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

auces in Elkton and throughout tb
county. The exercises at Elkton unde
the aupices of Elkton Council, No. 90
Jr. o. L. A. NJ, occurred at an hou
that prevented our publishing the ad
dresses delivered, the occasion, as an
nounced, being the presentation of al
! American flag to the public school by tn,
council.
George A. Blake, Esq, the presiding
officer, delivered the opening address
which was as follows:
Members Of Elhton Council No. e., Jl'
o. U. 4. ~, Visiting Delegations, Ladies
and Gentlemen:-The occasion which
calls US together to day, is one which
finds its inspiration alike in the teach
ings of God and the noblest Instincts OF
humanity. To recount the achievements
of the good, the brave, the great: to
record the battles wherein time and
space have sucoombed before the resist
less onset Of nerve and true ambition, is
both human and Divine
When Joshua, the soldier leader OF
Israel, had brought the Jewish hosts
across the Jordan into the promised
land, by Gods command he placed in
Gilgal twelve stones, SO that when in
time to come tn cir children should say
"what mean ye by these stones?" the
fathers should point them out for a
memorial to Israel forever.
Those stones were an emblem of Jeho-
vah's guiding hand, but not less SO of
the greatness of mind and strength of
purpose of Moses and Joshua, the human
leader of that marvellous host.
Even rude and barbarous ages forgot
not their great ones, and the annals and
traditions of antiquity ring with the
| achievements of their heroes. Nor
does this practical age, destitute
| though it be of the hero worship of our
fathers, fail to bow low in reverence
before genius of any race or time.
In the spirit of these reflections to day,
leaping over the flight of four centuries
past, we each, in imagination, chisel
memorial stone TO him who was truly
one of that most unique class of human
beiags,-a man far in advance of his
times. We build monument to Chris
TOPPER Columbus, the discoverer of
America.
1: were needless to recount the facts of
his history, for every school boy Can
recite the splendid feats of his daring
genius. His was one of those restless,
ardent, reaching natures that, in every
age, would fam agonize to burst the
bands of humanity and read the secrets
that the Almighty claims as His own.
The citizen of a day when superstition
and ignorance benumbed the intellect,
he mounted upward with eagles wings
into the regions of original knowledge,
which mis- mind created for ITSELF be-
yond the narrow confines Of his day.
Against the common belief of his time,
he reasoned that the world was round.
The Ocean, commonly supposed to be
peopled with the horrible hobgoblins of
the Imagination, to him was but
frienly track to unknown lands.
Whence, will you say, came that surg
ing impulse which, like the magnetism of
his own needle, drew him with resistless
power to these distant lands? Whence
came the fortitude of his nature that
made him brave the terrors of the deep,
in seas whereon the eye of God alone
had looked? Whence came his know
lenge of the earth so far beyond the
wisest of his day? | confess | cannot
tell. When he sought an undiscovered
route to the East Indies, you may say
he but headed the march OF Commerce
already tending in that direction. When
he lopged to find new and unknown
lands, hidden in the vastness of the deep,
you may claim that only the ambition
of dscoverer had filled his soul, or the
passion for conquest seized his heart.
Be that as it may. But l say that the
better inference from those marvellous
reachings of his great soul is that tho
hand of Divinity was at his heart
strings. The God of nations, who after
wards raised up Washington to create
this State aud Grant to save its life,
also, long before, brought into being a Col
umbus to discover the land of its birth.
True, you may view him as only bold
navigator, only a man born with the
courage of his convictions ard daring
to follow them to their legitimate end,
inspired Moses of his time, leading tho
worlds hosts to the promised land of
better day.
The unsolved problem of mans higher
destiny on this earth could not be
wrought out among the effete and dark
ened despotisms of Europe and Asia. A
new land must be found where the
human mind could, untrammeled, unfold
itself in it's God given might into a
higher civilization and free government
shed its beuignant beams on every hand.
But where among ~ learned of the
earth should one be found with soul
| great enough to conceive the possibility
| of this Occidental world? Or where,
among the mighty, was one brave
enough to risk mis- lite, on the trackless
deep in It's quest? None, noue but this,
unseen led, Italian sailor.
| ,rLo. ,p,s bio rauar6o A king.
dome A crown? No! Chains, prison,
poverty, disgrace, death. Nor was he
permitted the poor boon of knowing that
A new born continent had been Graded
at his feet. Like the morning star that
ushers in the day, his light flashed into
darkness be fore the rising beams of this
Western sky.
Who shall declare his generation and
award his proper need of praise? Who
IN his death, shall speak the greatness of
his life and build him monument?
Ard where, among the shafts of bronze
and granite, shall one be found fitted to
be the monument OF so magnificent
hero? And how can cold stone and
speechless brass sound the praises Of him
who deserves so much from us? Rather
let his shaft be built of living men.
instinct with the virtues of life. Be you,
American freemen, his best monument,
and this glorious Republic, this 'Colum'
bia, the Gem of the Ocean," perpetual
memorial to his name.
Four hunred years ago to day his eyes
first saw these western skies, and we,