Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1885-07-18
BILL NYE's GRAFTON.
He Speaks to Americans of Their Fourth of
July Privileges.

He Speaks to Americans of Their Fourth O
July Privileges.
Fellow-citizens: One hundred anc
nine years have now passed since oul
forefathers declared all men to be free
and equal, and began TO hold out in.
ducements for the oppressed of other
climes; to come here and help us kill
off the Indians.
IL has been a great success. 1t has
been thoroughly demonstrated to &
dying world that all men are fully
equal to all other men, if not more so
We point with pride to-day to oul
brtnsd lands, our uxuriant national
debt, and our steadily increasing Nor
mons We have only few more In
dams To wipe out, and then the OPP
pressed foreigner will have it all his
own way
The men who declared themselves
tree and independent 109 years ago
are now no more. Yielding to the
great nervous strain incident to red
hot campaign, they finally pined away
and died. As forefathers we can never
successfully supply their places, AMI
their untimeIy death has cast pail
over this otherwise joyous occasion.
To-day, from ocean TO ocean, Amer
lea rejoices. From the humid Allan
tic To the moist Pacific the mighty
cannon thunders forth a nations ex-
ultation, and the smaller cannon is
gathering in its harvest OF thumbs.
This is an annual holiday and great
national thumb carnival.
We rejoice that the idea OF freedom
suggested itself to our forefathers.
Otherwise we would all be in Canada
to day. Now only a part of us are
there.
Let us not speak lightly OF Canada,
for some of our largest moneyed men
are there. While we would not care
10. be part of Canada, it is a good
province to smuggle out Of 1t is a
good place to stroll INTO after banking
hours, while the Board of Directors
are in session.
One hundred and nine years ago the
KING of Great Britain made the great
mistake of his life. | only regret that
he did not live to see it as we see it to-
day. Had he been less overbearing
toward the infant colony, the young
men of America would have been
drinking alkalI water in Egypt to-day.
We could have fought the heather all
over the globe and left our shoulder
blades to bleach in any cline which
we might select. Had the royal tyrant
soitened little toward the struggling
settlements in America one hundred
and nine years ago, he could have Dor
rCwed our navy to-day If he would
agree to take good care of the worms
md return them in as good order as
he found them.
But he decided to do differently, and
to-day he must take the bitter conse-
quences. Kings are not always right.
They frequently get left. OF all the
many kings whom have known per-
sOnally, and with whom | have been
thrown more or less, there are only
four or five upon whose judgement |
could rely during great crisis A.
That is the reason / very rarely 90
to crowned head when | am in
trouble.
| seek out some tender-hearted and
unselfish pawnbrOker and tell him all
There is one cloud, fellow-citizens,
which see with my prophetic eye,
Just climbing the distant horizon of
our national existence. Sooner or
later it will darken the brightest day
for us. Is it the leprous Chinaman or
the great unlaundried Mormon ? /
hear you ask is it the spoils system
under which one-half of our people will
always be happy and the other half ac-
cused? Is it the kiln-dried, fire and
burglar proof, worthless American
dried apple pie which is now invading
our happy homes :? Is it the balefui
simon breath of New England rum
which eat out the vitals OF a stone quar-
~ and go back the next day to in
quire for the old nitro-glycerine cans?
All no, fellOw-citiZens; a thousand
times nay. 1t is this: II our repub
lican form of government holds to-
geIher for ninety-one years more, we
will have to celebrate again and it
makes my head ache to think of it. Ii
the feeling of remorse which shows
itself on the succeeding day after a GEN.
sennial celebration becomes intensified |
with each succeeding century, hope |
that on the 9Th day of July, 1876, |
shall be out OF town.
cannot close this brief Grafton, fell |
without an earnest appeal |
to you all to be nobler and better men. |
Of course, il you are women, this will |
not be expected; but we can all be
good citizens by that time, perhaps,
md earnestly exhort all those within
the sound of my voice to be loyal and
By all means be indus
trious. Do not wait for me, but form
habits of industry at once which will
cling to you through life. am con
WINGED by what | have seen OF its el-
iects, that it is a good thing. Rise early
and go about your duties joyously, and
when the morning meal is prepared
and all gathered about the festive board,
come and rap gently, and in a low tone
Of voice, on the door of my boudOir.
BILL NYE