The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1884-07-04
INDEPENDENCE DAY!
AN GRAFTON DELIVERED IN owosso ON
JULY 4TH, 1884, BY HON. SYLVESTER
LARNED, OF DETROIT.


LARNED, OF DETROIT.
The day is beautiful The skies have
stayed their tears The summer sun
shines in golden splendor, and the fruity
grain bends its burden to the lap OF moth
er earth, we'll nigh ready for the garner OF
the reaper. We come to CLEAN the golden
grain of history, that history which is
philosophy teaching by example. History
always repeats itself. The conflicts OF
men grow out of conflicts of ideas. The
strifes of nations have been largely the up.
risings of bread-winners against the tyran,
les of the mobiles. The jacques against
the Noblesse, the Roundhead against the
Cavalier, the Commons against the Lords,
the Proleterian against the Patrician. are
allmenaces against that great first command,
"By the sweat or thy face shall thou eai
bread" A menace with its blessing and
its promise that there shall be "a fair days
wages for a fair days work" that labor is
dignified, healthful, and beautiful, and
toll the lot and happiness Of the race.
The Peer and the Peasant will always
war, and it is only in such republic as
our own that "labor conquers all things.
What has one hundred years done for lib
erty of thought, and of action, for educa'
ton and world, advancement Peace
has its victories as well as war" What
advances in all that makes the sum OF hu'
man progress The printing press, the
power of steam, the iron horse upon his
iron track, thought that traverses the all
and the seas on wings of lightning What
advancement in ideas the right OF the
people TO rule pure democratic idea,
taxation and representation inseperable,
the extension of the elective franchise, the
supremacy of law over brute force, the
common school, the lyceum, the university,
the reverence for Gods Sabbath, and grand
est of all, advance freedom to worship
God. Bow down, we tyrannies of the past
and the present Let the oppressor's rod be
broken. LET the enslaved 60 free" Let
man born in the image of God have place
to grow, unshackled by purples and princi
palities. and thrones. and dominions; tc
grow synetr1caAy up and ont t0eoarts God
In the providence of God there is nc
room for accidents. 1t was no accident
that made the ancestor of the father OF
his country on the strand in London, sui
fer 80 severe an accidental injury that h'
was prevented from following his voca
ton as a midshipman and compelled tt
turn to the coasts of the new world, tc
seek q fortune in the then unknown west.
It was no accident that caused the "Speed
WE'LL" and the "Mayfower," the one tc
put back to harbor with her precious
freight, and the other to touch on Plym
outh rock with the Roundheads and Puri
tans. Nor was the compact of the May
flower travellers by any accident reproduc
ton of Magma Charta of Hunnymede, ano
an antetype of the Mecklinburgh declara
ton of that Of 1776. Nor was it accident
that caused the galleys of the Cavaliers tC
touch the coast at jamestown, where soil
and climate, production, were OF sucf
thrift and luxuriance as to make labor
pain. Nor was it accident that brought
the first slave ships to the ready hands Of
the thrifty Cavaliers to inaugurate tha
sum of all villanies; the barbarism OF slav
cry. It was no accident that prevented
the delivery of the reasonable letter by
Tory spy that would have conveyed tc
Col Rail at Trenton, the commander o.
the English and Hessian troops the disas
trous tidings the momentous news OF
Washington's crossing the Delaware.
Busted with wine and cards the hired
butcher of our yankee boys, had no time
to read the traitors, word Of warning, ant
Washington amidst tire storms OF winte
crossed the Deleware with his little arm.
III shod and clothed, whose tracks wer'
traced by their bloody feet on the wintry
ice and snow, and fell with victorious
surprise like an avalanche upon the eme
mics forces at Trenton; thus changing tho
entire events of the war, and speeding thu
Colonies on toward the conquest OF thei
independence.
1t was no accident that made Bull kur
bloody day of defeat to our Union army
Way back amidst the mysteries OF Provi
dence it was decreed that the drunkenness
of the commander of the central division
on that day should throw doubt, and fear
and disorder among our brave boys il
blue. For had we gained that day, ant
with it the cause, the war, too early end
ed. would have left slavery where sh'
found It; blot and smirch upon our Ma
tional escutcheon. 1t required the hard
ness and the wound and the travail snt
the tears and the blood of four long years
to open up the gates of freedom to fou
millions of men.
The foundations of this governmen