The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-07-06
A UTAH BOYS EFFORT.
J. N. ROmney's Grafton at Cornell
on Commencement Day.


The Cornell Sur Of June nth
published az Ithaca, New York. con
tains among its'reviews OF the exercises
at Cornell University on commence
ment day, the following notice Of }. n
Romney's Grafton on "Ths Emancipa-
ton of Italy.
Mr.. J. II. Romney then delivered bis
Grafton. He WA the last speaker. and
his production was a mastery effort,
and Mr.. Romney fully SUSTAINED bis
reputation as fne THINKER and fluent
speaker. We submit an abstracs of his
Grafton:
''Italy preseLt4 a checkered history.
The hrst TO emerge from The almost
universal darkness succeeding the fall
of imperial Rome, she hrs been the
favorite abode of poetry aud song. She
was the land OF all lands whose city re-
publics daring the middle ages rose to
extraordinary magnihcence ana power,
whose ships made their way into every
known sea, and whose caravans. pierre
ing beyond the eastern deserts to the
renlotest confines of lind a, poured IN
told wealth into the laps OF her adven-
turous merchants. But Italy fell from
this early spleudor. The history Of
Geneva, Florence, and Venice came 70
be written in letters of blood. iTst
torn by domestic strife. she then be-
came the battlefield of European dts,
pots. The character OF her people be
came 4 hiss and 4 by-wOrd among ma
tons.
But there Is an Italy. She has girded
on her amor aud l. last striding
toward the van % human prOgressi
With The entrance into Italy
OF ths armies of Repubhcsn France
under her great consul. came the first
CLEAN OF light. But WsterlOO aud the
Congress OF Vienna again placed Italy
atthe feet OF Austria and the BOuI bons.
The quiet that fell upon the Peninsula
sfterward did not Indicate peaceful
submission. The hated rules we're on
the summit Of a nl1tterinS volcano. Bat
the need of Italy was clear-hsaded
leaders. who could direct the yet indis-
tinot aspirations toward = definite and
tangible end. MazzipI's idea of a united
Italy was thoroughly impracticabie;
what was wanted was practical
statesman, who could weigh well the
requirements OF the times and prepare
for them.
On the fatal field of Navarro all hope
seemed 20 depart. but the orOken
scepter and torn flag were soon grasped
by mightier hand. Nicior Emmanuel
was now king. The statesmen whom
Italy so much needed were NJ his side
and their brightest powers were de-
manded. for they were confronted by
the most gigantic powers OF the age.
The speaker then recounted the sue
cessrTe steps by which Sardinia was
finally merged into the kingdom OF
United Italy.
Ar last Italy is one-one from the AL
pine barriers OF the north to the vine
clad hills of the south. In the growth
/ OF public sentiment, the spirit of a
healihful national consciousness over
leaping the boundaries OF cities and
states, has: united the people.ot riyel
prosinces in frateTnal affection and
love for a common country. All honor
and prosperity 10 Italyi May the
memory OF her departed heroes
serve as a guiding star to those who
come after them and may
liberty once more descend from the
summit o. the Apprentices, dispense or
Ger, Justice and constitutional freedom
over It ancient and beautiful land. !"