The DeLamar nugget. [volume] (DeLamar, Idaho) 1891-1900, 1894-07-14
GRAFTON.
Delivered in DeLamar, Idaho, July
4th, 1894, by J. J. Bennett.

|
Ever since the dawn of history it ha
been customary to celebrate with feast
and rejoicings, the anniversaries o
great events. Thus we find the Jew
have their feast of the Passover, Il
commemorate the the time when tb,
Angel of Death, Staying the first Dor o
Egypt, saw the bloody sign npon ths
door post of the Isareltes, and passed
over without smiting.
All ChrIstsndom has its Christmas
tide in remembrance of that grsa
event in all history, when that brigh,
star of hope, the star of Bethlehem
heralded the birth Of Him, the Prince oi
Peace.
| France celebrates the fall of that
great stronghold of tyranny, the Bas-
tile. Ireland has her 18th of March,
the birthday of her patron, Saint Pat
rick, ard America, her Fourth of July
to bring to the memories of her citi-
zens the signing of the Declaration of
Independence, the most remarkable
political document ever produced among
men; and it is well that men do remem-
Der these events in this manner, for by
these means each succeeding genera
tion is filed with love and reverence
for whatever of good has been accom-
plished in the past. The Jews thus,
never let any of their people forget the
interposition Of Providence in their de-
liverance from their bondmasters in
Egypt. The Christians, thus are caused
to mem Der the coming of Peace on
Earth and good will to men. And the
Americans to be filed with the spirit of
1776, the spirit of liberty and equality
among men.
As sat listening to the words of this
famous old document as they fell from
the lips of fair woman, thought how
different are the conditions under which
it is being read now, and those of its
first reading.
Let US go back for few moments to
that day, lis years ago. Let us imag-
inc ourselves in Philadelphia, the
quaint old Quaker city, the city of
brotherly love. In an old hall in that
city are seated some fifty odd men, the
representatives of the people of the
thirteen revolving colonies. There is
silence there and every face looks grave
and solemn. They are awaiting the
appearance of the committee appointed
to draft q resolution of Indepsnden cs.
Theirs is terrible responsibility the
signing of that document meant either
or death; meant either that the
revolving colonies should become a |
mighty nation or that these men shall |
die the death of rebels on gibbet- At |
ast the members of the committee
enter. Who are those men who come
walking up to the desk of John Han
cock with the air of kings? He, the
all young man with the bold brow and
irmly cut features, is Thomas Jefferson,
! Virginia farmer and the author of
he parchment which he holds in his
land. That resolute, stout built man is
Tohn Adams, the Boston merchant.
laying the parchment on the table
hey take their seats. Now comes the
lret reading and then the question
hall it be signed or not? The debate
8 long and stormy. Now the timid
mes crouch In corners while Thomas
eferson speaks out his few manly sem
ences and John Adams pours out his
Thcle soul. But still there is doubt
nd hesitation and we hear some timid {
ne whisper something about axes,
ibbets and the like. Then we see Pat I
ick Henry slowly arise, and stretching I
ut his hand his clear voice echoes ]
trough the hall in words something I
Ike these, 'Gibbetsp' They may G
retch our necks upon all the gibbets in a
10 lsnd; they may turn every rock in (
, a scatfold every tree into gallows; J
very home into a grave, and yet the |
ords of that parchment can never die. i
hey may pour our blood upon thous- v
I'D scafolds, and yet for every drop I
lat dyes the axe or falls upon the saw G
lst of the block, new martyr for n
eedom shall arise. A
The British king may blot out the d
ars of God from his sky, but he can G
1t blot out His words on the parch- p
ent there. The works of God may n
irish, His word never. These words il
III go forth to the world when our b
'mes are in dust. To the slave in p