The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-07-17
1776--Independence Day--1S88.

the patriotism of that good old time |
when patriotism dwelt in the bosom
and prompted the speech of the
tongue and the action of the hand, |
Nothing fades surer than glory, and
nothing subsidies sooner than uniyer-
sal sentiment. This is illustrated to-
day in many ways, but in none more
graphically than by the unparalleled
changes which have taken place in
our American methods of patriotism
since that first Fourth-of.J July morn-
ing when guns were ired and bells
rung to arouse the brave and invinci.
BILE spirit of Independence which
had seized upon the American peo-
pie.
To the men and women who lived
in that time it seemed impossible
that those fires of loyalty should ever
die out, but for more than hundred
years since that day the sun has risen
and set each day, bringing forth
change as wonderful as those which
were natal with the days that came
before. The shadows of time and de-
cay have long laid their heavy hands
upon the tombs at Mt. Vernon and
Monticello, and the names of warrior
and statesman are more significant
to day of rest than those awakening
fires that stirred the sleeping energies
of men to action al a moments prep
aration. The wounds of the great
war haye healed long ago. the blood.
stained grasses have recovered their
primal hue of emerald, and the
mouths of the old cannon invite the
birds and field-mice, forgetting the
grim duty for which they were de.
signed, and in time forgotten by the
sturdy patriots who stood by them
manfulIy in the day of peril.
1t is little sad to see that OLD pat.
riotism dying out. but it is no more
than right IN the long run, and in
the Sabbath sweetness we expect to
see just as pure spirit of loyalty to
the conntry's triumph manifested by
the holy services of peace which the
hand of God sanctifies as if the belch-
| ed fires of thousand cannon awoke
the echoes down the long valleys and
up the green slopes Of the sentinel
hills. Peace and love and beauty are
better far than reverberating shouts
of war, than the burning bosums of
desire. and the parched tongues of
hatred and anger, and the day Of
Proclamation, the day when that
glad shout arose from hearts all over
the country bearing upon its breath
the murmur of Independence forever,
can be celebrated now and through
all time to come with prayer more
fittingly than with the clash of arms
and the weary babbling of tongues
in the mouths of FOurth-of July ora
tors. There is no danger that the
day will ever be forgotten, whether
il be celebrated by peaceful or war
like means. for it appeals to the
American heart more sincerely than
any event in the whole history of the
nation,
The changes of the years that have
come and gone since the first reading
of Jefferson's manuscript have been
more than wonderful. They smack
not only of the romantic but Of The
mi raculOus. Within those hundred
and more years the growth of the
country, not in population particular
ly, but in wisdom and attainment,
has been like the gradual unfolding
of some marvellous flower, 1t is ev-
| ident that the work of unfolding is
still going on, that we are approach.
ing higher perfection every day +,
and scarcely probable that the full
flower has yet developed itself, hut it
is interesting to review with the
minds eye the passing events of the
century which has been gathered I'M
der the wings of time, to watch the
wonderful panorama disclose itself
scene after scene. until at last through
all the various states and conditions
which the nation has passed. we see
the dawnine of grand new day
wherein men and women gather
their children about them to rest
from labor through an entire day.
dedicating it to the memory Of that
by.gone time when the Dung shoul.
ders of the nation slipped the yoke Of
Britain and rose to the full height
of its manhood in all the granduer of
national consolidation and national
Independence. We do not need The
patriotism of old to guide Us in our
actions of to-day. The glorious pres
ent at0nes for whatever may have
been lost or wrecked in the past, and
we choose to hold the present sacred
by methods of beauty and peace and
not by those infinite old systems
| which recalled the pain rather than