The herald., 1896-07-05

terlty. Neltner 90 pcneVe tHas W a.
as yet the grand elimination OF the
evolution of nature.
Take the past as 1t really was; 1t is
grand enough. Engrave indelibly upon
your hearts the principles upon which
our nation is founded, for they are from
everlasting to everlasting. remember,
| IL you WILL the names of hundred Dat
tlefields where glorious victory rested
on our standard; but remember more the
cause in which they were fought Sing
songs of praise for the gallant swords
that won the day, but hold IN your
hearts in silent, deeper reverence the
holy courage that dared to draw them.
And those who are gone-their spirit still
lives In every American heart, and, as
they thus stand with US. we will merely
name some of them together, for they
need no spoken eulogy or sound OF ap-
plause; no sounding title or loud acclaim
add aught of glory to their simple names.
There are Washington, Franklin. Jef-
ferson, Adams, Monroe. Webster. Clay,
and host beside, and. last, that common
man, and the greatest of all because ne
was the common man, our Lincoln. An,
you pessimist. Did hear you saying
but yesterday as you stood on the street
corner, like the Pharisee of old Jerusa-
lem, that this government of ours was
mistake, it's foundations undermined.
patriotism dead and ruin imminent?
You dare not say 1t now. Patriotism may
perchance have slumbered. but there
has been mighty awakening. The very
air tingles with 1t. And 1t is true pa
triotism. 1t does not vent itself in sense
less yells or vain self-glOrification, but
it is rather a deep, resistless tide that
will bear our loved ship of state In safety
over every hidden rock. Today that flag
of ours has grander meaning than ever
before, and to every true American 1t Is
the most beautiful one on earth. as its
beauty blooms forth against the blue of
the sky and its Splendors shine back
from the depths of the glittering wave;
and when you see its silken folds sISead
out over the little schoolhouse on the hill
you know that there beneath 1t is being
reared a generation that is learning to
read the story of human liberty in every
one of those silver stars-a generation
in whose hands we may safely leave 1t.
for they will never safer it to be die
honored; they will carry it on to its
highest destiny, till finally 1t will float
with unrivalled sway from frigid north
to tropic south, from rolling sea to sea.
But still we find among us a class
who are always watching for an oppor-
tunity to complain, and to point out the
faults and mistakes of others. especially
of their superiors. If we listen to them
we learn that all our great men Of the
past were, base and corrupt; that the
present is damned anu our IutuTc
doomed. My friends, this is all wrong.
it is not American, it is senseless. not
is criminal. 1 said it is not American,
for in our desire to open wide the door OF
freedom to all the worthy distressed
brothers of the world, their widows and
orphans. we have unfortunately gone
too far, and admitted those who have
mistaken liberty for license, and who
have hoped to find here unlimited op-
portunity to loose the reins of passion,
greed and lust. Finding themselves re-
strained by the strong arm of just law.
they have entrenched themselves be-
hind the very bulwarks. of the people,
liberty of speech, and under its protec-
tion have scattered broadcast their old
world doctrines of nihilism and anarchy.
and wherever these seeds have fallen,
like the dragons teeth of old that in
single night sprang up as hosts of armed
men, they have caused mutterings Of
discomfort, open expressions of hostility
to our government and plans to bring
about its overthrow. And for what?
Why, as they claim, that they may put
into practice their fair theory of uni
versal equality. that hope Of the philoso
pher and dream of the poet. An empty