The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-07-09
INDEPENDENCE DAY.
by Democrats In Washington
Letter From Hon. wm. ,. n
Speech From Sen ,tor Daniel.

Washington. July 5.-A p~atri&tic cell
ebration was held here today in the
grand opera house under the joint aus
pices Of the National Association Of
Democratic Clubs and the democracy
OF the District Of Columbia and CON
tiguous sections. An elaborate pro
gramme was gone through and ad-
dresses made ny some OF the leading
democrats in public life. Patriotic ad-
dresses were delivered by Senator John
w. Daniel. Of Virginia. and Hon. JOS.
G Sibley. Of Pennsylvania. Short
speeches were mad ny mernebcrs Of
congress and others representing the
original thirteen states. The dcClara-
ton Of independence vas read by Hon.
Andrew a. Lipscomb. as also was the
hast letter written by Thomas Jefferson.
expressing regret that he was unable
to attend independence day celebration
in this city seventy-one years ago. Mr..
Sibley acted aS chairman OF the meet
ing.
William ]. Bryan in a letter express
ing his egr at not being able to at
ten the meeting said:
Lincoln. Neb.. June 29th. 1897.
Hon Lawrence Gardner. Washington.
Il. c.:
My Dear Sir: An engagement at
Los Angeles, Cal. will make IL inn
possible for me 10 attend the Fourth Of
July. celebration held under the aspices
of the National Association ~ Demo-
cratic Clubs. / regard the commemor-
alton of the anniversary of our national
independence day as a duty and trust
that the Washington meeting Will be
useful in stimulating those present TO
rapAx--1 A~.NrsN,- g. - 49,. a.
independence achieved by our ances-
tors may be preserved for posterity.
Just nov there is special reason for
solitude. lest a servile acQuiescence in
a foreign financial policy may rob us
of the substance of political freedom
and leave us in the shadow.
Very truly yours.
w. J. BRYAN"
Senator Daniel. when introduced. was
greeted with a storm of applause.
The fact that the president of the
United States has gone this day TO lay
all the honor of his great office and
ell the affections Of his heart at his
aged mothers feet is something we
should all be thankful for" he exclaim-
ed, and there was great and continued
applause.
He tlOquently portrayed the many
blessings Americans should be thankful
for and proceeded to say there was no
text in the holy book 50 inspiring as
the line Truth shall make You free"
Truth hath made the union free. The
Fourth of July was a national day. 1t
began in secession and ended in union,
and his own experience was that all
paths of secession had led TO union. He
loved to see how the men on both sides
had come together. He described an
interesting meeting between General
Lee and General Meade. General Lee
said to the latter that age seemed to
have made him grayer: when General
Meade replied: NO. General Lee, it is
not age it is you that have made me
gray but Meade had made them all
pretty blue at Gettysburg. The south
thought after AppomattOX had fallen
back on entertainments that could
never be AIKEN. The 4th of July was
the centre piece and the Sth of Janu-
airy and the 22nd of February the right
and left redOubts. The 4th Of July was
also an intellectual day. All Britain,
all Europe was astonished at the calm
and dignifed words that came from the
children of the field and the forest: the
philosophers of the woods in the far off
colonies.