The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1883-07-06

was greeted with applause. and in a
splendid voice delivered the follow
ing grafton
"Love thou thy land, With love far
brought
From out the stored Past, and used
Within the Present, but transfused
Through future tins by power OF
thought"
1t is love Of country that brings
US together To-day to commemorate
the most memorable epoch in the
history of our country. 1t is love
that with US should amount to VEN
Grafton, when we reflect that this
day, with each returning year. has
been celebrated for more than a
century; that from handful of de-
voted patriots, who appealing to
the Supreme Judge of the world
and with firm reliance on the pro-
lection or divine providence, pledg-
ing to each other their lives, their
fortunes, and their sacred hOnors,"
we have grown to vast nation of
5O,0O0000 fTeemem. Over all this
broad land, from the peaceful and
retired New England hills, from
princely New York, from loved
Pennsylvania, over all the sunny
but blood and tear-stained south,
from the bOundless and fruitful
prairie states, on the banks of the
mighty river, from the sturdy and
vigorous north land, from the ex-
tended plains, as free and almost as
minnie as the heavens above them,
from where the tallest peaks OF the
Rockies com mune with the very
stars themselves, from all the fast
n6sses and treasure houses of the
great mother range, from over these
grand and snoW-c4pped Wasatch
tops, from the lofty Sierras, rude
guardians of our western shores,
from 0regon's odorOus pines to
golden California's sands, from San
Francisco's gate to BroOklyn's
bridge, from the turbulent st. Law
renee. where is heard the Canadi-
ans boat song, to the orange and
citrOn groves of that far away south
land famed by the breezes and
kissed by the waves of
the gulf, rich and poor
alike, old and young, sage and
chief, all come to-day, actu-
ated by the same impulses, the
same feelings, and indulge in the
same expressions of joy and gratu-
latiOn. All, laden with the fruits
of the patriotism, devotion and
self-sacriice os our forefathars,
come to-day and with patriotic
pride lay the chaplet of their pros
perity at the shrine Of a loved
country, that loved country which
our forefathers redeemed from
bondage and raised up to be the ed
miratiOn of the world, that country
which associates US with the heroes
and sages of the revolution, and
which enables US to say we are the
countrymen of Washington and
Franklin; that country which
makes US partakers Of all
the 4 BLESSINGS Vouchsafel to her
IN such rich abundance in all
the times that are past. More
than century has passed since the
Declaration of independence was
framed, and its signerS have long
since been united with the dead,
but the act itself, favored by hea-
ven, has become, as it were imm0r-
tai. For more than hundred years
did the monarchies and empires of
the world jealousy regard the ex-
pertinent of a people endeaVoring
to govern themselves; 1t has long
since ceased to be an experiment.
The war for independence has
been won, we have passed through
the fiery furnace of rebellion, and
purified by the ordeal, We are reap
Ing the harvests and are garnering
the rich fruits of the revolution.
The hopes and prayers of our fore
fathers have been realized, the pro-
phecv of dead statesmen has been
fulfilled, and there is not man
within the sound my voice to day
who cannot say with pride and
eXultation, l am an American Cit,
zen; and there is the ensign which
commands for me respect, wherever
throughout the wide world may
roam or wherever l may choose to
dwell. In the audience before me,
| can distinguish no party line, no
distinction of class, race or Occupa-
ton, nor civilian, nor soldier, nor
color, nor church, nor creed: but
only americans; recognizing our
birthright, not that accidental ply
steal birth, but the later birthright
of the mind. No matter in what
land we first saw the light of day,
we rightly claim this as our native
land, and the trainers of the declara-
ton as our fathers and grandfathers.
That iron race of men, who fought
for the principles they commended
for, came from alien shores and adj
Vanced and established those prin-
ciples which we ourselves now hold
as our own. There are perhaps be-
fore me men themselves of foreign
birth, or descended from those that
are. If we look back through this
history to trace blood connection,
we may be unable to do SO, but let
us Look at that clause IN that glorious
instrument, where those old men
declare I'VE hold these truths self
evident, that all men are created
free and equal" and we feel the thrill
of kindred blood. That sentiment is