The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-04-28
AMERICAN HISTORIANS.
THIRD ANNUAL MEETING or THE
ASSOCIATION.
An Eloquent Address OF Welcome by
the President, George Bancroft,
the Historian.

OOluUulA I ulNNEeiAN AAllu nAuNnAAk
President George Bancroft, the emf
nent American historian, deliyersd
the address of welcome. Mr.. Bancroft
spoke rs follows:
MR.. BANCRoFI's ADDRESS.
Brothers Of the American Historical Asso-
citation;
lwelcOme you to this third anal
yersary Of your existence. You who
in our universities instruct the coming
generation in the history OF their race
YOU who break from duties in ehurch
or In state TO show your love for your
fellow.mtn by your zeal in the study
OF their progress; you who Tor q mo-
ment throw aside the cares OF the
press, the toll OF authorship OF the de-
lights OF study In retirement, in the
name OF the association / bid son all
Joy at your renewed presence with one
another. The object of our pursuit
is one OF the grandCs. that solieits the
attention OF man. The movement of
mighty States over the scene OF ever.
succeeding action is like the march Of
so many armies with their various
civilizations for their banners
they themselves have faded away
their career, their enduring contribu.
tions to the sum OF human knowl-
edge, their men OF trlnscendent gen.
ius, such as are vouchEated to the rae
at great intervals OF centuries, all
come within the range Of our pur-
suits Moreover, We are nearest Of
kin to the students OF moral philoso-
ply. The movements of humanity
are governed by law. 1t is true that
the sparrow, when the time comes for
its fall to the ground, obeys q law that
pervades the kosmosi and IL is equally
true that every hair in the head of q
human being ia numbered. The
growth aud decay OF empire, the
morning luster of dynasty and its
fall from the sky before monday; the
first turning OF a city TO the footsteps
of traveller searching for its place,
which time has hidden, all proceed as
IL is ordered. The character Of science
attaches to our pursuits. The diff
Guilty OF discerning the presence of
law in the actions Of rational beings
grows out OF the infinite variety OF
the movements Of the human will
and Of the motives by which 1t may be
swayed. ln the department OF history
the difficulty Of judgment is dimin-
ished, for history deals with thu
past which is beyond the reach of
change. The discerning statesman
may forecast the character OF coming
events, and form plan OF action with
a reasonable confidence in its wisdom
but the critic, who does not bring with
him the spirit of candid inquiry, can
not comprehend the institutions that
are forming themselves before his
eyes. In all antiquity no true democ.
racy existed as government; yet our
national organization accepted ele-
ments from the political organization
Of the Greeks. 1t counts Christianity
among its sources. 1t profted by the
experience of the Roman empire in |
9stabl shing inter citizenship and do |
nestle free trade. 1t wes essentially |
lmbued with the spirit Of the TeIorma.
lion which rose up in Germany with !
Luther, and VAS developed by Calvin |
In France and in Switzerland. It drew
rom England ideas OF personal liberty
md elements suited to the form of
government which il had to frame.
n itg colonial period it derived from
Is own experience an opulence of
orms OF representative government.
The American people have cause
D be grateful to preceding generations
OF their large inheritances. Here is
10 rule Of "the many" 1t is the gov
by the people, the govern.
nent by al. Were individuals or n
lass to set themselves apart here
hey would constitute only sect. A
that is less than the gov
eminent by the entire people is a gov
'rnment which the legislation will by
Is very nature incline to the benefit
n classes. The government OF our
new nation" is rightly described by
me of its greatest opponents as
government Of the people by the
people for the people," The singular
combination OF the best elements OF
he past in our institutions favored
'ur increase of territory. Our flthers
their vast aspirations in the
Irticles Of confederation. We never
extended our limits in the direction
which they pointed out; but it was
lot long befors we reached the Gulf
II Mexico. When ioothold was Of
cred 70 the United States in the West
aida Islands they, after reflection, re-
used to plant their feet on the
'iOhest OF them all, and have
never departed from the decision
lot 10 enter the tropics. The complete
hess OF the country was not established
III President of the United States
Iucceeded by one treaty With Great
Britain and another with Mexico to
inter into the peaceful possession OF
he continent for sixteen degrees on
he Pacific. 1t was this settlement
which perfected the Union. From that
moment its majesty and safety rested |
IN the line Of East and West and as
ar as the human eye can see we may, |
n consequence, bold our Union in per
1etuity In the frat Congress slavery
brought dagger 10 the Union. Under |
the Presidency of John Adams 1t took |
steps for an early dissolution; 1t was
quoted for awhile by Jefferson and |
bis immediate successors, hut from the |
that the country had its vast |
on the Pacific the dis |
of the Union became lmpos.
.ible. The will Of the people wss
able to exact its preservation,
but what an infnity Of power
was necessary TO carry ont that will. |
10 express it, / adopt the words Of an
Euglish writer, who is a master OF his |
OWN noble language, q thorough scholar
and honored az a historian in both hem
spheres: There are certain things"
be fays, (which only democIary csn
sxecdte. No monarch or privileged |
order could have dared to take the
measures necessary TO maintain the !
American Union. They would infalli-
Div have wrecked themselves in the
sffoit. p (0ceanS, by James A. Proud,
PIP. sol 2.
We may ask, What is the spirit OF
government which saved is life by
Is inc lmparAble energy2 Because
he United States knew their constitu. |
ioa 10 be for them the ripened fruit |
4 time they have never been propS-
.audis,s. Washington, in the letter in /
,l.se.l. H.. Han1arrg - Fnv.nr 81 s.r,,l1s ]