Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-07-05

Attorney General Miller Tells what
Annerics Owes to the Dutch Republic.
Attorney General Miller spoke at Woodstock,
Conn, yesterday on the patriotism of other
days, referring especially to the struggle for
liberty Of the Dutch republic. In opening his
remarks he referred thus pleasantly to the re-
public's natal day:
"As rule, in the celebration Of birthdays,
the zest Of the occasion is inversely as the num-
Der OF the birthday. Children giving their
ages are apt to say 'six going on seven or ten
going on eleven but men, and especially
women who have passed their twenty fifth
milestone, evince no such anxiety to report
progress.
80, though perhaps not for the same reason,
this, the nations birthday, seems year by year
to lose something Of its inspiration, to become
less provocative Of patriotic ardor, and, as q
consequence, to be less signalized by public
speech, parade and festivity. Indeed, such
seems 70 be the history Of all holidays As the
event they commemorate recedes the bright
ness Of its gIoryis less distinct less appreciated
and. as Consequence. less celebrated.
ITO this rule there is one notable exception.
Christmas, like the story of Him whose coming
it commentaries, though old, is ever new,
grows more precious with the growth of Chris
tianity, and brings to young and old greater
delights with each recurring year. The star Of
bethlehem ever grows brighter, and harbingers
every year happier morning.
But 1t is not alone the wide expanse of
more than century separating us from July 4,
l776 that make US less regardful of the great
event OF that day than formerly. The colossal
achievements intervening, much more than the
years. have contributed to that result.
"Our Wow and appreciation Of Independence
as 1t is overshadowed and hidden by the noun
tains OF heroic achievement uplifted in the
struggle for national unity and national life in
our own time and by our own compatriots.
Yet 1t would be most unfortunate il our
people should forget or should fail to instruct
this day. 1t was the spirit of 1776-l7S3, handed
down from father to son, in no small measure
through the yearly celebrations, the reading Of
the Declaration, the booming of cannon and
the exhortations to emulate the patriotism Of
the fathers on each recurring anniversary tina.
made ls61-1665 possible.
1T has been cause of reproach that our
Fourth OF July celebrations have been too
much given to self-glorifcation: that, in his
soaring flights, the American eagle has seen
little worthy Of attention beyond the confines
OF our own country. But we are old enough
now to take o broader and more catholic view
of the cause Of human progress
But passing by other battles and champions
in the grand march toward freedom of thought
and liberty Of action in France in Germany, in
Switzerland and italy, venture the assertion
that history has no prouder volume than that
wherein are recorded the deeds aud sacrifices,
which, as the result of continuous cruel war
OF eighty, not eight, but eighty wears, estab-
hshed and confirmed the independence of the
Dutch republic as one Of the great powers Of
the earth.
OF this people Tactus, writing in the first
century, said: Others go to battle; those 60 to
war; In this statement of the great historian
we have not only grand tribute to their per-
seyering constancy In his time but q prophecy
of their history 800 years later, in their I'M
paralleled struggle against the tyranny Of
Spain. This contest was not merely a battle,
or series OF battles or struggles, between
armed men. 1t was war in every hideous form;
war upon men. women and children; in the
home, In the church, in field and forest and On
the sea; by arms, by fire, by famine and by
flood, in battle, by siege, on the rack, on the
scaffold. by assassination, by death in every i'm
aglnable form, even to burial Of women alive as
more merciful than the horrible tortures to
which their husbands, fathers and brothers
were subjected. In short, for eighty long years
it was a cruel. relentless. desperate war Of sub
tugation by the most powerful nation of Chris
tendon on the one hand and of steadfast. he
sistance Of a few weak half-drowned, but
hberty-loving provinces, in defense of con-
science and humanity on the other.
"As Americans We are prone to believe that
the world has produced, in all that makes q
man. no peer Of our own Washington, and fa-
be it from me to decry or doubt this opinion.
But, except in Washington's pre-emincnce as a
military commander, aud a catholcity Of opfn-
ion due to more enlightened age, it is difficult
to find a trait for which We honor the Father
of his Country which is not paralleled in
Father William as his people affectionately
called him.
"Did Washington put in jeopardy brilliant
prospects that he might serve his country? The
prospects Of William were more brilliant and
the sacrifice greater. Was Washington con-
disaster for eight long years? William was
constant, steadfast and immovable in deeper
darkness and more doleful disaster for more
than twenty years. Was Washington able. by
his example and character, to cheer and uphold
the courage OF his soldiers amid intolerable suf-
the people. when the only ray Of hope was in
the cheer of his face and the justice Of their
cause? The seige of Leydcn, full of men,
women and children actually starving, was
more distressing than Valley Forge. Yet such
was the resolution Of this people. and such their
faith in the efforts of Father William for their
relief, although they knew him to be confined
to his bed by illness, that, renewing their de-
fiance OF the enemy, they said: 'Ye call rs rat
eaters and dog eaters, and it is true. So long,
then, as ye hear a dog bark or cat NEW within
the walls We may know that the city holds out
sure that we will each devour our left arms,
retaining our right to defend our women, our
liberty and our religion against the foreign
tyrant. Should God, in His wrath, doom us to
destruction and deny US all relief I"
with our own hands we viii get fire to the city
and perish, mon, women and children, together
in the flames, rather than suffer ourselves to be
polluted and our liberties to be crushed
I 1T was here in the old city Of Leyden that
the pilgrims, fleeing from persecution in Prot
eItant but bigoted England. sought and found
freedom to worship God for thirteen years be-
fore the May1ower brought them to plymouth
Rock. Built on such foundations and with such
q people the growth and pre-eminence of the
Dutch republic in intelligence in letters, in art,
in law, in wealth and power to first place
among the nations of the earth was matter of
course. What civilization owes to this people,
what we Americans, favored above all men in
our country, our institutions and our opportuni-
ties owe them, can never be estimated.
'The three great menaces to our institutions
are corruption violence and indifference at
fecting the ballot. To the two former public
discussion elbows that we are alive. The last,
however, is more insidious and not less alarm
ing. In some Of the older communities,
notably in the great cities, q large and growing
class neglect all political duties The man who
won't do his part in public affairs--who won't
vote-ought to be disfranchised. When all our
people realize the privileges. the perils and the
incident tn our sff,ra t;n. hov,