Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-07-04
TIE DAY.

the emotions OF the people that no other
can find place. or operate to act upon the
sensibilities. The man who sneers at the
celebration Of this day as trite, or who is
indifferent TO making some display in
honor Of the occasion. is unworthy of citi-
zenship. If it is no more than q bit of
ribbon, 4 wreath of flowers, cessation from
business, the hanging out Of a flag or the
putting on of holiday attire and giving
some hours to enjoyment of the festal
events, every one, old and young, should
make'some offering testifying to apprecia-
ton Of the blessings citizenship in the Re
public confers.
There is not particle Of danger of max
ing too much of the National holiday. 1t
is worth thousand fold more to every
American, native or foreign born, than he
or she can bear witness to. 1t is the best
day of all the year to the liberty lover; Il
speaks to him of the manifest destiny Of
the grandest conception Of human govern
ment The anniversary is to him the
occasion for introSpection, for looking into
self to ascertain if at any time his faith in
free institutions has wavered, and for the
purpose of administering self-rebuke if be
finds in his heart any lurking doubt that
this government is the fairest scheme of
human wisdom, the nearest approach yet
made TO full recognition of individuality,
and the best guarantee ever given Of man
hood rights.
There is no other people who have so
much reason to observe national holiday
with fervor, or to whom the recurrence of
such an event is so full of suggestion or 50
rich in inspiring tradition. Compared
with the American scheme there is no
other that promises so much or secures SO
much to the individual, because there is
no other government where the people
are so absolutely selfgoverned. We have,
therefore, we repeat, every reason TO mani
fest our satisfaction. to indulge in even
noisy exuberance of feeling, and TO bear
witness before the world with much loud
acclaim of our love and loyalty to the in
dissoluble Union Of free and sovereign
States
Whoever undertakes the patriotism of
the American people must do so from lack
Of knowledge of them, or from grievous
misconception of the loyal spirit to which
the American system is parent. He is
little short of blind who does not see
below the surface of political contention,
and every day attrition in business and
governmental policies, that what; Holland
so happily designated D." The National
Heart" is beating fell and strong with
patriotic purpose, and that the efforts of
anarchists, the forecast of pessimistic pro-
phets, the schemes of socialists and the
conspiracies of venal men against honest
administration of public affairs, affects it
scarcely at all.
Out of national life springs the spirit that
animates the whole Republic. That life is
born Of a scheme Of civilization and beney-
olence that cannot be stayed in its march
to It's highest purpose b. the grumbling of
the discontented or the dismal prophecies
of those of little faith in the plan of self
government.
The drift of events prove this, if any
thing, that the American nation is steadily
progressing, and that the harmony of its
plan of evolution has not been disturbed.
On the contrary, every activity since the
birth of the nation-though for time
some may have been apparently deterrent
and destructiye-has contributed to the
fashioning Of this nation more and more
symmetrically, and to developing it more
and more into that maturity in which
the fruit of its endeavor viii be fully
ripened. The motive of life in the nation
to-day is Just as lofty, pure, steadfast and
persistent as at any time in the hi. tory of
the Republic. 1t is clearly defined, and
no one who looks beneath the surface can
mistake it. Ii means constant progression,
continued approach,to the loftiest ideal of
perfect government, and an unchecked
march along the highway of the broad
est humanity, marked by the milestones
ofevents that have signalized the achieve
ments of freedom, the guarantees of hu-
man rights, and the spread OF. human
knowledge.
There Is no nation OF earth to-day
where men are 90 absolutely free in per-
son and expression; where the rigkss of
manhood are SO absolutely occurred In the
individual; where the opportunities to
rise to the Hottest distinction in social or
political life are so bread; where the ciG-
zen Is so completely aad truly responsible
for himself and his success and failures. as
lnthe American nation. There is 10 nation
where patriotism is sothoyoughly 6iffused,
and absorbed by the many as In this.
There is no nation where there are 60 few
who sre not loyal in heart to all tie in
stitutians of the land. Indeed, we dc not
think there is any social organism on
earth where the sense of duty 20 the COM
pact between the units of the nation is !
sc thoroughly felt or so religiousiy lived
up to as in this.
There are timid, doubling and discour
aged people who do not concur in this be-
diei, but such have existed in all times. and
III all communities of men. The; great
masses, however, rise to true conception
OF tie lofty scheme of the American plan
and prove 1t by that individual conformity
to the terms of the compact that secures us
laws and their enforcement, property rights 1
and their protection, personal freedom and
its enjoyme1t, and THAI works out peaceful
by which we change the public
policy Of the country, modify the laws of
The nation, or effect any prudent and de-
iirable amendment of the system of self
government.
1t is because the American plan culti-
'ates love for the homes of the land, en-
ourages the formation of family gronps
nd at the same time pives To their heads