Mexico weekly ledger., 1889-07-11

hundred and thirteen years ago,
has contributed more than all other
causes combined to make us what
we are as a people-prosperous
and happy at home-honored and
feared abroad. We should ever
turn to that as the perennial foun-
tain of all our blessings.
Nor have its benehcent inilu-
ences accrued to us alone. We
could not if we would, and we
would not if we could, take out
patent on human liberty. All the
world have been made participa-
tors in our happiness and have felt
the ennobling power of the Decla-
ration Of Independence, and should
rise up with one accord to magnify
the name of Thomas Jefferson.
CHRISTMAS
alone excepted, no other day in all
the annals of mankind, can lay
claim to such high and multifari-
Gus honors as cluster about
the birthday of the Re
public. The condition of people
everywhere has been ameliorated
by the American Revolution. The
torch OF universal freedom, lighted
by Patrick Henry has cast its fruc-
tifying beams into the remotest
corners of the world and kindled a
fire which all the waters of all the
seas cannot eXtinguish. The pen
of jefferson, the tongue of old John
Adams and, he sword of Washing
ton formed, published and enforced
q proclamation of the dignity
and equality of men, which
like Tennyson's "Brook," goes
on forever and which has
done, is doing and will continue to
do its revolutionary work on every
inch of Gods footstool, from Green
lands icy mountains to India's
coral strands, until liberty is en-
joyed by all wearing the human
form.
BY REASON OF OUR EXAMPLE,
England has become almost a free
government and is monarchy only
in name. Benjamin Harrison is pos
sessed of far more power than
Queen Nictoria-in whose royal
veins there runs the blue blood OF a
thousand k1ngs-and it il by no
means violent presumption that
she is the last hereditary ruler that
will ever sway the British sceptre.
Sluggish Spain has been a re-
public once and will be again.
France has shaken off the tram
mels of despotism forever; ana no
Bourbon, no Bonapartist, no Or
leanist, no Communist will, let us
hope, ever be able to re-enslave
her. The soldiers, whom Louis
the Sixteenth sent to fight our bat
ties, carried back the seeds of lib
esty and planted them deep in the
fertile soil of Gaul, where they
have borne the most delicious
| fruits.
Germany, Austria, Denmark.
! Sweden and Holland are being
gradually but surely transformed
from absolute despotisms into con-
stitutional governments; and.
though the redoubtable Bismarck
may be able to exclude the Ameri.
can hog from the yearning palates
and stomachs of his people, he
cannot prevent the political ideas
of America from taking root in
their eager minds and hearts.
Italy, the land of poetry anc
song, has risen like the Pheni,
from her own ashes, to a new ant
brighter life.
Greece-lovely, classic, historic
Greeee-who gave the world its
first lesson in free government, has
been wrested from the iron rule o
of the successor of MohammeC
and bids fair to rival the splendol
of her better days.
Ancient and ignorant Portuga
is remodeling her constitution by
abolishing her hereditary House o
Lords and substituting in its steae
an elective Senate somewhat sim
liar to ours.
I In Central and South America
the monarchical form Of govern
ment survives in Brazil alone
where the Emperor Dom Pedrt
himself is voluntarily giving to hi
Ipeople q larger share of persona
| liberty.
| Turbulent Mexico. after tryin,
every form of government known
among men, appears at last to hav'
founded her institutions upon th
firm and enduring rock of tn
peoples will and the peoples love
| From Orient China and Occi
dental Hawaii come students to ou
shores to study the machinery O
the most benignant government
ever devised by the combined in
genuity and patriotism of the chill
dren of men.
The rays of our unquenchabl
light have even penetrated tn
frozen realms of the Gar of all tn
Russias. The cossacks and serf
Iof Muscovy may not know of OH
existence, still they have beel
greatly improved in their condition
| by the glorious doctrine of the in
a!ienabIe right of men to govern
| themselves in such way as shal
seem most likely to secure thei
prosperity and happiness.
And the irresistible reflex tide G
| civil liberty has touched the shore
of Ireland, which have been so OF
j! ten washed by the tears of he
children; and the hope is not to-
wild for entertainment thatin som
happier day-perhaps in the i'm
mediate future-a Gladstone or
Parnell-more fortunate than En-
NETT or O'Connell, may lead Fri
TO Independence-largeIy througl
aid drawn from the liberality AM
generosity of the American people
The benefieent work in th
amelioration of the condition @
mankind has been to large exten
due to the eternal and potent truth
contained in our American cree
political and to the never-faggin
zeal with which Americans, whel
abroad, enter upon the delectabl
duties of poIitica1 missionaries