The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1889-05-03

nations.
And the Inauguration of him, who with ;
| single purpose mistaken by the delays, dis
l aster and discouragements caused by tn,
l inadequacy of the half fed, half clad and
| half disciplined army, with which he was {,
| cope with superior forces of the British
army, well supplied with provisions and al
/ the best instruments of war then known
had conquered peace for you and me, tool
| the oath of Office, and became the first pres
| ident of the United States.
IL is not my purpose to here enter upon {
discussion OF the life or administration o
Washington; no eulogy from me is required
but we can hardly pass this period withou
| stopping for moment TO admire him as thu
great central figure around whom the hops
| of the people for bringing together the dis
| c0rdant elements and the successful forma
| ton of government under the constitution
conferred.
There were not wanting those who proph
| esied i'll of the government, the constitution
was not satisfactory to all; everything was
new, everything was experimental. Reluct
| antly he came to the task which probably nC
other man could have performed so success
| fully. The people said come, and he came
with these words: 'Integrity and firmness
are all / can promise. These, be the voyage
long or short, shall never forsake me- Al
though may be deserted by all men, for OF
the consultations which are to be derived
from these under any circumstances the
world cannot deprive me-"
Patriotism, and answering determine
ton and purpose to perform every public act
honestly, and with the light of the best in
telligence given him, made Washington
what the people delight to call him. ''First
In war, first in peace, first i'm the hearts of
his cOuntrymen." And the man who does
not place his country and its welfare as of
the first consideration, will never be man
safe to trust in any position in life.
To those who have come to think the
character and worth of Washington some
what over estimated in the past, will re-
peat the words of the great commoner, Mr..
Gladstone, who i'm recent letter to Buff
falo citizen says: II rejoice to be put in pos
session of such declarations at a moment
when your great country is about to cele-
brate the centennial anniversary of the in
auguratlOn of George Washington as the
first president of the American common
wealth. / have been requested, from Chi
cagO and elsewhere, to intimate an assurance
of my participation in your national joy. 1t
is real and grateful participation, for the
statesmen of the American revolution have
taken their places once for all among the
greatest political instructors of the world.
George Washington was their acknowledged
and illustrious head, and to him and them
have long felt that / owed no trivial part
of my education. Long, without limit of
length, may that union flourish under the
blessing and favor OF God, with thefOunda-
ton of which their names are inseperably
associated"
1t is no doubt true what has so often been
repeated, that the authors of the Declaration
of Independence, and the trainers of the
constitution, and those who inaugurated the
government at the beginning of its existence
built better than they knew; for they never
could have fOreseen, looking into the misty
and obscure future, what we, at this time
in the light of the past may be able to COM
prehend.
A Republic stretching from the Atlantic
on the east, to the Pacific OH the west, and
from the Gulf on the south to the far north,
where the rays of the setting sun ilumine
with its golden sheen the glaciers, that for
centuries have been grinding the rugged side
of Mt. Elliot, and at the same time, warm
ing into the life of new day the fisherman
OH the coast Of Maine.
With $4,000, 600 of people inhabiting all
parts of this vast domain, well advanced in
all the arts of civilization, building grand
and imposing cities, where half century
ago the primeval forests reverberated only to
the bowling of beasts, the song of birds,
and the voice of the savage.
A government of the people, for the peo
pie, and by the people, inaugurated an hun
dred years ago today, has attracted to this
land, the oppressed, as well as the discon-
tented of all nations.
Here the son of the Emerald Isle, OPP
pressed and impoverished by the demands
of government and the landlord, has come
with pick and spade to build our railroads
and canals, cultivate the soil and enjoy the
fruits of his labor.
The German comes, with his habits of
industry and frugality to accumulate that
wealth which in this country he so easily
acquires; and so comes the Englishman, the
Frenchman, Swede and Dane, and even the
hated Celestial; in short it is the home of
the oppressed of every land and cline, and
where every law abiding citizen may enjoy
all privileges and liberties purchased by
the heroism, patriotism and self sacrifice of
the founders of the government.
But the union of all these dlscOrdant ele-
ments is not effected, and the great princi-
Piles of self government carried out, without
and the adjustment of new and difficult
questions, ever arising from the prejudice,
self interest and want of appreciation of our
laws and institutions.
Pat lands at Castle Garden with light
heart and O ready tongue; with little money,
and too often with the notion that liberty
means license, and when he quarrels with
the days labor he so readily found at good
pay, with wonderful alacrity, takes to poll
tics and assumes to teach John Chinaman
his rights in this country by quite differ
ent Interpretation of the constitution than
he had maintained for self government
Nevertheless the Irishman has heart big
enough for the land of his birth and the land
of his adoption; ever sympathizing with the
struggle of his native land for nationality,
he fills many civil Office in his adopted
land with ability, and efficiency, and his
patriotism is attested by the Irish names
conspicuous among the leading soldiers and
commanders i'm the war for national exist
ence.
The German with profound doubts about
anything not found in his philosophy, and
unaccostomed TO the restraint of our Sunday
laws, and police regulations, is quite apt
TO regard the Declaration of Independence q
dead letter and our boosted liberty sham.
And vet his habits of thought, his industry,
and his economy soon bring him in harmony
with orr institutions and while he does not