The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-07-05

equal; that man is capable OF demon
| strating the probelm of self-government.
| This is the Tooth return of that glorious
day when the declaration made in that pa
per was acknowledged By the world. We
have ever since been demonstrating
the truth of that PROBLEM. From
!, 900, 600 in number when those
principles were promulgated, we have
grown, until to-day, we num-
Der over 100000. We are yet
pledged to carry forward the principles
of that great paper. What has caused the
! large assemblage here to-day but the love
of those principles. How many such as
| semblies as we see here to-day are now in
| this great broad land? There are thou
sands of such assemblies as this, all re-
newing pledges to those principles.
Wherever there is an assem- olage of Amer
leans throughout the world, there the
| principles that all men are created
equal, are being renewed. To morrow the
newspapers will give you the results of
all these assemblies. Is it not mysteri
Gus thing that such Nation as this
should be held together on one idea-'that
man is capable Of government
What has taken place within these 100
years2 We have made good the Declare
ton of Independence. Such progress as
we have made the world cannot furnish a
parallel. We have made good the Decla
ration Of Independence by freeing 5000
| 600 of bondsmen. and made them feel the
results of self government. We have
five times as many children in our pub
| lie schools as there were people in the
Thirteen Colonies. We have 100000
children of freed bondsmen attending free
schools What else have We done? 1t
would weary your patience if | were to
tell you the one hundreth part. On such
occasions as this the orator. is expected to
| fly the eagle am not capable of that,
as YOU have doubtlessly learned before
this What is our condition to day com
pared to the other civilized nations? We
are studying the problem of how TO do
away with the evils of an overlooking
treasury without injuripg our man
ufacturing interests. We are paying off
our national debt, and over $70,000,00
per year for pensions to soldiers, soldiers
widows and orphans, yet Notwithstanding
all this. our treasury is OVERLOOKING.
Compare our condition with that of the
great powers across the water They are
sending their paupers to this country.
Look at the spectacle OF one OF the great
est nations on the earth sending the poor,
starved, oppressed inhabitants of one of
her provinces to this country Think of
this, and think of the mighty deeds of
those assembled in Independence Hall to
frame the Declaration of Independence,
All the thousands of celebrations being
held over the land, such as We are holding
to day in Rock Island, are all the result of
the idea, my friends, that man is capable of
self-goveTnment. That patriotic desire
TO meet and celebrate the deeds of our
ancestors brings us here to-day. Did any
other people ever enjoy such freedom and
prosperity as We are now enjoying, In
the west the hardy sons of toll are mining
the precious metals in the mountains, in
the south we arc growing the tropical
fruits; in the west we are growing that
which feeds the world There is an in
dication of war between China and
France and in some of the provinces of
Russia Except these indications, the
world is at peace 1t remained for the
United States to demonstrate that war is
not necessary in order to govern people.
You did not meet to-day to hear me talk
YOu hear this every. day what have told
you. Why should l detain you heTef
We have many questions TO solve, but.
thanks be to God, the American People
are ready to solve them. Haven't
We everything to be encouraged with.
We have everything within our grasp just
so long as the American People listen TO
the teachings of the Fathers. The teach
ings of the Fathers were, First be right,
then apply energy intelligence and pow
er, and there is no such word as fail We
must still continue the problem of self
government 1t is not a completed work.
There is still work to be done yet; and
how can you do it better than to bring
your children and children's children to
such occasions as this and teach them the
lesson of patriotism When we separate,
let us separate with our love renewed for
, the star spangled banner. Let us renew
our pledges upon the Altar of Liberty
May the best days We pass be in the ser
vices of our country. | thank you my
friends for your kind attention.
At the conclusion of Mr. Morrison
remarks, Major Connolly proposed three
cheers for the orator, which were given
More music was given by the band, ant
the large audience dispersed for dinner.
After dinner the heat was excessive
but it was an hour after the time set be
fore the competitive drill between the
military companies commenced in Mr.
Bailey DaYenporLs pasture. Seyera
thousand people assembled there in III,
heat and sun to witness the drill Shortl
! after the drill commenced cool breeZ
sprang up, the sun was 0bscured b,
{ clouds, and the air became pleasant
Two companies entered for the prize
- the ROdman Rifles, of this city, and Com
" pany C, Second Iowa (Muscatine TIL
= prizes were: First, 5000; second, SIS
> Judges-Col. W. P Butler, Col Thrift
y of Dubuque, and Lieut. Meacham, of tn
= U. s A. The Muscatine company, Capt
T. Fred Welker commander was the first t
drill The first movement they execute
II was evidence that they were well drille'
company Capt Welker gave his com
mands firmly and distinctly He is an oil
u soldier He marched his men over a
u little ground as it was possible to do. an
VI completed the programme in 80 minutes
y 1854 steps to the minute.
IT The Rodmans then marched up, an
a were greeted with applause by the
II admirers. The boys were nervous, an
G. executed their movements in a quiC
81 and nervous manner. They lacked tina
lie cool, deliberate movement of the Muse
IS tines. The commander marched his me
g. over too much ground, and although the
ne step was lis to the minute (110 average
ly they were 344 minutes going through IL
n | al 4