The Hazlehurst signal., 1883-12-20

from George w. Curtis Grafton NJ the
unwilling Of the sta;,ie Of George Wash
ington on tho recent hundredth anniycr-
sary Of Evacuation Day in New York
City:
1.-THE great series of Revolutionary
centennial celebrations end fifty upon
this day and upon this spot. The mo-
mcntous events that marked the opening,
the elimination, and the close Of the
conflict have been duly commcmorated,
aud for eight years the full-strctchel
memory of the country. n harp of u
thousand strings swept by patriotic emo
ton. has resounded with the heroic mu-
sic Of the Revolutionary story. To-day
the Revolutionary story ends. AT this
hour hundred yeas ago the last Brit
ish sentry was withdrawn. The impc-
rial standard of Great Britain fell nj the
fort over which II had iloated for l2O
years. and in its place the Stars and
Stripes of American Independence
flashed in the sun. Fleet and army,
royal flag AMI scarlet uniform, coronct
and ribbon, every sign and symbol of
foreign authority, which from Concord
To Saratoga. and from Saratoga 10 York
town. had sought to subdue the Colonies.
vanished from these shores. Colonial
and provincial America had ended;
| National America had begun; and after
lapse of hundred years, the cradle
song of the hope and promise of our
National nativity is still the pran of our
mature power and assured prosperity;
glory to God in the highest. peace Oh
earth. good will TO man.
"The times that tried mems souls in
this country were rather in 1856 than in
1916. for the colonial ability to win in
dependence involved neither the right
cousncss of the cause nor the character
OF the people. The revolution had
proved their valor, the new situation
tested their wisdom and without wis
| dom the revolution had been in vain.
| By the common cNert!on, sacrifice and
suffering. independence hal been
achieved, the enemy had been expelled,
and the Younger England Of the West
had humblcd the crowned and unnatur-
al mother England upon the sca-girt
throne. In this crucial moment, neg
lect or ignorance Of the obvious and in
diSpcnsablc means Of securing the COM
mon safety, strength and welfare. the
apparent revelation Of American inca
pacity to build national American COM
monwealth. might justly fill every gen
crous and patriotic heart with dismay.
Yet IL any American dcspaircd during
the gloomy wears from 1888 to 1889, and
doubted whether the men were lual To
the task, so had John Adams doubted
| and despaired ON the very eve OF the
assembly of the Continental Congress.
1--WE have not men tit for the times,
| he exclaimed: ''wc are deficient in
genius. in education, in travel. in fort
unc, in everything" But scarcely had
he written the words than he fastened
10 take his part in that immortal as
sembly, and to do til, very thing that
he feared mo- man was strong enough To
do. Well did Jefferson call him the
Colossus. for upon his mighty and in
domitablc will he lifted the country to
the Declaration OF independence. Why
then doubt. since Independence had
been achieved, that National Union was
possible? Tho leaders of the rcvolu-
ton, the chiefs of the Continental Con-
grcss. still lived. Age had not dimmcd
their eyes nor chilled their hearts, nor
withcrcd their faculties. Tho work
they had begun. surely they were ready
To complete, and the men who had
made the English colonies American
States. were wise enough and strong
enough to bind the American States
into Nation.
"Doubtlcss the American revolution
was the work of the people; but II seems
the work of a man. How can we con-
ceive its heroic prosecution. its trium-
phant issue. without It's leader? Had
he fallen at Trenton. had he been capt
ured by Clinton, had intrigucs of sell
fish ambition prevailed against him.
had he not nerved-hc alonc-thc
hcsitatng army at Ncwburgh. who
dare doubt that the vision of the 'unc
far.of' Divine event that drew the
country through the war. would still
have been fulfilled? ? But what Ameri-
can does not know, and proudly own,
that the perpetual and inspiring assur-
ancc of that event. the cheer of the
weary march. the joy Of the victory, the
confidence of Congress. the pride and
hope Of America. was the character
of Washington?
"Among the most imposing events In
history must always be accounted the
simple ceremony which was transacted
here. The human mind Graves lofty
figures for u memorable scene, and
loves to decorate with lifting circum-
stances the fuliillmcnt OF great affairs.
For this event all such conditions were
satisfied. The scene was set with every
ample preparation of historic signiii-
cance and patriotic association, with
the most eminent actors, with the most
suspicious anticipations For the occa-
sion itself America offered no place
more becoming, for no spot is more
conspicuously, more honOrably, or
more closely identified than this with
the history Of American liberty. The
scene around us is marvelously changed,
indeed from its aspect in the
Colonial, the Provincial, the Rev.
olutionary city. Hra transformed
this street from the resort of
fashion, the seat c. the State Govern
mcpt, the modest residence of mer-
chants, diploraatists and statesmen,
which was tb, Wall street OF century
ago! Then The social and political
heart of mall and struggling COM
munity, I: Is now the financial nerve
center 81 a continent. But II the vast
competitions and contentious Of capital
and enterprise which involve the pros
pcrit1 of States and nations have over
laid the plain scene OF political strife
with n field Of cloth Of gold. yet still
the hallowed soil Is here. The swarm
ing street is but picture painted over.
Behcath the ever-shifting characters OF
speculation and OF eager trade incess-
anfly traced upon this pavement Of the
modern city lies the undimmed land in
dcIible patriotic record OF old New York.
Fellow-citizens. the solemn dedica-
tion of Washington TO this august and