Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-04-29
A CENTURY OLD.
The Glorious Anniversary of the
Am erican Republic.


Tomorrow will be the ce utennial ami
versary Of the Inauguration of the first
president of the United States-George
Washington--from which event our hiss
tory as an existing nation dates.
THE NATIONS HISTORY.
A citizen should not confine his atten-
ton alone TO the present.. A nation
cannot neglect the study of its own hiss
tory. When the original thirteen col.
onies severed their connection with Great
Britain. the word republic" had no stand
ing in Europe. The united provinces
were surrounded by the monsrchisl in-
huences of the House of Orange, decay
ing Venice was dying of corruption and
Genoa lived only in name. In her little
territory of seventeen miles square San
Marine had existed for centuries. Re~
publics to be successful. royalsts insisted.
must be diminutive and modest England
had never been more powerful than at
this time; she was prosperous and under
her flag, the people within her vast pos
sessions were comparatively happy; but
beneath this apparent happiness was dis
content In the American colonies. They
had great affection for the mother coun-
try. When they went to England they
went to their homes. English history
was their history; her literature was their
literature; her statesmen were their
statesmen; her flag was their flag, and
wherever 1t had been born in triumph
over victorious fields they shared in the
glory. This was all radically changed in
few years. The colonies became thir-
teen united states with history of their
own. All of which they possessed under
the English flag they soon acquired under
their own flag. The sacredness which
time gives they could not have. but they
statesmen. military heroes and historical
deeds. The incidents and triumphs
which attended the American revolution
were temporarily dimmed by the great
events of the French revolution follow
ing so quickly. Oar ancestors brought
with them the spirit of English liberty.
Not until the profiigate reign of Charles
the Second did they begin to feel the
chains thrown around their commerce.
First came five per cent duty on i'm
ports and exports.
Then their ports were closed to every
flag but Ell glands; commerce was re-
! stricted. and sugar, tobacco. cotton, wool
and other articles produced in the colo
mics, were prohibited from being taken
anywhere but to England. When a
shackel could be forged the colonies were
manacled. The navigation act had
woven its tots around the colonies Until
its exactions had become remorseless
Smuggling was the result. This became
more profitable than regular trade and
quite as honorable. Durand wrote
to the French government that the colo
nists were too rich TO persevere in ODE
dience to the British crown. Granville
said the colOnisis were too rich not to
share 10 taxes. The stamp act. then the
tea party and the battle of Lexington
forever made it impossible for the colo>
MES and the mother country to live
peaceably together. Taxation without
representation was the watchword of the
revolution. The outbursts of patriotic
feeling could no longer be smothered.
The British line of battle advanced up
Bunker Hill at the tap of the drum and
the shrill note of the bugle. The Conti-
nentals met them with a warm and with
ering fire. and when the smoke had
cleared away Bunker Hill was won. We
can never refer to it without awakening
patriotic memories. The rough march
through the Jerseys. the hunger and cold
at Valley Forge and many other incis
dents followed our little army. When
Col. Grant amused the English parlia-
ment by describing the cowsrdice of the
Americans. they had forgotten how
Washington had rallied his Virginia vol
unteers to save the total destruction of
Braddock's troops. The colonies had
splendid material for soldiers. In all
walks and occupations they were accus.
toned to the use of the gun. At all
| seasons they could endure extreme hard
ships Many had fought by the side Of
the English soldier in the old French war.
Many had encountered Indians in am
bush and on The march. he tales of war
were familiar to them all. Washington
| and his chiefs had been trained in the
experience CT the past. In the towns
and villages recruiting went on rapidly.
| British deserters were utilized as drill
masters. A young Rhode Island Quaker
went to Boston on the pretense of COL
Letting debt. While there he joined in
I the drill, and after receiving several les.
sons, left suddenly with British muskei
and a sergeant. The latter drilled his
company Everywhere the fife and drum
were heard and drilling was going on. I'm
bounded excitement existed. That was
the moment 10 enlist the troops for the
war, but the fiery enthusiasm
was permitted to die out. Discourage
ments came. the great Washington man.
fully faced them all, amidst gloom and
peril and Triumph. Finally courage
and endurance triumphed and the Father
Of His Country was inaugurated, amidst