The national leader., 1889-01-05

II ~ ;
sepulchers within our own native
State. Need refer to the records OF
yonder 'War Department. to corrob-
crate or refresh our memory. Those,
numerous though they be are but
meagre mementoes which mark the
resting place Of our illustrious dead.
| Aud to those noble patriots regardless
0f race or prescription we now give
our highest applause. and as free
American citizens we would be re-
creant to every vestige OF gratitude
should we fail to give honor where
honor Is due.
When We consiGer how during the
Nations darkest hours our own kind
red race volunteered and fought
bravely on land and sea TO defend the
''stars aud stripes' and save the
country in the greatest time of peril.
How materially we aided In the past,
giving the Nation the blessing Of the
present and obtained the mere bril-
liant prospect Of the future. For
truly We have great reason to congrat-
ulate the Nation and ourselves when
we reflect that having been so recently
weighed in the balance we were not
found wanting. These are but few of the
many evidences of the hardy sons of
toll, who have under trying ordeal
evinced their unhinching loyalty and
ddelity to our great American Govern
ment and we as the survivors of those
worthy patriots are here to give hon.
age and honor to that all important
document which gives the Nation
pledge Of fealty and our unquestion-
able acknowledgment.
A little over century ago In old
independence Hall Philadelphia, the
greatest men of the nation there
assembled to ratify and proclaim a
proclamation to the world. Though
over century ago, so important was
the occasion, so pleasing in the hearts
Of the American people, so sweet to
their sensibility. So eXuberant to their
higher sense of honor that that occa-
sion has been ever since regularly
observed, and from maine to Geor-
gia" from the Gulf to the Pacific, has
| America lebrated ostensibly regard.
| less Of consequences and expense.
refer to the Declaration of Americas
independence July 4th 1776. That
tdIInCdtIOu lukOu OlA OIL
| acknowledgement and dissolved their
! allegiance with the crown heads or
| completely annihilatea the distastes of
liking George ILL.," and tonight 1t is
the great "Magna charter" of
| Americas Independence. This dEy
| rs years ago the great Emancipation
Proclamation was issued by our then
| Chief Magistrate, Abraham Lincoln,
| who truly in his heart may be cOnsId :
| cred the modern "MOseS" of the Negro
| American. This proclamation exceeds
In Its Righteousness the former referred
| to. For in the former allegiance to
| sovereignty was only claimed, whilst
In the latter case, all that is dear,
sacred, estimable and desirable was
| most brutally denied. One relieved
| the clrcassian defendant from the OBJ
jectIonable supremacy of the crown
head. The other broke off the chains
and chattels from over 4,OO0.0O0
ouman souls. Subsequently changed our
states from the lowest type of chattel
10 full pledged American citizeu5.
And giving to crushed inate.manhood
that liberty which has so pOtently de-
veloped it's powers and talent in yonder
| capitol of the nation. Whose brain
| and elOquence has caused our Senate
chamber to sit spell-bOund and tue
House Of Representatives, reverberate
" tn unansWerable arguments OIL had
L the language of a cicero" the elo-
| Iuence of "DemOstheneS," had l the
gift of sumner the voice OF a
| Phillips" even then would l fail to
| fully eIucidate to you the important
occasion which we here celebrate.
| However the crater of the evening,
| will add to our theme and commemora
| tion. And the poet Laureate will sing
the song Of our gladness. But OF one
thing We are we'll assured. The name
Of Abraham Lincoln, can never be
| obliterated In the hearts of the Ameri-
| can people and that memorable pro.
clamation shall by tradition descend to
unborn generations and ever be cher
ished by our posterity.
Abraham Lincoln, ouc beloved
Martyr, Presldentl A man Of rare
ability, kind and generous to a fault,
brave ana answering through the
period Of our nations greatest dangers.
Wise and discreet as the nations chief
magistrate. True and loyal to fealty
of office. sympathetic and friendly to
all oppressed, truly the nations unblem-
ished chiertaln. Such in reality was the
| character of our Martyred president,
whose memory we here revere, and
whenever this day arrives we or our
posterity will duly celebrate. Well
may the descendants OF the old Daclara-
tion boom their cannons and vocifer-
ons!y, rattle their fife and drum regu-
Iarly every 4th of July. Even so
should the descendants of the Sons of
Toll feel more thankful, and like David
or old, after the return of the ARK of
the. Covenant" cry out from the depth
of our soul. "Praise the Lord. Oh my
| soul. And all that Is within me bless
His Holy Name. Then as Citizens lei
us realize our Importance, and as men
let us shoulder our responsibilities, and
as body polite contend reasonably for
every right which IS guaranteed by the
Constitution to all legal citizens within
this United Republic.
Rendering of The Emancipation
Proclamation. by Mr.. VIM. A. Carter;
poem, entitled the "Great Proclama-
tion," dedicated to the occasion by
Prof s & Brown Of the Smithsonian