The record-union., 1893-12-01

Joseph Cook has we'll expressed Amer
lcanlsn when he says that the juguiar
vein and carotid artery in the physiog-
nomy OF the American civil life consist in
the personal individualism of her citizens.
1t is quite evident to every thinking
man that America was destined by God
not for tyranny, not for aristocracy. not
for blgotry, but for well-rounded man
hood embodying the essential clements
OF q great dominating nation, progressive,
Tree, noble and fearless, ruling by thought
force, not by physical power.
For these and other reasons we should
be profoundly greatful that we are Ameri-
cans.
An American stands first of all for
the highest type Of indivi vidualism; for the
largest exponent of personal liberty; Tor
the greatest amount of inventive genius;
for the boldest spirit of civil and re-
Ilglous progress; for the most chivalrous
respect for woman; the champion OF
liberal education, free speech, free press;
and is dominated by keen respect for
just laws, meritorious honor, and an
eternal vigilance for personal and gov
ernmental rights.
Such is an American-Of such is our
America; as such would l guard and
keep them both, even to the exclusion Of
all the undesirable, uu-American hoards
of aliens that retard the growth and
highest development Of the true Amerl-
can citizen, whom | have Just described.
In fact it may be presumed that we are
almost prepared to adopt unanimously
the logic of the Able with COrtez when
he reduced the conquest of Mexico TO the
simple syllOgism:
Resolved, First, that the world belongs
to the saints; second, that we are the
saints.
on say that that is un-American, and
ask if there is not room for' camel and a
man in the same tent. The reply TO this
familiar oriental question certainly de-
pends on three things-namely The size
Of the camel, the breadth OF the tent, and
the disposition of the man.
Is there any more room for the low
steerage and jail-bird European immi-
grafton in the already over-crowded
tent of America?
The reply again is: That it depends on
the size OF the foreign camel, the breadth
Of our national tent and the disposition
Of the American people.
DO we actually want to continue en-
grating the undesirable alien scion of
the wild olive upon the noble tree which
our fathers years ago planted upon the
Massachusetts Bay, planted amid wild
ernesS, planted in the face Of jealous saw
agery and in the storms OF a rough
the best Saxon blood OF Europe? This
engratting process is all right for the
graft, but now about the stock upon
which it is fastened?
That ancestral tree of our nationality
was unit. Would we preserve it thus
The nation life is one; would we keep it
one? 1t was this natiOn-it was you and
I-who landed at Plymouth Rock, and
mastered the wilderness and the savage.
etNTer rarl
who fought at Bunker Hill and York
town and saw the red flag OF Great Brit
ain go down. 1t was this nation of royal
Americans-it was you and THAT car
ried the banner Of peace and prosperity
from the shores of the Atlantic to the
Golden Gate.
By the providence of God and the sub
lime energy Of our race we are what we
are: by the providence of God and eX-
ecutive powers OF the Union let us pre-
serve it thus.
II. In the next place l am thankful for
where | am. First, as to where we are
chronolOgically-ne the doXology OF the
nineteenth century. For the time and
the tide, for the chance and the change,
for the fortune and the fame, for the
achievements and the promises of the
present hour we should be sincerely
grateful. There be those who do not find
it in their hearts to so interpret their day
and opportunities. Those who say: "Oh,
that | had lived in the past generations,
because the former days were better than
these.' On the other hand there be
those who wish that their life might be
projected into the approximate century.
Let us console ourselves with the wise
mans saying: Better is the end of
thing than the beginning thereof"
To me there is an indiscribable poetry
and glory that gather in the soft twilight
of glorious fading day. Likewise there
is peculiar grandeur in the setting of
the sun of hundred years behind the
golden horizon of eternal ages, full Of
beautiful reflection.
To me it is not the twilight of proba-
bilities" of the lugubrious John Locke,
nor yet the disastrous twilight" OF John
Milton. 1t is the twilight of untold and
hitherto unmatched possibilities. 1t is
the century sun setting in flood Of mag
niticent illumination, whose crown is al
ready embellished with ten thousand of
the grandest achievements possible to
this manly generation, with ten thousand
of the most illustriOuS thoughts and ideas
that have ever come to the human under
standing; with ten thousand ideas and
sentiments greater than any that have
over filled the soul of man; with ten
thousand throbbing noble ambitions that
only more progressive eras can possibly
satisfy. 1t goes without saying-or
rather with repeated saying-that we are
living in a wonderful age
Civilization is going at racehOrse
speed. vt every completed course of the
daily sun the people of this great nation
''call time' to many completed achieve
ments. Whole centuries and vast epochs
are brought as closely together as two
grinding millstones.
The destined work and accomplish
ment of mankind are annihilation of time
and space. and man has just got fairly
started and on his way to that end. The
mills of the gods,' which we have been
wont to describe as grinding slowly, are
beginning to whirl about as If all the
electric dynamos of the world had been
turned on them suddenly.
1t is in such a dizzy, swift, swing of the
present age that we are fairly winging
our flight on to that noble state of civil
iZation which has been the dream of
poets and philosophers for many CEN
turies. From the time OF Seneca down
ward to this present day the voices of
prophetic insight have pointed to the
elimination of civil glory with which
the peoples OF western land are to be
crowned.
Bishop Berkeley significantly wrote
into the foundation life of our State Uni
versity these memorable lines:
Westward the course of Empire takes its way.
The first four acts already past.
The fifth shalt close the drama with the day.
Times nobiest offspring is the last.
1t is for us Americans-iti is for you and
me TO register in heaven the vow that
these uplifting prophecies shall be full
filled.
When the sword of wallis was sur
rendered TO Washington at Yorktown
some of the Americans with lack of
magnanimity and an Indifference to the
humiliating condition of the conquered
foes, began to cheer vociferouslv at their
triumph. But turning TO them the noble