The San Francisco call., 1896-07-05


OF 200 voices. The song was encored.
In introducing the orator of the day
President Lent said that an effort had been
made to have all the performers of the oc-
caslon men and women who could easily
trace their ancestry back to revolutionary
times. In this, he said, they had been
highly successful, and especially in the
case of Zenas U. Dodge, who could trace
his ancestry back to the year 1924 and
name many forefathers who took part in
the thrilling events succeeding this period.
The orator was frequently interrupted IN
his rhetorical flights by spontaneous out
bursts of applause from his audience, and
at its close the audible evidence OF their
appreciation was deafening. The follow
ing were the speakers words:
This is day when we entwine the sweet,
ever-lingering memories of courage ana deVo-
ton with the clinging, loving folds OF our red,
white and blue.
Friends, we are here this afternoon filed
with kindred feelings of pIide and love OF
country. AS our National anthems were dis
coursed in symphony and song, and as l lis
tened to the reading of that grandest, bravest
and profoundest document ever written and
signed by the representatives of people, the
Declaration of Independence, panorama of
events spread out before my mental vision.
A panorama that led up step by step, incident
by incident, through sufferings, sacrifices and
struggles, through carnage and blood, to that
supreme moment when that little band of
heroes knowing well that their act meant
long, terrible and bloody war, yet, with dash
of the pen, gave TO the world home for the
oppressed of other nations; gave birthright
to liberty, and sanctuary wherein to worship
God without fear. And as l sat there became
awed at the comprehensiveness of the subject
did not feel it within the power of man to
worthily voice utterances calculated to do JUS
tice to theme SO saneufed by the blood of
our fathers; theme SO hallowed in undying
memories; a theme clothed in immortality.
We shall not legislate this afternoon, nor air
private opinions, nor instruct the next Con-
gress or Legislature, nor attempt to correct
any OF the existing abuses of law or of right.
All such matters shall be left to those in whom
we see fit TO repose our confidence at the
proper time and in the proper place. To-day
any sentiment approaching the present condi-
tion OF local or oven National matters would
lily become the spirit of this celebration. tits
to Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Hancock
Franklin, Hamilton and other patriots; it is to
the Declaration of Independence and the he
roes who fought and bled to establish, main
tain and perpetuate its principles; 1t is to the
stars and stripes that we give this day over to
rejoicing and thanksgiving.
Friends, it is good thing that we are Great
ures of sentiment. 1. was sentiment that drove
our Pilgrim Fa theirs to the rock-bound New
England shores; tt was sentiment that caused
the old Liberty Bell to ring out Liberty
throughout the land unto ali the inhabitants
thereof" it was sentiment that gave to the
world our immortal Washington; it was SEN,
timent that arrayed brother against brother
and father against son in the late great war of
MI
to-day.
This sentiment of independence springing
directly from nature and natures God, having
Its birth in oppression, rearing its head first
out of religious Intolerance and bigotry,
planted the colonies of the New World; threw
of the yoke of British oppression and
allegiance; defed the power of kings and their
ministers; proclaimed that in the people was
the fountain head of power; proclaimed every
man equal in right to life, liberty and purs suit
of happiness. 1t was sentiment that gave US a
man whose name time can never eface from
the honor roll of our Nation; a man who loved
America better than his fortune: a man who
loved liberty better than his life. All honor to
the memory OF Lafayette. 1t was this sen timent
of independence that sharpened our swords
and pointed our bayonets in all our battles
and thundered to the world our Declaration of
independence.
will tread very lightly and quickly over
the span of 120 years of our Nations existence.
England reluctantly conceded TO the United
States their independence, won on the battle
fields of the Revolution. Our fathers emerged
from their arduous, protracted, desolating
revolutionary struggle, poor, indeed, in worldly
goods. Habits OF industry had been unsettled by
the anxieties and uncertainties of war. Selfish
passion ad taken the place of that spirit of free
dom which had characterized the colonists at
the commencement of their struggle for inde-
pendence. A country without money, without
credit; its people writhing under the intol-
erable pressure of debt with industrial paraly-
sis, commercial embarrassment, political dis
order, cried aloud for that calm. commanding.
irresistible Washington; and though he had
retired TO the peaceful and quiet retreat at
Mount Vernon, yet he heard the voice of his
country and obeyed. That voice was to him as
the voice of his God.
Through the wisdom, prudence and devotion
of Washington and his compeers our Nation
was raised out of the darkness of poverty and
despair into the bright dawn of one of the
most successful eras ever recorded in the his
tory of the ma ations of the world. Horace
Greeley, in speaking of this remarkabl epoch
of progress, said:
"Our country of to-day owes its unequaled
growth and progress, its population, produc-
tiveness and wealth, primarily to tho trainers
OF the Federal constitution, by which its de-
Yelopment was rendered possible; but more
Immediately and palpably to the sagacity and
craftsmanship OF Jefferson, the purchaser of
Louisiana; to the genius of Fitch and Fulton,
the protector and achiever, respectively, of
steam navigation; to De Witt Clinton, the
early, answering and successful champion
of artificial inland navigation, and to Henry
Clay, the eminent, eloquent and effective
champion of the diversiication of our Ma
tional industry through the protection of home
manufactures"
Although the War of the Revolution was at
an end, the warclouds had not yet entirely dis
appeared. The pirates of the Barbary States
harassed our shipping. Spain refused US nav
igation of the Mississippi, and England had
not yet condescended TO make a treaty of CON-
merce with us. Congress agreed to assume the
debt contracted by the States during the Revo-
luton, and to pay the National debt in full.
Then it was that that great inancier, II a mil
ton, OF whom was said, 'He smote the rock of
National resources and abundant streams of
revenue burst forth; he touched the dead
corpse Of public credit and 1t sprang upon its
feet,'' put for the first time into practice our
great principles of protection by levying taxes
upon imported goods. The deyolopment of