The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1890-11-28
CLEVELAND on "ouR COUNTY,"

New YORK, Nov. 20.-The Jew.
elets' annual banquet was spread
at Delmonico's to might, and ex-
President Cleveland was one OF
the guests. He responded To "Our
Country" and in part he said:
know of no better way $50
deal with the sentiment than 10
divide il and consider one branch
or part of my text, as is sometimes
done with long text in the pub
pit /, therefore, propose 10 say
something abnu: the word ''our."
as related To the sentiment, "Our
Country"
This is our country because The
people have established it, because
they rule it, because they have de-
velOped il, because they have
fought for it, and because they
love it. And still each generation
Of Americans holds it IN trust for
those who shall ccme after them,
and they are charged for the obli-
cation TO transmit it as strong aud
sound as it came to their hands.
1t is not ours TO destroy it is
not ours to sell, and il is not ours
to neglect and inJure. 1t is ours as
our families are ours, and as our
churches and schools are ours-to
protect and defend, to foster
and improve. AS It's strength
and it's fitness to reach its promis-
ed destiny depends upon its
unity, one of our highest duties
towards it Is to cultivate aud en-
courage kindliness among our peo-
pie, to The end that all may hearth
ly cooperate in performing the
terms OF our trust. As it exists for
US al so all must be accorded an
equal share in its benefits. Ii is 30
constructed that its work is badly
done and Its operations perverted
when special and exclusive advan-
lagos are awarded to any particu-
lar class OF our people.
Ii we permit grasping selfishness
10 influence us III the care of our
trust, We are untrue to our obliga-
tlOnS and covenants as Americans.
Our country is "ouro" Tor The pur-
pose of securing through lis means
justice, happiness aud prosperity
TO all-not for The purpose OF per.
mitting the selfish and designing
to be enriched al the expense of
their confiding lellow-countrymen
II is our duty, thea, to defend and
protect our country while it re-
mains in our hands from The selfish
ness which, If permitted, will sure
ly undermine il, as clearly as 1t is
our duty to defend ii against arm
ed enemies.
Nor are we discharged from our
obligations as trustees of our coun-
try, il we merely preserve it IN the
same condition as when we re-
ceived it.
The march OF progress and civil
iZation throughout the world im-
poses on US the duty of improving
the subject of our trust, so that it
may be transmitted to others in
such an advanced condition of
prosperity and growth as shall
bear witness to our faithfulness
and our devotion to its interests.
He who hid his talent in a napkin
added nothing 10 it, and was con-
demned as unfailhful when called
upon TO give an account OF his
stewardship.
Let us rejoice, then, in The great
ness of "Our Country" but lei us
remember that it will be our
blame if it is not made greater;
let us boast of the country which
is ours bat let our boasting be
tempered with the reflection that
its possession is charged with a
sacred trust; let US constantly
bear in mind that while it is ours
10 use patriotically and transmit
TO coming generations, our rela-
ton 10 it is made more serious by
the fact that in its broadcast and
most solemn meaning, our coun-
try is something which, as an exam
pie and interpreter of freedom,
belongs 10 the world and which,
in its blessed mission, belongs to
humanity.