Delaware gazette and state journal., 1897-07-08
Ne. llnrara,s .adaress.


gramme was an address by former
Ambassador Thomas T. Bayard of this
city. The full text Of MIR. Bayard's
address will be found elsewhere id this
issue
The meeting was held in Independ-
ence Square, and there, in the shadow
OF the building within whose walls
the Declaration of Independence was
adopted, and at the very place where it
was first read TO the waiting and
snxious patriotic populace, Mr. Bayard
made his address. He paid high tribute
to the splendid virtues of George
Washington, and then, briefly but
forcefully, he spoke for a new
Declaration OF Independence the in
dependence Of trade and commerce
from the fetters of restrictive taxation,
and the independence of the people
from government favoritIsm under
form of law extended TO one class OF
citizens ut the expense OF all the rest.
Mr. Bayard's address was received
with manifest approval by the large
audience that listened tn il, and was
warmly commended by the press Of the
city. The Record said:
1t was an inspiration TO select Thomas
+. Bayard 10 make the Fourth OF July
address in Independence Square. There
is no man in the United States who is
a firmer or fonder lover of his country.
He has not departed in any particular
from the high ideals of public virtus
which animated our freedom loving
fathers. 1t may be that his eulogium
OF the modesty, the disinterestelnsss
and the devotion with which George
Washington undertook the RESPONSE
bilities which his country laid upon
him was in some sense rebuke as
well as an appeal to the mon of this
day and generation who listened to
him. But the time and the place were
most appropriate. So also were the
words which Mr.. Bayard chose 10 say
in behalf of the maintenance of the
national honor, the extension OF the
national commerce and the building
up OF a strong civilization on the
foundations prepared by the fathers.
Mr.. Bayard's Grafton was not less the
voice of statesman than of patriot
Again we say it was an inspiration Ia
bring him here on Independence day.
He brought with him the atomsphere oi
patriotic desire which permeated the
actions of men when the government
was founded, and which must be kept
alive il tho government 10 to be pre-
served.
The Times found in tho address O
topic for sober and serious comment, al
follows:
Mr.. Bayard spoke the words of truth
ami soberness yesterday in the ole
State House yard. While we celebrate
the Declaration OF Independence, it i,
always wsl to recall that Independence
was not the primary purpose nor th
tiulI end of tho American Revolution
but was pursued as means to liberty
the political liberty that is baseC
upon individual freedom and indIvidua
character, and conserved by righteou
law.
Independence was essential to tht
United States to allow the free develop
ment of the constitutional principle
that were Htitled under the rule of tht
Georges, and its most complete iustii
cationis seen not only in the growth o
the now nation but in the greater free
dom that has been meanwhile achieved
elsewhere. and nowhere more than il
Great Britain itself and in its numerou
younger colonies throughout the world
The present respect and friendship O
the old world for the new is th
greatest tribute that can be paid to tn
righteousness of the Declaration q
Independence.
We must, therefore, il We would seO
our national anniversary arIght recu
again and again to the fupdamentg
principles which the Declaration was
pledge to maintain, and these ara th
sN,,ts
personal liberty, Of personal and publ
integrity. The favoritism OF classes
the employment of public power fc
private umolument, the repression {
Individual effort, restraints on trad
and commerce, disturbance of cot
tracts, debaaeniont OF the none
standard, all these are of tho class
wrongs because of which our fori
fathers renounced their allegiance
George ILL.,, and set up for thenaelyt
a rev government based on tho law
liberty. 1t 10 only by faithfulness
this law that such government Gu
be maintained.
1t is easy TO talk platitudes on IL
Fourth OF July, but to serious patrio
man who believes in tha great mil
sion of America, the day Rugges
serious thoughts at such u time aB til
of the past in its constant applicable
to the present. nation ia but gro
congregation of individual citizen
and every nation must have its ide
standard of individual character.
are happy in that every historical Gel
bration must bring before us tho gre
figure of Washington, whose his
standard of civic integrity wa reuo
nize AZ the dominating force that WI
us independence. Tested hy III
standard, how far have our prese
policies departed from the ideuls tn
gave our country It's century Of mate
less progress.
MIR. Bayard docs we'll to call us bu
TO these ideals and To emphasiZe thI
continuing importance as applind
tho uppermost public questions Of I
dny, 20 commercial and iudustr
progress, 10 financial security,
political security, 10 national non
and prosperity. We need to re
aguin thu Declaration Of lnticpendcnt
not as a perfunGtury holiday perfor
gnce, but to wnigh its meaning aud
put ourselves upon the same hrn
ground of righteous conviction and /
selfish devotion that arc tho uonditio
OF true liberty and Independence.
1t IL not surprising however, Il
in city whGrn protection sentim'
has So long run riot there should
some 10 dissent from amy uttompt
eyplnln tho fallacy of thnir not
luson. An instance il found in