Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1886-07-11
FOURTH OF JULY.
CELEBRATING THE "GlORl-
Gus FOURTH"
The Declaration Of Independence.
Speeches by Citizens Fowler,
LuddingtOn. Mansfield,
Curtis and Others.
Lab0r's Lot.

The Fourth of July, this year,
came upon a sultry Sunday. with
hardly II breath of air stirring.
Nevertheless, the projected celebra-
ton of the nations birthday by the
Labor l.yceum was carried out with
out any detracting alteration of the
programme, though several individ-
uals who were expected to take part
were absent.
After an overture upon the piano
by Miss +. A. Bacon, the chairman
announced the object of the meet
ing in few appropriate words, and
called upon II. II. Lane to read the
Declaration of Independence. The
oft-ylolated "charter of American
liberty" with all it's revolutionary
phrases, it's denunciations of the
king of more than u century ago.
seemed peculiarly applicable to the
present day; and the impressive
manner in which it was read seemed
to add to the solcmnity and import
ance of that document to the work
ers of this generation.
Attorney Charles S. Fowler made
an impromptu speech, full of patri-
otic fervor, not forgetting to score
some of the enemies of our free in
stitntions. Mr.. Fowler urged eter-
nal vigilance on the part Of the peo-
pie and active participation in poll
ties. His speech was interspersed
with numerous bright hits and il
Illustrative anecdotes, which elected
repeated applause.
Frank ID. Luddirgton was the
next speaker, whose wcll-known elo-
quence paid tribute to the occasion,
but who did not forget to note some
Of the gross evils which have grown
with our country's progress, among
them the workings of capitalism and
and the baneful and destructive ef-
fects of intemperance.
The veteran labor reformer, George
Mansfield, was then called upon, and
he responded in manner that car
ried his audience with him. Mr..
Mansfield, having a Ms. copy of his
speech, we are enabled to give his re-
marks rerbaiim. lie said:
"The Fourth of July is a day that
will be commemorated as long as the
love of liberty shall find welcome
and abiding place in the breast of
mankind. The Congress of the Con-
federation on that day assembled -
l116 gave to the world a declara-
ton of the principles of the rights
of man which had been the muse of
poets, the theme of statesmen, the
hope of the patriot and the aspira-
ton and dream of humanity for
thousands of years anterior to its
foundation in the practical shape in
which we now have it. All, but the
men who gave us that declaration
were fresh from the loom, the anvil
and the plough, and no doubt
thought they We're laying broad and
deep the foundations of a temple of
liberty which would be for all time
a refuge and home for the oppres-
sed of mankind, and in which life,
liberty, the pursuit of happiness
and other imprescriptible rights of
man would be mviolably protected.
1t was declaration of human
rights that burst upon the world like
a meteor of ineffable eifulgence
from a dark, Iurid and portentoas
sky, striking terror into the souls and
blanching with fear the faces of the
oppressors of mankind, and kind
ling hope and inspiring faith in
the hearts of the millions in a high
er and nobler destiny for the future
of humanity. A hope and faith
which have been transmitted to sue
ceeding generations. augmentlng in
force as its deep and solemn truths
have entered more largely into the
souls and consciences of men, and
whose mission will not be fulfilled or