The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1889-05-02
nun FlRsp onNPRNNIAL,

man or woman lives TO day. who VIII
ever see another Lot ua make The most
Of H.
one hundred years ago 10 day, Gen,
George Washington was inaaguraled
In tho city Of New York, as the llrst
President Of the irat Republic And
now the few spamely settled colonies,
scattered along the shores OF the Az
auuc, have become an Empire, WIN
tory,two great states stretching from
ocean 10 ocean,
Every child Of God beneath the sun,
Ia whoss heart, even tho wild birds OF
the forest have sung, who has ever had
visions Of American democracy IN the
drramand Of q hope, Is looking WIN
longing eyes TO the Centennial of Lib
erty In New York today
lLis tho epoch Of all epochsi the Jn'
bllee Of the centuries, The Oeeldent
and the Orient meet, not as seven cen
turtles ago, on the plains of Central Eu'
rope, to break lancea for the triumph OF
a religion, but under tho paphlan skies
of peace, in land absolutely free, to
clasp hands under banner whose stars
mean peace aud JOY and fraternal
brotherhood for all mankind.
The theme Is inspiration lta con,
temptation Is mingled prayer ana
thanksgiving to the God OF our wor'
ship,
our tribute to-day Is to George
Washington, first in war, and first In
peace, aud the first President OF the
nrst enduring Republic, But Wash
lngton was but one force In a
matchlesa array OF powerful forces
that made the new Republic even a pos
ablllty,
Looking back through the mlata OF
the century, listening for some eohoing
word from its shroudsd bushes, lot M
not forget the sublime courage that
gave us the first Declaration Of lnde
pendence, nor tho matchless genius ana
prophetic ken that gave US an organ
| lied constitution and q union OF The
states, under Washington,
Let us reverence to day, the marvel
Gus faith that seemed gllded with
divine strength which beckohed the
men Of the revolution and Of the conti'
mental congress Yet II required all
the feryd omtory Of q Patrick Henry
| the clear logic Of Fmnklm,the rugged
protests ofa Tom Paine, the stirring
manilestos Of q Mexican, the splendid
appeals Of u Jellerson,the sturdy cham
plonship Of the Adams, the lldncocko
the Lees, the Llyingstones and the
Shermaus Of that perilous time TO litj
the country up TO the dla2y heights OF
revolution and ON the obdur0le hearts
of the conservatives OF the Continental
| Congress, with the awful edict OF Ma
| tional Independence.
It's difficult for us, to-day, In the
| heart of % prosperous and llourlshing
county, Il tied with peaceful villages
aud happy homes, ringing with the
music Of gllanuu cities and the swift
enthusiasm Of tmd'i with 6iXlyplil'
Ili5us Of people, to fully realize from
what small beginnings these grand re-
suits have sprung
When Washington took the oath OF
office In New York, orc hundred year.
ago, II was o shamb'pg sea port town
Of scarcely 10000 plogl' To-day u i.
| the third largest city 40 The Christian
world,
A hundred years Is but span In the
grand catalogue of the ages, u single
leaf In the majestic volume OF the cen
turtles. that God shall bind together IN
the book Of time, yet when we contem
plate what we were aud what we are
| today, It seems rs " the genius Of his
tory had woven a romance instead Of
record Of human achievement
Thus of the FIRST Centennial, what OF
| thcrcEty
OH. ru.nl brotherhood of man.
Toll wH. .N uul iu}
Y.Wr tuuI Iu.IdH ul thu dawn
THAT tu.uur lu ttu days
Ahnuirrd million irccmuu moro
SnnlI meet uud EcrL Uul bow
Undo. uu UiE that shrlt - uH,
4 hundred yulr from now