The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1892-10-29

/, Praise the Power that hath made and preserved
us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is Just,
And this be cur motto In God is our trust;
And the Star Spangled Banner in triumph shall
wave,
Der the land of the free and the home of the
brave"
The presentation address was delivered
by James T. Graham, Esq, Clerk OF the
Circuit Court, who III behalf of the
Elkton Council said:
Mr.. President, LddieS and Gemlemen:-l
esteem it most pleasant duty to be present
to-day, and on behalf of Elkton Council to
present the school here with cur National
flag.
1t is eminehily proper that this day
should have been selected for its present
alton. This day 400 years ago Columbus
gave to mankind new world and a new
home He the greatest Of disaoverers made
the existence of the Jr. o. u. A. NJ,
possible.
l will not say that if Columbus had not
| discovered America, it would never have
been known to mankind, but will say and
| think all the brethren will agree with me
that if America had not been discovered
there would be no place to-day for the
| American Mechanic.
1 beg to say for the information of those
! who are not acquainted with the Order that
! it is loyal, patriotic, fraternal and bene-
| fetal organization having over 100000
members in the United States including
| 1900 Councils in 90 states. Its motto is
"Our Country "Principles not men is its
creed.' 1t is strictly non-paI tizan and
nou-sectarian. 1t recognizes the Father
hood of God, the Brotherhood of man, and
places all men upon an equality as members
of one great family-3he human race.
| 1t opposes all forms of vice and immor-
atty, teachers temperance in all things, and
strives to lead man to the cultivation of
| brotherly love and human sympathy.
| The order is devoted to our public school |
system. 1t believes that Patriotism and
Love of our country should be instilled
| into the hearts of the children and that with |
! the sacred words of Mother, Home and
Heaven" the children should be taught |
that our flag is the sym Dol ofall that makes |
upon every public school in the land. 1t is |
therefore but fitting and proper that the
Council here should present this flag and |
Il is equally proper that it should be pre-
sented on this Columbus Day, for the glory |
! of Columbus Can never be equalled. Four
hundred years ago, he lifted the veil from a |
new and beautiful world. 1t is true that
he did not realize the significance or extent
of his achievement and fate would not even
allow his immortal name to be linked with
his great discovery. 1t reserved that honor
for another pilot of inferior merit, but in
the priceless annals of discovery, all other
nayigators compared with Columbus, are
left far in the back ground of fame.
You are all familiar with the story of his
life, the difficulties he encountered in seCur-
ing the means to prove his theory of the
existence of land beyond the sea, the dis
content of his sailors on the voyage, his
struggle with superstition, before his great
success and that struggle after his success
with his own errors and with ingratitude,
which encircled his brow with crown of
thorns of which it has been said "every
lived became at his death shining ray of
glory"
All honor to Columbus All honor to the
noble woman who pledged her jewels and
gave Columbus the means to equip himself
for the perilous voyage!
The land that Columbus discovered has
grown to what it is to day, our part OF it
|
of America is now an imperial domain
stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific,
Il mighty government counting 65 millions
of people beneath Its majestic rule and sur
passing far in wealth and power any gov
eminent of the old world.
OF our country, its development in agri
culture, manufactures, commerce, | have
not time here to speak. Accession after
accession rave been added to its domain
until today, by the wisdom of states
men, it now reaches from ocean to ocean,
and from the lakes to the gulf. Let us hope
that our country may ever continue in its
career of greatness and glory. Let US hope
that the future may show grander and
better results than the past has known and
|
we may see this country occupy that proud
position which nature seems to have de
signed for it to be, 1.-THE workshop of the
world and the ruler OF the seas
1t is our duty to do all we Can be that
ever so little towards bringing about this
most desirable result. We ara all alike
interested in the preservation OF our liber
nd nSt nd Z ba hap nd
prosperity of all our people.
firmly believe that all the great ques-
lions which now engage the attention OF
our people will ere long be settled, and for
the right. 1t was said at our first inaugur-
alton that our Republic could not live
hundred years, but here we are to day more |
| than 1O3 years.
We have some men who in the heart of |
political battles will almost despair::for the |
Republic. Some writers are timid enough |
to assert that our Republic will die, that the |
people are losing their power, but all such |
talk is sheer nonsense. The government is |
good. The constitution is good. The spirit |
of liberty that lives in our people, that |
animates their hearts, the love of county |
| mothers of the land take their little ones |
| upon their knees, and teach them the great |
lessons of human liberty-ail these are
good. Talk about death to this great |
country, that is something that cannot be.
l am happy in that belief and my faith is
| in the virtue and integrity and intelli |
| geuce of the people. l have faith that
around the firesides of the humble homes of
the poor, scattered all over this land, the
children will be taught the grand lessons of
heroism, through which our fathers passed
| in building up this great and noble govern
ment-the pride of the whole earth.
| What we want to day is not to look
mournfully into the past, it is gone. Let
This is our time and opportunity to do
| something for the promotion of our coun-
| try's welfare.
In approaching the consideration and
| solution of the problems that confront us,
we should do so. in spirit higher than
partizanship. While we may differ, and it
is manly to differ, as to their proper solu-
ton, we should remember there is after all
something nober, grander aud better than
party, something that rises higher into the
purer atmosphere of mans better nature,
and calls forth if he has it within him, that
| which is grand and beautiful and true. 1t
is our country. Our common country, our
country, our country first, our country last
| and our cOIntrv forever