The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1886-07-06
ADDRESS OF REV. J. A, CRUzAN,
DELNEREp AT THE
4th of July Celebration, 1886.

noted Englishman visiting America a few
years ago, remarked at dinner table: The
English are too modest. and do not think enough
of themselves" Whereupon another guest cOolly
added; Other nations have not vet discovered
that trait in their character
We Americans resemble EncliShmen IN this
We are too modest" but a others fail TO dis
cover this trait in our character" On the other
hand, we are sometimes accused of conceit.
And it Nere wonder If we were not conceited.
We hsve a huge country and a short history.
We look back only hundred yeSrS. We see
little handful of patriots, defyinS the first nation
then on the globe, plant the mustard-seed" of
our Republic. In this year OF Oar Lord, 1886, we
look across the waste of waters which separate US
from America, and 10! 4 nation sixty millions
strong. The thirteen colonies, the garden-plot in
which that seed WAS planted. then only a narrow
strip-a little fringe along the Atlantic-stretches
from sea 70 sea, and from the lakes TO the gulf.
Instead OF thirteen we see tiirtg-eigAf bright
stars upon our flag, and :" still there's more to
follow"
As we glance back over our brief history we catch
our breath in wonder at the swift march of our
progress We sseithe wilderness blossom as the
rose :" the Indians wigwaTa give place TO great
cities; the vsr-whoop of the painted savage, the
thunderous tread of the buffalo, and the scream
of the panther Is silenced by the whlrr OF ma.
chinery, the din Of factories, and the thunder of
the engine.
As we glance at our sooily heritage, our hearts
swell with pride-when hark, Croak. Cnoak -
woful visacs," who plunSes with chug" down
into slough of deSpond. and tries TO drag Us
with him.
IAN very true says this sepulchral-voiced
croaker; all very true; but is our real movement
TorsoGIri or bselsnIri Material growth, admit,
we haye-psriaUS 100 grci Of -. TGSfHcSS Is nos
necessarily grcItRsSs. The real strength and great
ness of n nation lies not IN numbers, wealth. or
square miles, but IN manhood, brain-power, moral
ity. Old Rops the croaker always percheS himself
when be meditafeS an extra deep plunge on one of
the seven hills odd Rome ruled the world, and
never seemed 50 stronS as just before her downfall
Morally rottsn, she fell II pieces by her own
weight. America faces the same peril Think Whist
We were See what we are, Where are Americas
statesmen The race died with Clay, and Webster,
and Adams. and Calhoun. PiSulieS now rattle
around in the senatorial chairs which used 10 be
filled with intellectual giants
'.See the bribery, and !obbery. and stealing !.
Look at our labor riots ami increasing intemper
ance. aud inhdslity, and communism, and auar-
chiSm We are repeating the history of old Rome.
We totter for our fail
20 for the good old days OF our forefsthsrs-the
golden days of Washington. and jefferson, and
JsckSon-Ehen men were honest, true and patti
Otto and served their country with fervor :
SO SobS and walls Amerlcas " Death-uarch on
the lips Of the c7oaker. Ny Sufficient answer would
be TO smife him on his widowed lips, and say,
Peace. thou bird OF Ill omen were Il not that
men of other nationalitieS. 10 whom the facts
about America are not known, hear his hoarSe
voice. and look through his blue spsctacles and
think him one OF the prophets. And also that our
own chlldren-Olr young Americans who know
little OF our history and OF real strength and
vitality-are in danger Of being deceived by these
dismal forebodlnGs, and Of having their faith IN
America and American institutions undermined
am not blind 70 Americas faults. She has SrleT-
Gus defects Sc clearly the blemsheS and fostering
sores upon our body polite there are great prob
lens the political tutuTe Of Our Republic which
must be solved: there are great contests which
await arbItraRent- Inc near future viii test and
Try Amsrica. perhaps as never before. know all
this.
Bu: believe il America. l believe that these
are the very best days OF all her history
The croaker viii tell ven that the days of
Washington were her best days: that Americas
golden days lie one hundred years behind US
No, That was or Iron Ace, and srandly those
men Of iron wrought IN II We ars living n bet
ter age than that, and yet ours at bst Is only the
Silver Age OF the nation. The Golden Age Of
America Is still II the future.
I come on this fourth day OF July TO join issue
With all croakerS. hold and Will tgy 10 show YOU
that America intellectually, politically aud morally
Is noE far II advance Of what she ever was before
and especially far II advance OF the good old
DAYS of Washington 70 which the cr0aker always
lolGingiy turns
II these days are better intellectually than
the days Of Washington. OF any other days, IN
Americas history.
As a peopls We measurs higher than any other
American generation This Is contrary 10 the
general belief. Men who are not cnoakers shake
thsir heads. and pointing 70 Washington. the
Adamses. Madison, Jefferson and Franklin viii
say: e They wers giants Measured by them our
fold Old --T- --''
/. History throws slanor over men and their
timas. can remember when thought the river
Jordan the greatest Of EIyers-larger far than the
Amazon OF the Mississippi. and how indignant
was whsn l VAS 1rSt told that II was only about
three rods vide and two hundred miles long,
II took ne q long time 70 disa5use my mind of
the false impression that Lexington and Concord
h.
we're only guerrilla skirmishes The patriot forces
e1sseed-less than SO msa-Eould hardly have
been sufficient fo- picket g1ard for 3 single army
corps II the late way 30 Il Is with men. Looked
=: over the distance OF one hundred years and
through the usguIfylng glass Of history they seem
. like trees walking. Could we meet them face
TO face they might not seem such giants after all.
They were not considered such great men IN their
own DAY. There are no brighter nsmss II those
= good old days than Jay, Adams. Franklin and
Isurens Just after the close Of the Revolutionary
var these four men were sent OFT 70 make treaty
with England. bit 50 little confidence did the
American Government have II the ability OF these
four giants that thsir instructions read that they
.s we're 70 do nothing EitEo1t the advice of the
French Minister Resident II London the Count
de Terrs1nss- Think Of America compelling or
late Minister II England. James Russell LoEell. or
ozr present Minister. Ar. Phelps To consult the
French Minister before taking action We have
men nOE who czn represent America abroad with
or needing advice az every step.
. Aez1l- Their times were different Colleges
were few Men OF Iibarzl education, and discIp-
lined minds Eere rzrs. The mass Of the people
lad 20 be content with only the r1dinents Of an
education So these feE men of culture and train
inc tozered kigh above their fellows
Bat now colleges are OF every hand; college
graduates are eyeryEhsEs. He must be q giant
indeed Who towers above on cultured masses
Oar great men are like Nj Washington: s1E-
rounded On every side By massive peaks i does
rot sssu 50 Esyy Eizh- Bat or great men Of &
hundred $50 we're each ike MI Washington