The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1885-07-03

Of our natiou. Millions of people wall
lay aside all business and heartily en-.
gage in the festivities and other attrac-
tions Of the day, but the truth Is q
lamentAble one that our people do not
enter iAto that spirit Of patriotism aud
devotion to representative government
which actuated our forefsthers when
driven BY long line Ofoppression"to dis.
solve the political bands" which connected
them from their infancy 10 the British
government. Our forefathers left the
homes Of their childhood nearly three
hundred years ago TO make homes In
the New World, where the savage held
sway. Love Of liberty, aud consequent
hatred Of oppression, bad induced them
to this undertaking. Hereto a century
aud half, they endured the hardship 9
and dangers Of savage warfare on the
one hand, and British tyrapny and OPP
preston on the other, in laying the
foundation tor the establishment of that
tree government in the celebration Of
the birth Of which, ali Americans by
birth and adoption will engage to-mor-
row. These bold, hardy pioneers often
met death at the hands of brutal savages,
but others whose love Of liberty was
stronger than their fear Of the toma-
hawk, came over and took their placsa,
and the colonists, despite the number
killed by the savages, Increased in mum
bers until in l776 when, after suffering
long train Of abuses and usurpations
imposed by the mother country ,evincing
an indisputable desigu on the part OF
Great Britain to reiucs them to state
Of bondage, they broke loose from the
mother country and assumed that equal
and separate station among the powers
Of the earth to which the laws of nature
aud natures God entitled them, The
power Of Great Britain, as exempliied
in her fine armies, was turned against
the Americans to thwart their purpose
of establishing an independent, free,
repref fentatiVe government. This arous-
cd q spirit of patriotism among the
eolonists which the rulers Of England
did not understand. They believed,
that when the Americans pledged their
lives, their fortunes and their sacred
honor to tho support Of the declaration
Of independence, that they were indulg-
ing in a mere idle boast and threat, but
20 strongly had the hearts Of the colo
nists become imbued with love Of lib
erty that they were willing and ready
to offer up their lives on the bloody
battle field in order to maintain their
right. Even the children in that day
were continually moved by spirit of
patriotism and Of resistance to English
oppression so much 30, that when, on
one occasion, British officer saw an
sxempli6cation of it among some Boz
ton boys, he was constrained to say
that the very children drew in love of
liberty with the air they breathe.
Let US, then, on tomorrow, think Of
the priceless heritage handed down to
us BY those who gained it at so great
cost. Let the fathers and mothers re-
new the spirit of l776. Let the boys
and girls tomorrow reflect upon the
stirring times 10 which the boys and
girls of the days of l776 lived. They
were almost literally rocked in the era
die of liberty aud patriotism. They
heard it talked on all sides. They be-
came inspired With it. Their hearts
wers fred when they heard the story of
British oppression. They became as
bold and outspoken rebels against the
tyrant's rule as their fathers and moth
erS. All this training fitted them pc
culiarly to become In after life exem-
plary patriotic citizens Of free repnbli-
can government. Let us forget and
lay aide the tinsel and show of modern
Fourth of July celebrations, ,and for the
time being, at least, enter heartily into
the spirit of 1875.
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