The Portland daily press., 1889-05-01

now before the public, and was not only to
be subject to the criticism of the people, but
to run the gauntlet OF the legislatures OF the
several States. 1t hardly looked as though
it would reach the goal of adoption; indeed
many OF its friends were not at all sanguine
in this regard. 1t was printed In all the pa
pers of the country.and was eagerly scanned
by old and young, as eagerly perhaps, as the
news OF the battle of Gettysburg was
scanned during that other critical period in
our history.
1t was praised and denounced freely. In
the bar room OF the country tavern. ii was
pulled to. pieces over the mug of flip and
eggn0g without mercy. The loungers in the
village grocery discussed its various parts in
clouds Of smoke, and passed opinions upon
them favorable or otherwise at pleasure.
Never before was a document so discussed,
and the effect of this discussion, educational
ly upon the people, must have been important.
Finally the State legislatures took the con-
stitution in hand.
Delaware won the honor of being the first
to adopt it. She was promptly followed by
Connecticut. IN Massachusetts it encounter
ed bitter opposition, butts friends struggled
manfully to procure its adoption. In this
they succeeded more by good policy than by
argument, though most able arguments
were made in its behalf In the legislature
Of New Hampshire there was majority at
first against its adoption; but the influence of
the example of Massachusetts turned the
scale in its favor, and New Hampshire be-
came the seventh to adopt 1t. In the other
foes of the Constitution was sharp; but by
the end Of July, 1888, all but two States had
adopted it. These two States were North
Carolina and Rhode Island. The former
heli out until November 2i, 1889, and the
latter. uutil May 20, 1870. when they also fell
into line. The bitter persistence with which
Rhode Island opposed the formation of the
Constitution undoubtedly reacted in its
favor; but the representatives of that State
only voiced the sentiments of their consti-
tuents, which cannot be said of the repre-
sentatiyes of some of the other
States: indeed, had the Constitution
been submitted to a popular vote,
It is not probable that it would have
been adopted.
So sacred has this remarkable instru-
ment, the Constitution of the United
States, become. that it is difficult to
us, at this time, to realize how it could have
met with so much opposition from men of
the character and intelligence, which many
we must consider. that the vision of the best
and wisest may be clouded by prejudice or
affected by surrounding conditions.
Those men were dealing with untried
problems. and experience prompted them to
caution in taking a step which might en-
danger their liberties. The future of this
country, pregnant with mighty events, was
hidden from their vision. To us that future
has, in measure, been revealed, and we can
but regard it with admiration and awe.
When the United States declared their indie
pendence Of the mother country, they pos
sesSed population not more than double
that Of the present population of New York
or philadelphia Since that period they
have increased in population more than
twenty fold. They then possessed less than
one,tenth of their present area; the remain.
der being held by France, spain, Russia and
Mexico. The titles of all these, except Mex
leo, to any portion of the North American
continent, have been extinguished, and today
the entire continent, except the compare
lively small portion held by Mexico is In the
possession of the Anglo Saxon race; a race
whose influence on the future will con-
troll the world. This race is animated by
ideas which make it invincibIe and chief of
these are the ideas of civil liberty and the
universal brotherhood of man; the latter of
which Is the underlying principle of Chris
tianity. As these ideas have proved to be
the germs Of all true progress in the past,
this race, which is their exponent, must ex-
ercise controlling influence upon the
worlds future.
Two centuries ago this race numbered but
about five millions; today 1t numbers more
than one hundred millions, and is increasing
with remarkable rapidity. Yet its power
is not In numbers, but in its indomitable
spirit; for although it comprises but fif-
teenth of the world's population, 1t rules one
third of the globe and about that proportion
OF It's Inhabitants
What relation to this wonderful race do
the United States sustainS Let us for a mo-
ment consider We possess territory ca
pable or sustaining, Ii populated no more
densely than Great Britain, nearly one and
quarter billion, or twenty times our present
population. Should our growth in population
be as great for the next century as In the
past we should possess when the second
centennial of the Inauguration of Washing
ton Is celebrated. nation Of about seven
hundred and fifty millions of souls. With
these figures before our eyes, we are indeed
warranted in believing, that the United
States IS destined to be the centre of Anglo
Saxon influence; that benefcent influence
which will inspire men of every race the
world over to make the best and highest use
OF an their powers. not only for the individ-
ual but for the common veal.
!. What future. then. is before this people,
tnls chosen people, upon whom the AL
mighty has bestowed domain grander and
richer than has been bestowed upon any
other people, and to whom has been intrust-
ed the ark of Christian civilization, that it
may lead IN that glorious work, the estab-
llshment of Gods kingdom upon the earth.
Of this land the poet has well written
Here the free spirit of mankind. at length
Throws its last fetters of and who shall place
A limit to the giants strength?
or curb his swiftness In the forward race?'
The choir then sang Oliver Wendell
Holiness "Union and Liberty" :" after which
Rev. DIR. Fem delivered the following admir-
able address:
DIR. FENN's ADDRESS.
No higher praise can be paid to Washing
ton In this hour of our general national OBJ
servance than to recall his personnel and
show, II we may, the value of the American
people of vast legacy of his peerless character
The absolute influence of character lies, or
ought lie,in its relative approach to the IDEAL
Probably no man of whom we read ever laid
greater stress upon his good name than
Washington. He sacredly guarded his high
repute and with ceaseless vigilance No
man ever saw better the remote conseouen-
ces of little things or exacted of himself more
rigid probity. He cultivated to the utmost
his instincts that they might apprise him of
the remotest a pproach of the dishonorable
and the unbecoming. Hence he acquired the
abiding conclousness of rectitude, and this
refinement OF purpose impaired to him a
wonderful understanding of the powers as
well of the characters of those about him.
With him it was not enough to be right, he
must appear so to all men. 1 carry with me
copy of his letter written to the Secretary
of State at the close of his public employ
ment two years before his death, and In view
OF his death, in which he calls attention to
the base forgeries employed to wound his
character. In this he abundantly yindicates
himself He desires the letter to be deposited
in the Office of the department of State as a
testimony of the truth to the present genera
tion and to posterity And what character
that was which he so jealously priced. Sc
Tlous, relying much upon religious sanctions
but every way tolerant and large minded.
with highest sense of civic and public duty:
with lofty ambition but no self-seeking: pos
sessing an unbounded love of America
from the first committed openly and alto
gether to the cause of the people in property.
service and life always at the disposal of his
fellow citizens and at the call of his country;
a man Of deliberation, solidty, wisdom, with
vast common sense and inc0mparably sound
Judgement of perfect self abnegation. of the
greatest balance and symmetry of character.
The value Of Washington to us is therefore
In himself-his amazing elevation of purpose
Truly he is an ideal man and worthy of all
imitation.
But the service of Washington has been
rendered doubly precious to us in that he is
an original founder of the States and pill
lar OF light to point the way of the future.
he has been Identified with us almost from
the beginning, and by his potent example is
destined to an ever widening sway. He was
not merely the best exponent of the fathers
and the noble embodiment of their ideal, but
his has been all along the magic of perma-
nent and living spell. What William, the
Conqueror, was to Britain, Charemagne to
the hOly Roman EmDirp CavOur In Italv