The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1892-07-02
THE LESSONS OF '76
" JUxrus HENRI BROWNE.


hood from what it is in these dayu
Everything Of course seems tame afte
maturity in contrast with its seeming il
our early teens.
Tho civil war, with its terrible tension
solicitude. agitation, uncertainty, mad,
the youngest Of us feel old.
But. apart from age and event, tn,
Fourth has in its observance long ceased
to be what it vas before the war. Tha,
great strife naturally dvarfed the mino,
but not less heroic struggle OF tho lest
century and rendered US comparatively
Indifferent to its commemorative, WI
should still remember, however, that
our independence was won by trials, BY
hardships. by unfiinching fortitude, to
which in our later abundance and pros
perity we were necessarily strangers.
In this generation we can scarcely
realize. SO altered are our surroundings,
what our forefathers endured, suffered
and dared, as colonists, in taking up
arms against the exactions and oppres-
sions OF the mother country-one Of the
strongest governments and greatest pow
ers Of the Old World. They did not
hesitate to oppose regular, disciplined
soldiers. who had fought on many fields,
with raw recruits. having no other wear-
ons than such as they could get in an
emergency, and no other hope than that
inspired by love Of freedom, and the
resolution to resist tyranny to the death.
Those were indeed the times to test
courage and patriotism, and the hardy
colonists never WINGED or faltered.
It = pleasant to recall the ringing
words Of Patrick Henry at tho begin
ming Of the troubles, when he declared
at the old Continental congress il Phila-
delphia, in 1774: British oppression has
etaced the boundaries OF the colonies.
Tho distinctions between Virginians,
New Workers. Pennsylvanians and New
Englanders are no more. am not Vir-
gilman; ! am an American" The seven
srduous, often desperate, years Of the
Revolution, in which we were go gener-
ously aided BY the French, proved the
stun we were made Of. Always without
money, often without food or clothing
Or any proper equipment for war, Wash
ington sustained defeat after defeat with
equanimity and unfailing courage, and
won his cause at last at Yorktown. De-
feat and disaster never diminished his
faith in ultimate triumph or dampened
his excessive ardor. Within three
months. during 1850, two American
armies. numerous for that day. were
destroyed. and the most formidable Of
the partisan bands in the south. under
Sumter, was dispersed by Tarleton.
Nevertheless a detachment from Corn
wallis forces wis wholly defeated il
North Carolina, at Kings mountain. by
200 Of our militia. and OF tho enemy
were killed, wounded and captured |
Thus failure and success alternated until |
the final and complete victory gained by |
the surrender Of CORVALLIS, with more
than {. 900 men, including sailors.
Our troops raised during the Revolu-
hon numbered some $50, 900 Continental
soldiers and "a. 600 militia. How small
this force seems. compared with the
grand armies the north and south mar
shaied In 1875; how insignificant the
cost or life and treasure then to the esti-
mate IN the later struggle, Of loss Of
million Of men and moro than a billion
y money. But in tho civil war the |
= MON was immensely rich: it Had nm
United credit; We were provided with
very martial requirement. In ls;s-S3
no gallant patriots marched often over
rozen roads with shoeless and BLEEDING
Get; fought while half famished and |
lalf clad; left their plows in the furrow:
Iuitted the harvest with scythes in their
ands to give their lives, il need BE-. for
Independence. They were intrepid sons
: intrepid sires: they were genuine grit.
{ unconquerable stock.
Too much honor cannot be paid them
Ve, their descendants, should alwavs
eep their memory green. Their ex.
mpie should never be permitted to |
row dim. We should not allow the
eiebration of the glorious Fourth 10
anguish. We owe il to them to keep il nm
We did IN tho earlier days, when we
ere boys. We are boys now, though
an older sort; we should be boys in
ar enthusiasm and rejoicing over the
immortal day that disclosed the spirit OF
10, commemorative OF tho stern ma.
% that put us to the proof, that tried
BY fire in the crucibls Of adversity
10 brought us out pure gold.
Let Ms observe the Fourth as afore.
mo. with bonfires and illuminations.
ith music and cannon, with fireworks
"a reading the Declaration, with large
semblies and patriotic speeches. with
cry form OF sympathy and demon
ration belonging to the day and de.
rving Of ourselves. IL
a Gem frnn, vv.h...