Omaha daily bee., 1889-05-01

bearing testimony TO their love of country,
and to an invincible living host standing
ready to enforce our national rights and
protect our land, our chourches, our schools,
our universities and our benevolent institu-
tions, which beautify every town and
hamlet and look out from every hillside,
testifying to the value our people place upon
religious teaching, upon advanced education
and deeds of charity.
THAT our people are still Jealous of their
industrial rights and freedom, is proved by
the fact that no one in place or power has
dared to openly assail them. The enthusi-
asm that marks the celebration of the inaug-
uration of their first chief magistrate shows
the popular appreciation of the value of the
office, which, in our plan of government,
stands above all others for the sovereignty
OF the people, and is the repository of their
trust. Surely such u people can be safely
trusted with their free government, and
there need be no fear that they have lost
the qualities which tit them to be its custo-
dians.
''Let us then have an abiding faith In our
people, Let petulance and discomfort with
popular action disappear before the truth that
in any and all circumstances the will of the
people, however it may be exercised, is the
law OF our national eNistence--thc arbiter alb
solute and unchangabe by which we must
abide. Other than the existing situations or
policies can only justify themselves when
they may be reached by the spread of politi
cal intelligence and the revival of unselfsh
and patriotic interest in public affairs. III
natured complaints of the peoples incompe-
tency and self-righteous assertion of superb
ority over the body of the people are impo-
tent and useless.
"But there is danger, fear, that the scope
of the words 'our people and all they impart
are not always fully apprehcnded. 1t is
only natural that those in the various walks
of life should see 'our people within the
range of their own vision and to find Just
about them, the interests most important and
most worthy the care of the government.
The rich merchant or capitalist in the centre
OF wealth and entersrise, hardly has a
glimpse of the country blacksmith at his
forge or the farmer in his field, and these in
their turn know but little of the laborers
who crowd our manufactures and inhabit
their own world of toll, or of the thousands
who labor in our mines Yet in the spirit of
our institutions, all these, so separated in
station and personal interest are u common
brotherhood and are 'our people
diversity of interests, though the
source of boundless wealth aud prosperity,
has tendency to press our people apart
This condition demands OF us acounter force
of iberality and liberation toward each
other and enlightened regard for the condi-
tion of every individual who contributes TO
the aggregate of our national greatness
This centennial time, which stirs our pride
by leading us to the contemplation of our
strides to wealth and greatness, also recalls
To our minds the virtues and unscltish devo-
ton to principle of those who saw the first
a revival of our love for the principles which
oar country represents, let there be mt this
time new conservation to the cause of
mans freedom and equality by everyone
who wears tho badge of our people. The ftl-
turc beckons us on. Let us follow with an
exalted and ennobling love OF country and
with undaunted courage. Though clouds may
sometimes darken the heavens they shall be
dispelled and we shall see the the bow of
Gods promise set clearly in the sky and
shall read beneath it. blazing in radiant char
acter, the words Our People,
Governor E'ltz Hugh Lee, of Virginia. re.
sponded to The States'
Chicf-Justice Fuller responded to the
toaat, "Our federal constltuton-the con-
summation of all former wisdom, the trust
OF the present, the guide for all coming
Gations.n
After dwelling at some length on the
problems which confronted the trainers of
the constitution aud the necessity for un-
equalled patience, equity, moderation and
wisdom on their part, the speaker said:
That patence, that sagacty, that mod
general, was specially Illustrated in his char
acter and conduct whose inauguration we
celebrate to-day. To Washingtons prophetic
eye the glorioS Of the future had long been
unveiled, dependent for realization upon the
success of craftsmanship in the work of con-
struction entered on at his suggestion and
earned TO completion under his direction
The eHua6le and steadfast tci or of his mind
was eXemDlfied in his wcil-knOwn cxclama-
tion, Let us raise a standard 10 which the
wise and honest can repair; the event is in
the hand of Cod Under such guidance in
that temper, with that reliance. the work went
forward TO its elimination in this master
piece of political science. The great English
statesman declared it the most wonderful
work ever struck Off at a given time by the
brain and purpose of man, but III its main
features 1t rs much proceeded from pro
gressive history as any governmental
nrtr DI,i nm mo an1yi ind h,c III
the action of nature, forces mad been long
accumulating before they burst INTO cX.
preston. The careful division of powers,
the checks and balances, the representation
against the exercise of arbitrary rule,
the immense power to protect and
the powerlessness to opprcss, were
but the concentrated results of prior eXper-
ience, while the plan Of government, abso.
lutely sovereign in its own sphere, but leay-
ing the states without any political superior
in their own territory, was the national
outcome of the necessity Of reconciling i'm
partial sway over a vast extent of country to
be peoplcd by coming myriads with republi-
can rule resting on IL representative system
and the principle Of local government for
domestic purposes No boundary needed 10
be- or was defined to cross WHICH was rcvo-
luton, to provide for IA supreme tribunal was
part of the noble scheme, to which was
committed the duty of determining when
the federal or state action exceeded their
boundaries For the heXibility of unwritteu
constitutions, there was substituted here not
merely mode of alteration when santionel
AS prescribed. but through simple general
ity of terms employed, an elasticity enabling
the fundamental law TO develop with the
progress of the people, as the incxorable
logic of events influenced its provisions, or
judicial Interpretation expanded them, nov
SO as to impair any vital rule, but to PERM lit
its adaptlOn to new conditions, thus keeping
pace with the onward sweep Of the empire
which it rendered possible this matchless in
strument Vlndlcatcs its title to immortality.
Well may the venerable historian whose
years nearly equal The life of the nation, de-
scribe the constitution as not only the con-
summation of political wisdom in the past,
| but trust Of the present, and well may we
| hope with him that the coming nations will
| avail themselves of the teaching that It's cen
tury OF successful operation affords"
After the chief f-justices address President
| Harrison was introduced AS the chief cX-
| ecuuve arose To speak, he appeared tired
| out and even paler than usual. He responded
| to "rhe United States" The next toast
was ',The Senate, y RESPONDED to by Senator
Daniel.
In response to the toast, "The Presidency"
| ex-President Hayes reviewed the early days
| OF the government and the reasons for the
| institution OF the chief magistracy. The eX
| president said:
| Experience has shown that in an ordinary
time the executive power is of no greater
Importance, perhaps IL is less vital, than the
Legislative or judicial power. When gigantic