The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-05-21

llvered the Grafton to day at the 1l7th
anniversary OF tho signing Of the Meok-
len5urg Dec7ation of independence. ar.
rivea here last night, accompanied by
Senators Ransom and Graz, Represer.
tative Alexander and others of prom..
ncnce.
The signing of this declaration has al
ways teen celebrated in Charlotte. On,
May 20,. 1875, Thomas !. Hendricks
was the orator OF the day. Amos j.
Cummings, of New York, was here then.
as were also governors OF eight or ton
Southern States
The neHt largest celebration was Nav
go, 1882, when Hon. Thomas T. Bavard
was the orator, and Senators Hampton.
vance, Ransom, and other distinguished
men made addresses. on May go, 1884.
hon. George II. Pendletonr of Ohio.
was the orator, and q delegation of
prominent men accompa MED him.
The celebration of 1875 attracted tho
largest attendance ever known in the
history OF the town, but the assem blage
gathered hero today is, considerable
larger than that one. The cisv is nro.
fusely decorated and stately arch that
spans the four corners Of tho principal
square OF tho town is y particularly hand
some object. Thirty thousand visitors
are on the streets. The day opened with
the firing of salutes. a sham battle was
tho feature OF tho morning exercises
and was participated in by /, 900 troops.
Senator Hill and party reviewed a mill
tary parade from the Central Hotel bal
cony at IL u. M. At l O'Clock Senator
Hill delivered his grafton in tho Audi
forum Building which has u seating ca
pacitY Of 5000.
Whom Senator Hill arose to speak he
was greeted with tremendous applause.
After the enthusiasm had subsidized he
spoke as follows:
To-day, this Goth day OF May, in tho
lloth year OF American independence,
we come to celebrate the ll7th, year of
North Carolinian Independence. We
stand upon historic grounds! A birthday
of liberty. The birthplace of liberty!
"You- historians narrate that here
tho first declaration of independence
was promulgated. 1t is a simple story
and is briefly told.
The patriotic citizens of this county
of Mecklenburg. in this grand old State
OF North Carolina, restiess under the
yoke OF oppression, impatient of the in
Justice OF foreign rule under which thew
had long suffered, and imbued with the
together at the courthouse over thirteen
IN onths before tho memorable action of
the Continental Congress-, with the
startling news Of the battle OF Lexiug-
ton ringing in their ears, renewing their
devotion to the Inherent and inalien-
able rights of man, bravelyund solemnlv
resolved, in substance, thAo they we're a
tree ana lndopendent people and that
the political bands which had bound
Inn t.<t 1.
theth ID tho mother country were dis
! solved.
1t was sublime and heroic: action.
1t was without an example in the his
tory Of the world. What page in the
history OF these United States of
America,
''One Of your later statesman, and
among your greatest, tho Hon. William
"A. Graham, whose memory will be ever
cherished, ard whose name will be ever
honored by the sons of North Carolina.
has recorded for all time to come, in his
centennial and memorial address ut
Charlotte in 1875, the thrilling story of
that immortal deed.
II am we'll aware that the settled
Verdlets OF history are appealed from in
all directions. Historical criticism ia
making formidable reprisals where che
falth OF many generations had never
wavcred. A gentleman in the West
questions if the author OF the Shake
spere plays and sonnets spelled his
name with the correct assortment OF
letters of the alphabet. Nobody now
thinks worse of Bolingbroke for his at
talnder than OF Andrew Johnson for his
impeachment. People live and paw
taxes who think John Adams was quits
right whom he coupled Hamilton and
Burr as dangers TO the republic and it's
freedom. The Swiss arc told that no
such person ever lived among their
mountains as William Toll.
The historians have done their best
and their worst. Thank God, we know
at last that the Father OF his Country
has left to tho children and the child
drens children of this great Nation
through the generations The priceless
legacy OF pure, unsullied MANS.
George Washington, John Adams and
his son, Thomas Jefferson. James Madi-
son, Ito name no morel-all toeso
among the great founders OF mighty
State, all these, the first leaders OF our
political parties, retain their reverence
as to our pride to our esteem as to our
admiration. The whole record OF their
long, laborious lives has been exposed,
upturned, published, and not one sylla.
Bile OF shame.
1T is tho slander Of envious or ambi-
IiouS rivals which the record has ex-
posed to their shame. Its the hideous
revilings, the ceaseless calumnies OF
some partisan newspapers, on both
sides, which have been shrivelled up
and burnt away in the glare of modern
investigation. 1t is the credulisy OF
opposing partisans, secsarians, bigots,
which the muse of history now mocks
with her wise smile.
Fellow citizens Of North Carolina,