competent to govern them
t selves, and that men who can accum,
late property can make and enforc
laws to protect; the sponge whic
wiped off of the political blackhoar
n the fallacy that man may be take