The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1892-10-26
Henry Watterson's Grafton.

Among the wonders of creative and con-
structive genius in course of preparation for
this festival of the nations, whose formal and
Official inauguration has Brought us together.
will presently be witnessed upon the margin
of the interoceap which gives to this noble
and beautiful city the character and rank of
maritime metropolis, n spectatorium wherein
the Columbian epic will be told with realistic
effects surprising the most splendid and i'm
pressive achievements of the modern stage. It
traces the strange adventures of the Genoese
seer from the royal camp OF Santa Fe to the
very moment that beholds us here, citizens.
freemeD, equal shareholders IN the miracle OF
American civilization and development. Is
there one among us who does not thank his
Maker that he has lived to join in this univer-
sal celebration, the jubilee Of mankind?
We look before and after and we see through
the half drawn folds of time as through the
long procession pass, as silent and as real as a
DREAM the caravels, tossing spon Atlantic
pillows, have their sails refilled from the east
and bear away TO the west; the lands reached,
and fulfilled is the vision whose actualities
to be gathered by other hanCs than his who
planned the voyage and steered the bark OF
discovery.
We look again and we see in the far north
east the old-world struggle between the French
and English transfeired to the new, ending in
the tragedy upon the heights above Quebec;
we see the sturdy purttans In bell-crowned
hats and sable garments assail in unequal bat
tie the savage and the clements overcom-
foe; we see the gay but dauntless
cavaliers to the southwark JOIN hands
with the rOununeauS In molly reDelllOn. Ana,
lol down from the green-walled hills of New
England, out of the swamps of the Carolinas,
come family to the ear, like far-away forest
leaves stirred TO music by autumn winds, the
drum-taps of the revolution; the tramp of the
minute men, Israel Putnam riding before; the
hoof-beats of Sumters horse galloptng to the
front: the thunder of Stark's guns In spirit
battle: the CLEAN OF Marion's watch-fires in
ghostly bivouac; and there there in serried,
saint-liko ranks on Famo's eternal camping
ground stand
"The old continentals
In their ragged regimentals.
Yielding not,
as amid the singing of angels in heaven, the
scene is shut out from our mortal vision by
proud and happy tears.
We see the rise of the young republic; and
the gentlemen in the knee-brecches and
powdered wigs who signed the declaration and
the gentlemen in knee-breeches and powdered
wigs who made the Constitution. We see the
little nation menaced from without. We see
the rifiemen in hunting-shirt and buckskin
swarm from the cabin in tic Wilderness to the
rescue of country and home; and our hearts
swell to a second and final decree of independ-
ence won by the prowess and valor of Ameri-
can arms upon the land and sea.
And then, and then,since there is no life of
nations or of men without its shadow aud its
sorrow-there comes day when the spirits OF
the fathers no longer walk upon the battle
ments of freedom; and all Is dark; and all
seems lost, save liberty and honor and praise
God, our blessed Union. With these surviving
who shall marvel at what we see to-day; this
land filled with the treasures of the earth: this
city snatched from the ashes to rise in splen-
der and renown passing the mind to precon-
ceives
Truly, out OF trial comes the strength of
man; out of disaster comes the glory of the
stated
We are met this day to honor the memory of
christopher Columbus to celebrate the 400th
annual return of the year of his transcend
ent achievement, and, with fitting rites TO
dedicate to America and the universe a con
crete exposition of the worlds progress be-
tween 1892 and 1892.
=, No twenty centuries can be compared with
those four centuries either in Importance or
In interest, as no previous ceremonial can be
compared with this in its wide significance
ana reach because, since the advent OF the
son OF God, no event has had so great an i'm
nuence upon human affairs as the discovery
or the western hemisphere.
our republic represents the letter and spirIt
or the sublime declaration. The letters tnss
bound her to the earth are burst asunder Inc
rags that degraded her beauty are cast asluei;
Like the encnsntel princess in the legenu, ci~y
~ spotless raiment and wearing q cro~i her
living light she steps In the jperfection VI and
maturity upon the scene OF this the '"''''