Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1892-10-27
DEDICAToRY ADDRESS.
Henry Watt srson Dsiivors a Mas
toriy Grafton.

worlds fair dedication was listened TO
with rnpt attention by all within hear
ing Of his voice. After alluding TO the
struggles OF the early settlers and the
ncn vino established national inde-
.sndcnec, he went on:
We arc met mis- day 70 honor the memory Of
Christopher G dumbus, TO celebrate tho footh
annual return u tho year Of his transccudant
achievement ind With fitting rites, to dedicate
20 America ni1 tho universe q concrete expoei
tion Of the worlds progress between 1922 and
1874 No twenty centuries can bc compared
with those fur centuries, eithor in Importance
or interest az no previous ceremonial can be
compared Win this IA It's wide significance and
rcach. because. since the advent Of tho Son OF
God, no event has had 80 great an influence up
on human affairs ~ tho discovery Of the vest
crn hemisphere. Each Of the centuries that
have iutcrvcnod marks many revolutions. The
morcst catalogue would crowd O thousand
pagcs Tho story Of the least OF the
nations would nll volume In what 4
have 10 say upon this occasion. there
fore shall conAne myself 70 our own, and,
IN speaking ot the United States Of America,
propose rather 10 dwell upon our character az a
people, aud ourreclprocal obligations and duties
as an aggregation OF communities held together
BY liked constitution and charged with tho
custody Of union upon whose preservation and
pcrpctuaaon IN It's original spirit and purpose
than 70 enter into dissertation upon abstract
principles, or 10 undertake an historic essay
We are plain. practical people. We are race
OF inventors AMI workers. not OF poets and art
istA We have led the worlds movements, not
ils thought Our deeds are to be found not upon
froscocd walls or In ample libraries, but In the
machine shop, where the spindles sing and the
Icons thunder. on the open plain, where the
steam plow, the reaper anl the mower contend
with one another Ia friendly war against tho
obduracics Of nature; in the magic OF electri-
city as IL poncirates the darSess cavcrns With
It's Irresistible powcr and light Let ~ consid-
or ourselves and our conditions, as far as we
arc able, with a candor untnsed by cynieism
and q confidence having 10 air Of assurance
A better opportunity could not be desire for
study Of our pcculiarities than IL furnished by
the present moment
We are In the midst OF the quadrennial period
established for the selection OF q chief magis
tato Each ciiizsn has his right OF choico,
each has his right to vote aud 10 have his vote
freely cast and fairly counted. Wherever this
right Is assailcd for any cause wrong Is done
and evil must follow, first 70 the whole country,
which has an interest IN all its parts, but most
10 the community Immediately involved. which
must actually drink OF the cup that has con-
tanned the poison ana cannot escape its infec-
tion
Tho abridgement OF tho right Of suffrage,
however, Is very nearly proportoned TO the is-
hy f. and there Is good reason 10 hope that,
with the expanding intelligence OF tho masses
and the growing enlightenment OF the times
this particular form OF corruption IN elections
viii be reduced below the danger line.
To that ed, as TO oil other good ends, tho
moderation OF public sentiment must ever be
our chief reliance for whom men are forced BY
the general desire for Iuth and the Hight which
our modcran vehicles OF information throw
upon truth, 70 discuss public questions for
truths sake. when It becomes the plain inter
est OF public men, as 81 is their plain duty TO do
this, and when, Ibovc ALL friends ana neighoors
cease 10 love one another less because Of inii-
vdunl difference OF opinion about public AFFAIRS,
the struggle for unfair advantage viii be role-
Rated 10 those who have either no character 70
lose or none TO seek
II Is admitted on all sides that tho current
presidential campaign is freer from excitement
and iumult than was ever known before, and 10
Is argued from this circumstance that we are
traversing tho epoch OF the commonplace II
this be so. thank God for itl We have had full
enough OF the dramatic and sensational and
need q season OF mediocrity and repcse But
may We not ascribe the rational way In which
the people are going about their business 10
larger knowledge and experience and fairer
spirit than have hitherto marked our party con.
