The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-02-22


have rolled by to us undeserving ones.
The sun has smiled, the clouds went
the winds sighed, the earth has yield
ed her increase and everywhere pros
perity and blessings have come to u.s.
it Is sadly true that in many homes
are vacant chairs; death has come, as
come he WILL and has sat as an unbd-
den and unwelcome guest at the feas.
to hush it's laughter and silence its
song. Disease and loss, and pains and
sorrows have had their victims among
the many; but as nation, the com
monwealth and the community, we
have much for which to be grateful.
The minor chords of sorrow and woe
can only contribute to the perfection
of sweet harmony, after which many
days is made TO sound forth. 1t is
when 1--WE have endured the weeping
for night that JOY cometh in the
morning" 1t is when our hopes has
become as ashes that God giVeth
beauty; and, If sorrow has come nigh
our dwelling let us not miss the serene
joy, nor debar from our hearts inner
sanctuary that spirited complacency
which comes so like a balm to the
wound; but. let us repeat tonight In
one another's presence, this blessed
creed of the Christian church, that
God Is good" that He is the source
of all goodness and blessing" and the
object of all glory
A little over one hundred years ago
those who were living in New York
city saw a great commotion in the
harbor: British soldiers were hurry
ing to and fro and packing their be-
longings, prior to their departure for
their native land When all was ready,
the sails We're flung to the breeze and
the entire British fleet started on their
journey to native England, and peace,
sweet peace, floated over a Tree ana
Independent people" That day New
York city witnessed one of the grand
est and most enthusiastic parades that
had ever been seen in the New World.
The long line filed out Broadway, down
the Bowery, and on to the battery;
then, swinging round, marched back
with banners flying and music playing.
On reaching the central city, with bon
fires everywhere, and the deafening
thunder of cannons, a mass meeting
was held. Old men fell on each others
necks and wept. while young men and
maidenS shouted for joy: and, although
the path of our revolutionary fathers.
| leading from Bunker Hill to Valley
| Forge and Trenton was marked with
blood, privation, and suffering and
death, yet, all this made more glorious
the wonderful victory which they had
achieved. Then, a new republic with
the immortal Washington at the helm,
started on a voyage to national life.
The wheels of industry began to spin
and for nearly three-quarters of CEN
tury peace reigned, and prosperity al
tended; but, while our forefathers pur-
chased freedom for the nation, they
| did not kill the canker worm, and oe-
| tween eighteen hundred and fifty and
sixty the monster had grown immense
| ly, and was fast eating his way to the
! very heart of the nation. The walls
of liberty which had been built by ou1
! fathers, at such a tremendous sacri-
| flee, began to crack and crumble. A
cloud would be seen gathering in the
| Southern horizon which arose higher
and higher until it arched the heavens
one end settled in the North, the other
in the South, the dreadful screech OF
| the war-eagle was again heard in the
| land. Fathers left their ploWS stand
| ing in the furrow, their planes on the
benches and hammers on the anvil
and imprinting a kiss on the lips OF
| heartbroken wives and clascing litte
children in a last loving embrace
rushed to the sunny South in defence
| of their home and native land: and
four long years the crash of infantry
and that terrific thunder of cannons
| which one must hear to realize how
dreadful it IL, was heard in our native
land. These We're terrible days ir
which four millions of brave boys ir
blue and gray We're marshalled in dead
ly combat, and when there We're eight
hundred thousand desolate hearth
stones in the land, and a multitude
of widows and orphans and chill
less mothers But at last the terrific
thunder, ceased, the smoke of battle
began to clear away and there was 6
ray of heavens own sun that pierced
the darkness and began to dissipate the
gloom. The unpropitious skies so Ions
as brass above the nation were conten
to melt to silent tears; but, there were
scars on many breasts, mounds OF
many battle fields and vacant chair:
| in many homes. But the War-clouC
has been lifted, our cannons have beer
rolled back into their resting places
our iron-clads have disappeared, th'
camp-fires have gone out, and 10, OF
the hilltops with the beams of every
morning sun, their appears the fou
| CLEANS of our nations rising glory.
The eyes of all nations are upon us
some doubtless are rejoicing at ou
prosperity while perhaps others ar,
watching us with enViOuS eyes. They
watched us closely while we were
marching through the fires of a wrath
full war; they have seen us emerg'
from the terrible strife, chastened Sc
verely it is true, but also, wiser, purer
and stronger than ever before, and /
is our prayer that America shall ye
give to Europe and Asia, the Isles o
the Sea, and the whole world, such
sublime view of true republicanism o
American Independence. and of th
royalty of private citizenship that shal
lead them up with rapid step to a civ
ilization that is higher, brighter ant
rllrer than any of which their states
mon, reformers or poets ever dreamed
Of.