Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1895-07-10

from the rostrum; it requires only an occa
sional perusal of our country's history, which
is so rich in noble sentiment, to arouse us to
sense of our responsibility, and to remind u.
of whom we are the sons and DEFENDANTS ant
that yet there courses through our veins thu
blood of those brave and heroic men, who &C
complished so grand victory under such I'm
favorable circumstances.
I It's enough to inspire pride, to animate an(
cheer us in uniting to celebrate this day of 81
great historic interest. l am not dead. nor an
| insersibe to the position / assume in ex
horting my countrymen to spirit of patriot
ism, but am deeply moved when l observe
the brave sons of America departing from thu
old homestead around which cluster so many
fond memories of their youth and bidding
farewell to mothers, wives, and sweethearts
and rushing into the thick of shot and shell
sacrificing all for their countrys cause, shar
ing the fate of war with all of its disastrou:
consequences dying on the field of battle
their friends knew not when, and beins
buried they knew not where
On being notified few days ago of the par
assigned me for this evening, first ransacked
my file of newspapers with the hope of find
ing 4th of July speech, delivered by some
gifted orator from which I might extract some
ideas, or SUGGESTIONS upon which to base my
remarks. But searching in vain, l next
turned my attention to my old school history,
and there found enough and to spare, and
more than 1t would be possible for me to
crowd in one-tenth part in the short space
allotted me this evening.
And it is only necessary that 1 should re
fresh your memories with few of the ex-
citing causes that developed the desire, yea
the necessity for American independence, and
contrast of our country's condition to-day
with what it was then, to arouse in you all
your latent patriotism.
Long before the Revolution. Great Britain
became jealous of the material advancement
of the infant colonies. She saw her ships
whitening the seas with American commerce.
She saw her cities and towns springing up on
every hill top She saw the smoke of her
factories ascending toward the heavens. She
heard the music of the saw and the hammer.
She saw the outputs of American factories
rivaling, hers upon every hand. She saw
that if she did not in some way suppress these
pert fellows they would soon outgrow their
knee-pants and become as full grown and
strong as they, and no longer dependent upon
them for succor and support. Being over
come by this fit of Jealousy, she set about to
pass all kinds of ordious and prohibitory
laws. Our factories were declared to be COM
mon nuisances. They declared that We had
not even the right to manufacture a nail for a
horseshoe without permission of Parliament.
The expectation of our different articles of
manufacture from one colony to another was
forbidden and halter was not allowed more
than two apprentices at the same time; and to
have printed an English Bible would have
been an act of piracy. Our lot had become
hard Our condition had become one of SER
vitude indeed. Our lot had become second
only to brickmaking in Egypt in the day of
Pharoah. They cut off our trade with all
parts of the world. They kept standing
armies among US in time of peace. They
treated our petitions with contempt. They
imposed upon us taxation without representa-
ton; their ears became deaf to our pleas for
mercy; their oppression knew no bounds
until American manhood arose in its might
and declared that taxation without repre-
sentation was tyranny, and that they would
no longer submit. and declared their indie
pendence, and broke the shackles of British
bondage for all time to come, ana stamped
the seal of SIC senlper tyranniS upon the necks
of all who would Cypress.
Though it cost her much of her best blood;
though it cost her many of her b.ave sons,
yet when the only choice was left them, be-
tween brave resistance and an abject sub
mission, they resolved to conquer or to die,
and under the leadership of such brave
patriots and soldiers as Washington and
Lafayette and grand old Israel Putnam, and
Prescott, and Starks, and Pomeroy, and many
others equally as brave men, who dared to
lead where patriots dared to follow, though
they waged many hot battle, and suffered
many sore defeat, only from which they
plucked new courage, and added strength to
their resolution, and being not dazzled by
victory, nor daunted by defeat, they pressed
on with heroism unparalleled, and won one
of the greatest victories, and it was followed
by one of the greatest blessings that ever fol-
lowed the achievements of war, and handed
down to US oneof the greatest nations upon
which Gods sun ever shone. They oyer
threw a monarchieal and established repub-
lcan form of government placing the gov
eminent in, the hands of the people whom it
was to govern, making all men equal before
the law, giving every son of her soil IA COM
oh fOF ho Of honor Of th6-
nation, irrespective OF birth or previous con-
dition OF servitude unlike monarchical Brit
ain, where those coveted honors are only TO
be obtained by birth or inheritance) giving
every man the privilege and responsibility of
becoming the architect of his own fortune,
that he might build and construct according
to his own ideas, and enjoy the fruits of his
labor under his own vine and fig tree, with
none to modest nor make him afraid
Since then we have enjoyed res pecability
at home and abroad. We have become ore
of the leading nations of the world. We
stand second to none in literature, in the
sciences, and the arts. We have produced
some of the greatest men of the worlds
history. We have gained strength with
our territory from ocean, to ocean, and from
the lakes to the gulf. There has been no
means spared to educate, to elevate, and dig
Nifty the American people. Our institutions
of learning, our wealth. our agricultural and
manufactured products to be found at home
and abroad, bespeak our prosperity.
Institutions for the promotion of the hap
piness and prosperity of our people have been
established throughout the land
Temples have arisen to the Creator and Pre-
server of all things.
Cities and towns, and many happy homes,
now decorate, what was desolate, and the
sweet hum of industry is now heard, where
natures silence was only broken by the
cries of the wild beasts, and the hoo hoo, Of
the owls Of the forest.
National independence has been achieved
once and forever, and can never be endangered
if we are half so loyal and true as those who
won the victory. Then let the truths of the
Declaration of Independence and the prin-
ciples of free government sink deep into
our hearts and govern all our conduct. IT'S