Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1895-07-18
The Fourth at Annapolis.

ne IOllOWlnS OfaIlOn-au lnpOf-
tant part of the celebration at Annapo-
lis-should have been printed last
week. but was crowded out:
FellOsC C,tizens-It has become an
almost universal custom to look upon
Fourth of July oratory as a lot of bun
combe. fired into the air in a most dra-
matical manner, and with a sweep of
gesture that is circumscribed only by
the length OF the orators arms. Let
each one draw his own conclusions.
AS for me, l have no fault to find with
the orator who recites with burning
eloquence the deeds of valor and wis
dom that mark the infancy of our
Great Republic.
l remember when boy how those
words thrilled my young heart. And
how have stood with bated breath
and quickened pulse as the orator
spoke of Bunker Hill. of Valley Forge.
or AS, with dramatic gesture and burn
| ing eloauence, he recited the never-to
be-forgotten words of Patrick Henry.
Those words still have power to fill
me with an indescribable emotion. and
| / believe that it is such feeling in
| spired by martial music, by the roar
| of cannon, or the rattle of musketry,
| that enables men to march into the
very jaws of death as though they
went to a banquet.
Then, when deeds of valor, acts OF
heroism to which the tongue CT the
| orator lends the brightest hues of the
;rho v,1 tho conA nf riot an,
in the breast of youth, may it not be
that some Fourth of July orator plant
ed the SEEDS of patriotism that gave us
our Lincoln, our Grant and our Gar
field?
And who can tell the heroes that
may in the future, in times of storm,
in periods of disaster-wheu clouds
hang low over our fair country-that
may rise to her defense, inspired by
the noble words of Patrick Henry.
Therefore, it behooves US. as a free
people. to keep before the minds of
the young the travail at the birth of
liberty in this great country.
Then what more fitting plan than
that day in each year should be set
apart to celebrate the birth of the
greatest nation on earth? And what
more fitting day than the Fourth of Ju-
ly? The day on which the lovers OF
liberty who represented the thirteen
weak and struggling colonies declared
this to be free and independent ma
ton. From that day to this the Fourth
day of July has been the most sacred
to all true Americans. And may God
bot no oolnhrafo6 with
Joy and enthusiasm as long as time
shall last! But there is something
more-there is something deeper
there is something greater, than the
waving of flags, the firing of cannon, or
the flights OF oratory. 1t is meet that
upon an occasion like this. when our
minds naturally revert to the glorious
history of our common country-it is
meet. say, that in the spirit of pa
triotism we lay aside all other isms and
look keep into thhe needs of our coun-
try. Remembering that eternal vigi-
lance is the price of liberty, selfishness
and greed are the foes OF human lioer-
ty. Our forefathers planted liberty in
the fertile soil of America, and watered
it with the blood of patriots. They
gave it to US healthy and vigorous
plant, but it will not live without care
and cultivation. For, if neglected, the
weeds of selfishness and greed will
spring up and choke it out.
God of Heaven, spare mine eyes
The sight of country fair
Torn and bleeding, goaded to despair,
From blood red revolution spare!
Keep liberty's banner in the air
Eternal vigilance the price!
The purchase price was life and blood;
Twas freely paid,
And meath the lilies and the sod
Were lowly laid
Patriots, Heroes, Sons of God!
The price to them was death
The price so great SO freely paid
For what? For liberty.
To us free inheritance
To keep! Oh, yes, to keep
Untarnshed for our heirs.
A gift from God, It's ours, 'tis theirs.
We hold this priceless boon in trust,
From heroes bones: from patriots dust.
In reading the history of almost any
country you find the greater part of it
made up of wars, iutrigues and blood
shed. While whole chapters are given
up to wars. a single page must suffice
for civil progress. This is the natural
man race But the welfare q nation de-
ponds more upon the wisdom and iu-
tegrity of her statesmen than on the
valor of her soldiers. True. wisdom
without courage is of little value. but
courage without wisdom is worse thar
cowardice. The period when this