Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1885-06-12

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day. and not the faintest cloud Of disnnion or Of
revolution appears on our national sky. Who that
reflects on the destructive forces which exist in
this nation, such as our large criminal Class, the
communists wild and explosive ideas, iniemper-
ance poisoning the very hfe-blood Of all patriotism
and tearing down the pillars the home, and Nor
monism with Its damning influence, but realizes
that we are a nation, because Gods encompassing
arms have been round about us; because in his pur-
poses which grasp Amencas mission in the future
He has controlled all Of these forces Of evil and
held together in loving union these mighty States
and Territories. In spite Of our sins, in spite OF
the agencies Of death fostered by law and by cor
ru2t courts, we have been held back from national
suicide, our national power increased, and our in
iluence for freedom and civilization felt through
out the word
Then again, we have cause for rejoicing for orr
fraternity as well as for our unity that no State is
held within the family circle BY the military power,
but that loving patriotism is the golden link
binding Tie whole sisterhood 10 the one same ma
lional altar. We have great reason to believe that
the wounds Of sectional strife are wenieh healed,
and now If our politicians will not insist on re-
opening them, but will let the hearts Of the people
complete the cure, then each year of Increasing
nearer and nearer 70 that absolute union OF love
for which we pray, and up to which God has been
leading us through the deep waters. Some Of US
can remember how, in those dark days when the
smoke Of battle enveloped the land, when your
bosoms were barred to the sword OF a noble and
heroic foe, the remark was common one, that q
century would be the shortest time for the q"
ring even Of the cruel wo~ scar
The Strength Is nearly tW'H" . - 49,, h,
Of tho Dpnldn ~ b. sunusf anu e'ei5 oie "
lieved the prophecy. But look aud see how good
our Fathers God has been to us. Less than two
decades have passed since the cloud Of civil war
was lifted and 10 day there are only scars >" and
even these arc fast disappearing. Those who
fought against each other have long since clasped
hands in noble forgetfulness; the Boys in Gray
have stood on Bunker Hill and laid their wreaths
OF love there, while the Boys in Blue" have been
received as brothers in the cities Of the South. In
the Halls Of Congress each State is represented, and
words Of bitterness regarding past differences have
almost ceased to be spoken. Those once separated
by, what 10 the most hopeful, seemed an inpassa-
bio gulf, have stood on the same platform Of fell
lowship and brothers long estranged have looked
into each others faces with eyes suffnsed with
tears We have cause to rejoice say, that the I'M
pleasant and sorrowful scars fast disappearing;
that within the lifetime Of thousands who partici-
pated in that terrible conflict the flowers Of love
ard peace have covered with their perfumed tapes
1 try all the anger and malice Of twenty years ago.
/ Again we have cause to rejoice n Americas pros
receive future As Hope wings her flight into Il at
cl suded land which we call the hereafter, CLEANS
O., golden brightness shoot athwart the horizon
which augur an oncoming season Of glory for our
land More than a century has gone by since we
became a fro people; since we began amid the
forests Of New England the experiment OF gov
erument for the people and by the people, and
whose existence rested on throne or standing
army but on the hearts Of the people. Our national
sky has been darkened with many clouds, we were
born amid the throes and agonies Of revolution;
twice since have we passed through the baptism Of
blood; but the Eternal God. TO whose care this ma
| ton was entrusted at its sOrrOwful birth, has
guarded us in every dark hour,a to-day we stand
before the eyes Of the world a mighty nation,
mighty in extent,in wealth. in intelligence and in
national unity We have not been preserved aud
prospered because of orr righteousness, but be-
cause Of Americas mission IN the future. We
have been held in the hollow Of Divine OnnipO-
tence that through our freedom the world might be
made free that through our holiness the world
might be made holy for the jubilee when His Son
shall reign from the rivers unto the ends Of the
earth
And again. we rejoice that we have only freemer
treading our soil. Slavery was never blessing
but curse, and it rested heaviest on the South, tC
say nothing of its opposition to the law Of God
And while good men differed as to how and when
it could best be removed there is not intelligent
thoughtful patriotic man or woman in the lant
who does not rejoice that the problem is solved
, the chain is broken and every man, OF whatever
race or color, has all of the rights and privileges Of
American citizenship It was terrible key o.
suffering and dcsolation which unlocked the prison
doors and let the oppressed go free. Homes, Nortl
and South, were plunged in anguish and draped il
the habiliments of woe Every flower from Ih'
bue-bell OF the morniain-top to the modest lily o.
the vale bushed with patriot blood; every stream
from the leaping foaming Susquehanna to the cain
polished breast Of the Rio Grande, ran red with the
iife.tide of freemen, while the world gazed witt
astonishment on the most colossal conflict Of thu
ages. But that is the sad past, which we woulC
bury in the grave of oblivion too deep for a resur
rection, while we rejoice together in the sweeping
J away forever from eur beautiful heritage of tina
terrible curse which was holding our land bacl
from those sublime heights Of dignity and power
up to which she is now rapidly climbing. And Low
with only freemen breathing our air, there come
pressing upon us another problem TO be solyed,nO
by the clash Of arms but by the mutual christian
philanthropy Of North aud SOuth-the problem
Of race-how this weaker race, dwelling in the
midst Of the great, strong Anglo Saxon household
can be developed intellectually relgiously and MOI
ally. This is a question, of a national interest
which should enlist the hearty sympathy and co
operation Of all parts Of the land, for all have al
equal interest in lifting this ont OF their deg
radiation. ignorance aud vice, up to a full and pur
civilization The work will be slow, for the nigh
has been long; but America never had a grande
work to perform, no nation was ever entrusted witt
a sublimer mission. And while there som
battle songs which are so full Of the old warik
spirit and so linked IN memory with just bitter
ness that North and SOuth cannot sing them to
gether here is a work which summons all sections
for the future prosperity Of the whole country do
nands it. And stand upon the belief, that CO.
has given us a country broad enough, and on
fathers government strong enough to enable u
TO receive as citizens 5000 600 OF any people with
out materially checking our career But, II ignOr
ant when received as citizens, then patriotism ant
: every consideration of good government and goO'
morals, demands that they be lifted as rapidly a
possible up to the plateau Of intelligence, and b
the mountain peak OF religion. / am not speak
ing as a partisan. for yield to no man in my hghe
appreciation Of the Caucasian race but speak a
an American, whose highest earthly hopes ar
blended with Americas future; and I say again
that unless these newly enfrarehised citizens ar
lifted MP out Of their degradation and vice, thel
their enfranchisement will prove the ineyitab
prelude to our national destruction. Here is {
struggle Of truth with error, OF Intelligence WIZ
prejudice, and in this struggle all parts Of the ma
ton should come mp to the help Of the right and
forgetting past differences should write but two
names on the national flag God and Man,
should lay wealth and bitterness, time and talents
and even life itsef,on the altar that intemperdnee
ignorance and vics may be vanquished, man ex
allied, God gloriGed and country saved.
Then again we may be pardoned II on this da!
we point with pride to the great material prosper
ty Of the land If we think Of its great business &C
tiviIy its plentiful harvests and its marvellous sus
! a.