tentionsi
Parties &c essential to free government as
oxygen 10 the atmosphere or sunshine 20 vege-
tation And party spirit is inseparabie from
party organism To the extent that Il Is
tempered by good sense and good feeling by
love OF country aud integrity OF purpose, IL Is a
supreme virtue, and there should be no gag
short Of q decent regard for the sensibilities
of others put upon its freedom and plain
ness OF utterance Otherwise the limpd
pool Of democracy would stagaate and
NC should have a republic In name only. But
We should never cease 10 be admonshed By
the warning words Of the father OF his country
aR inst the excess Of party spirit reinforced as
they are by century Of party warfare, war
fare happily eliminating in the complete tri
umph Of American principles, but brought
many times dangerously near 20 the annihila-
iion Of al that was great and noble in this M
tonal life.
sursum Corda We have in our own tim,
seen the republic survive an irrepressihle con
fict sown in the blood and marroS OF the so
cial order. We have seen the federal union
not too strongly put together In the frs, place
come out Of great war Of sections stronger
than when II wentinto Il, its faith renewed, It's
credit rehabiitated and its nag saluted
with love and homage bye O,0)00 o Of God fear.
ing men and women, thoroughly rec
oucllcd and homogeneous We have seen the
foieral constitution outlast the strain, not
merely OF a reconstrustory ordeal and a presi-
dental impeachment but disputed count Of
the electoral vote. a congressional deadlock
md an extra constitutional tribunal, yet stand
ing arm against the assault Of its
enemies, willis, yielding itself with ad.
,nirablo hexibnity 70 the needs OF the
country and the time And, finally
We saw the gigantic fabric OF the federal gov
ernment transferred from hands that had held
1ia quarter OF q century to other hands without
protest although 80 close was the poll Ia the
NAL count that single blanket MIGHT have
covered both contestants for the chief magls
fcrial once With such a record behind u.s.
who shall be afraid OF the futuref
The curse OF slavery Is gone IL was q Joint
heritage Of woe 70 be wiped out and expiated
81 blool and fame. The mirage OF the confed-
sracy has vanished II was essentially bucolic
n vision OF Arcade, the dream OF most at
tractiye economic fallacy. The constitution Is
40 longer a rope Of sand The exact re-
laiion Of the states TO the federal gov.
ernment left open 10 double con
struotlon BY the authors Of our organic being
because they could not agree fmong themselves
hud union was the paramount object, has been
clearly and definitely fixed by the three last
amendments 10 the original chart. which con
Elituto the real treaty Of peace between tho
north and the south and seal our bonds as ma
sion forever
The men who planted the signals OF Amerl-
can civilization upon that sacred rock by Ply.
mouth bay were Englishmen. and so were the
men who struck he coast little lower down.
calling their haven Of rest after the great re-
publican o0mmoner, aud founding by Hampton
Roads a rare Of heroes and statesmen the men.
tion Of whose names bring a thrill 70 every
heart The south claims Lincoln, the i'm
mortal, for IS own; the north has no right 20
reject Sionegall jackson the one typical
Puritan soldier OF the war, for its owni Nor
viii iti The lime is coming, is almost here
when hanging above many a mantle board 10
fair New Engiani--glorlfying many y cottage
in Tho sunny south-shail be seen bound 10
geiher IN everlasting love and honor, two
crossed swords carried 10 battle respectively
bS the grandfather who wore she blue and the
Rrandiather who wore the gray
1 canDot trust myself 10 proceed We have
come here not 80 much 70 recall bygone sorrOws
and glorios as 10 bask IN the sunshine OF pres.
ent prosperity and happinesA, To exchange pa.
fiiotlc greetings ana indulge good augurles,
ana above nll- 20 meet upon the threshold the
stranger within cur gate, not as q foreigner
hut a. a oue.t and friend for xVhofn nofhtug