Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1889-02-02

ards of the Past. This is period Of
churches, railways, newspapers and
telegraphs. Men and measures nov
are face to face with their judges,
while the heroes of the Past were
worshipped at an enchanting dis.
lance. Indeed, the present is the
grandest generation Of the worlds
history. 1t has greater statesmen,
grsnder heroes, vaster possibilities,
noble religious spirit, and has done
more to elevate mankind, to engen-
der correct principles of morals and
to increase feelings of universal fra
ternity throughout the earth, than
any of the centuries that have gone
before. Monarchs, the cruel sway
ers Of imperial scepters, the Cypress
ors of the human race, have been
compelled to admit the subtle influ
ences OF American liberty, that have
decreased their power until the very
thrones upon which they sit, tremble
beneath them. The piteous song of
the serf is no longer heard in Russia,
and the wall of the bondsman has
been silenced forever in Spain and
Brazil. Germany has regained the
scattered people of the Fatherland.
Italy, torn and tossed by every
breeze, has gathered her discovered
provinces, and from the Eternal City
receives the law as of old. France
no longer feels the ruthless sway of
Louis XVI, but free and indepen-
dent. rules more by virtue of re-
publican government, than by the re-
membrance of the mighty Napoleon,
or line of titled despots. The dis
tant people of the East are breaking
through the darkness of superstition
and ignorance, and enjoy the golden
sunshine of the Western World. The
matchless progress of our people has
truely elevated every observant ma
ton of the earth. While thus ele-
waiting others, what has been their
own progress? Contrast the condi-
tion of this country, when the few
weak colonies were planted on the
Atlantic Coast, with its present state
of National development and politi-
cal Importance From those few
scattered settlements of two centur
les and a half ago, and from the thir-
teen colonies of more than century
ago, have grown 38 free and soyer-
eign Understanding from the At
lantic to the Pacific, and from the
great lakes of the North to the Gulf
of Mexico, forming in their Union
under our Federal Government, one
of the foremost Nations ofthe world.
From the few hundreds of the early
settlers, from the two millions of col
onists at the Revolutionary Period,
the population Of the country has
grown to more than 60,00O,0OO. It's
chief commercial city numbers over
1000 900 inhabitants, while numer-
GUS others Of $4,000 inhabitants, are
growing up, not only on the Allan
tic coast, but on the great rivers and
| on the Pacific. In education, in
wealth, in strength, in all the re-
sources which make Nation pow
erful, its progress has more than kept
pace with ito population. The sails
of it's commerce whitened every sea.
Forests have fallen and cities grown
up. The desert has been made to
blossom as garden, and the water
courses are dotted with innumerable
mills and enterprises.
Then, let us not belittle the pro,
gress of the Present. Let us be
proud of the blessing that benif-
cent Father has strewn over our
pathway. There are shadows in the
life of each of us, but does not the
sunshine predominant? The Past
has been both bright and wonderful,
but the Future presages even bright
err times and more wonderful pro-
gress. Our rulers are men of exper-