The Irish standard., 1889-05-04

MINNI
abated it's praise, nor lowered the lofty
niche IN which his fame sits enshrined
And the heroes whose names form th
rich heritage Of the Republic, he stand
aloft and alone. To the selection o
Washington as commander-in- chief i
undoubtedly due the success of oul
revolutionary struggle. When the cause
of freedom hung so often trembling il
the balance, it was always Washing
toms influence that tipped the beam il
favor Of success. There have beer
military chieftains of more genius
there have been statesmen of more
keenness of political thought, but wher
we look for character with the finest
combination of greatness and goodness
we find none in the worlds history SUI
perlor TO chat Of him.
But we are not merely celebrating
cur most renowned soldier, citizen and
statesman. We are celebrating az
event second only to the achievement
Of our independence, we are celebrat-
ing the birth of our nation. The indie
pendence nf IL states had been accom-
plished. The confederation could not
have continued a decade. 1t was
bankrupt. It could not have sustained
itself against a second foreign war. 1t
was still more in danger from Internal
dissensions To none did this danger
appear more threatening than to Wash
ington. Without ambition for Office,
desiring domestic retirement and men
tai and physical rest, he yet yielded to
the voice of conscience and tho wish OF
his people, and presided over the great
federal constitutional convention. And
here in peace We see the same great in
fluence he exhibited iii war. Without
Sbe knowledge that Washington favor.
ed it, the states would not have ado pt-
ed the constitution So fierce was the
contention, 30 evenly balanced the con-
testants, that without him all would
have been lost. But with Washington's
administration the national foundation
was laid upon the firm rock of the con-
stitution, and there it has stood for a
century of time, proof against storms
from without and storms from within.
Before this governmental unity the
American people were like the terres~
trial at the dawn Of creation, without
form and void.'' After it they were
like the great planetary system. COM
plex yet harmonious. There Was &
federal center, around which we'll reg
ulated states revolved. held in their or
bits by enough centriperal power to
prevent them from fying off into space
in wild dismembermet, and on the other
hand, animated by enough centrifugal
force to maintain local freedom and
prevent absorption and destruction in
the fires of central tyranny, 1t was the
failure to comprehend the proper rela-
tion Of these two forces that caused the
late rebellion. Under this system the
American people have made g. national
progress never before known. The
thin line of settlements along the At
iantic have expanded until the golden
shore lines Of the Pacific are equally
familiar. Where we stand was the
"ultina thule'' Of the nations posses
sions. Itis true this great and success
full experiment has been tried under
most favorable circumstances. 1t was
in new land OF wonderful fertility. 1t
was where free homas could be offered
to the people. We are geographically
separated from the entangling alliances
Of older nations. Our vast expanse OF
territory, affording every variety Of eli
mate and product, our boundless sea
coasts, broad lakes and mighty rivers,
gave surprising advantages for both in~
ternai and external commerce. But all
these would not have suficed without
our excellent system of government.
And that, too, would not have been
sufficient without class Of citizens OF
character to appreciate these adyan-
tages and responsibilities of self govern
ment, Brazil has sayannas as vast and
as fertile, forests as boundless and val
liable, rivers as mighty as those Of our
own land. But how she has Jagged be.
hind us in the race of nations. She
had not the government of freemen.
She had not the blood of which freemen
are grown.
And here comes to as athe serious
consideration Of the hour. What shall
we do to sustain the standard of our
citizenship? A few years ago dark
cloud hung over Our Western horizon.
The children Of Shem threatened to
overrln the houses of Japhet. We had
proclaimed our land ''as an asylum for
the oppressed of all nations" AS a
practical matter this invitation was toe
general. Self preservation was the
first law of nations as we'll as nature
Sentiment Welded to necessity and che