The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1890-11-19
THURMAN HON0RED---HtS
ADDRESS.
Cleyeland,s Great speech.

Cleyeland's Great Speech.
The Philadelphia Times of the
18th inst, says:
"Seventy-seven years ago Al
Ian g. Thurman was born in
Lynchburg, Va, and tonight
at Columbus, Ohio, the anni-
versary of that event was cele-
brated by one of the greatest
political banquets that this cOun-
try has ever seen.
After the POSTMASTER, John
J. Lentz, chairman of the club,
had raped the great crowd to
order the speaking began, and
in response to the toast, "Our
Guest. Judge Thurman, who
was greeted with another out
burst of applause when he arose,
said in part:
| am not here tonight to make
an elaborate speech. / am here
70 express in a few sentences my
heartfelt appreciation of the
honor you have so kindly seen
fit TO do me: to thank with my
whole soul my neighbors, my fel,
low-citizens of Ohio, and the
distinguished gentlemen from
other States for their mark Of
friendship and esteem. / an
here, at the age Of a, to repeat
my testimony, so often given
of my confidence in the benefi
cent effects of free institutions
and my firm belief of their du
ration on this continent ant
their gradual but certain exten
sion over other and larger por
tions of the globe. ! hope tina
il is not presumptuous in me t.
saw that / think that ! hav,
some of the necessary qualifica
tons of a witness on the sub
ject.
Short as my life has been il
comparison with the lives o.
nations, il has been long enough
to see my native land, under
free institutions, increase in
population more than sevenfold
in wealth in a far, very far
greater degree; in extent Of ter
ritory more than double its area
in the general well-being anC
prosperity of its people and il
their educational advantage
and religious privileges withou
a rival in the world, while il
magnificent works Of interna
improvement, its wonderful az
riculture, its great mines AM
! manufactures and its marvel
Gus means .of communication
the creation Of science and skill
surpass anything before know
by the human race.
THE CHANGES he HAS SEEN.
And in these same seventy year
the Constitution Of nearly ever,
government in Europe has beef
ameliorated by the introduction
Of more liberal principles. Cen
tral and South America hav,
become a congerie Of republics
Canada and Australia are sub
stantially republics without tn,
name, and even in the far Eas
Oriental Japan becomes NOR,
free and liberal with each reyol
wing year. And more marvel
Gus, yet light seems 10 be break
ing over benighted Africa, anf
men Of sanguine and philoso
phic disposition arc predicting
without exciting ridicule, heI
redemption from her barbaric
sleep Of centuries. In a word
freedom seems 10 be gradually
cireumnayigating the globe. and
proud thought for US, the polar
star Of the navigator H. our own
Republic Of the United States
What ] have said may seem "a
some like extrayigant optimism
II 50, | have only 10 reply that
] have always preferred optim.
ism 10 pessimism, and common
. sense TO both.
My friends, IL is seventy.one
years since, at six years Of age
became a citizen Of Ohio. ana
have been one Of her citizen
from that day to this. and / viii
no doubt remain one u her peo.
pie until ! shall be laid IN ~,
hnal resting place ON earth, un.