Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1884-07-09
THE DAY WE CELEBRATE.
1o8th Anniversary Of Our Nation
al Independence.
Procession, Grafton, Games, and
a Ball

al Independence.
Procession, Grafton, Games, and
a Ball.
The morning of the 18th Of July dawned
most auspiciously, and the weather gave
premise of an unusually fine day., cool
and pleasant.
At an early hour the country people
from near and far, in spite of local at
fractions, came into Austin in great mum.
bers, and soon our streets were thronged
The procession was formed at 101
o'clock, and presented the following ar
rangement.
Cd Regiment Band. @ss
Co. G., NJ. N. G.
Goddess of Liberty, personated by Miss
,Brittania, personated by Mrs. Thos. lillian
attended by representatives of army and
navy.
REPRESENTATION of States and Territories by
Mcintyre Post No. &C, G. Ar.
Fire engine and hose cart.
Hook and Ladder truck. ,... :
Charley" who presented fine array of cloth.
ing, furnishings, etc.
JOS. schwan. with an attractive stock OF
Mcbride, the Grocer, with the best samples
of his well assorted stock.
Engle Co. exhibited pyramid of their
best brands of -four.
D: NJ: Osborne Co., display of reapers.
Africa" covered conveyance surmount.
ed by some colored children.
The route was from Armory Hail.
down St. Paul street to College street,
along College street to Chatham street.
up Chatham street to Water street.
through Water street to Main street, and
down Main street to the speakers stand
in the grove on the lots belonging to G.
L. West.
The prelimi mary exercises, after music
by the band, consisted Of prayer by Rev.
G. E. Wright, reading of the Declaration
OF independence by Rev. W. E. Stanley,
and the singing of the Star Spangled
Banner by Miss Gertie Sherwood.
O.W. Shaw, President of the Day, in.
troduced the Orator, Hon. Mark H. Dun.
nell OF Owatonna, in very felicitous
and eloquent speech. He alluded to the
fact that Mr.. Dunnell had been selected
by Hon. Jas. G. Blaine to stump the most
important of the doubtful states during
the present presidential campaign, Mew
York;
Hon. Mark H. Dunnell then delivered
the Grafton, which was a mastery effort,
and was closely listened to by a large
and appreciative audience. Of this ora
sion, we give brief outline:
He said the prediction of John Adams
that the recurring anniversaries of the
Declaration of independence would be
ushered in with the ringing of bells, the
firing OF cannon, and other public dem.
onstratlons Of joy, has been fulfilled
from the very day of it's utterance
! am not one OF those who believe the
celebration of this day is to little pur.
pose. l believe it to be natural and Just
to assemble here and rehearse the history
OF our country, to review it's earlier an
nails, and the cause of our separation
from the old country. We would dis
Germ the character of the men who acted
In those times, the times that tired men,
souls. The causes which led to the
great struggle for our national indepen-
dence, go back centuries for their origin,
where the writer's of the immortal Declar-
alton Of Independence begin the docu-
ment, "When en- the course of human
eoents:" Events wherein aspirations had
been kindled for better growth than
has hitherto been given to humanity.
causes mad been at work for centuries
before the declaration read to-day could
be announced: The Magma Charta,
Wrung from King John by his barons,
contained some of the principles set
forth in the Declaration of Indepen-
dence. 1t was a splendid document, but
dld not meet all the needs of the people.
1t was not such government as that
under which we live.
When our fathers made the Declare
ton of Independence the time had come
to proclaim the best and nOblest govern
ment ever known among men. The
Declaration sets forth the underlying
principles of our government. These
principles make cur government the mar
vel OF the world. We are the subjects
OF better government than has ever be-
fore existed.
President Monroe said, the Declare
ton Of Independence, and the constitu-
ton of the United States, should be
studied in every school in the country,
and every parent and child should know
all the principles taught in them, and
where in them they may be found, and
what makes our government different
from all Others
If we can get one new conception Of
the grand idea of our government, you
will be repaid for all the toll and trouble
of getting up this grand celebration.
l am a firm believer in NatSonalisna.
Just as mans character stands out so
should the main features of our political
life stand out. Each of the two great
parties in the approaching presidential
campaign will seek to represent the
American idea, and in the administration
that comes out of the contest.
What is the grand distinctive character
istic OF our government beyond all other
governments? Our government meets
better the aspirations of humanity. Its
strong characteristic is that it recognizes
a mans individuality, every man the
equal of every other man, here, and eve
rywhere.
Each man under our government is
like drop of water in the ocean, part
Of the whole, yet complete in itself.
Every man and woman is the peer of every
other
The Declaration announces a govern
ment that meets the wants of all men.
No document like it ever existed in any
other land, even Greece, Rome, Switzer-
land, or the Netherlands. The Magma
Charta, even, was not so grand. 1t set
forth the fatherhood of Almighty God,
and the absolute right of every citizen to
equality under the government. We find
the solution Of the mystery of this ad-
vance of the rights of mankind in the
opening words Of the Declaration, "When
in the course of human events"
These men, in the hand of God, were
ready to produce such Declaration. It
put men to the front, and made men
equal. 1t overthrow many institutions
which existed under the Magma Charta,
such as aristocracies, feudal distinctions
and hereditary rights, and set forth one
grand recognition of the rights of man.
There was a marvellous boldness and
wonderful heroism Oh the part of the
signers of the Declaration of Independ-
ence. Think of 10 colonies. with only
5000, 900 of people, without an army or
navy, and without finances, standing up
before Great Britain with her flag on
every sea. and possessed of q power not
given to any other nation. What succeed