Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1899-07-05

""y 10 ~ NoihSS anu goes Tearing the
nation further from the beginning and
bringing It nearer to the end; for nations
are born, and nations die. Assyria,
Greece, Rome, Carthage - where are
| theyf Thro' the lonely ruins of Pal
myra the bat fits on silent wing. The
falling arches of the Coliseum no longer
echo the tread Of gladiator bands, and
the hanging gardens Of Babylon are a
dream of long ago To us, looking back
through the haze of centuries, their ca
reers seem as fieeting as the falling star.
But who, living at the zenith Of their
/ mighty power, would have said, q This,
too, must pass away We forecast what
is to come by what has gone before. The
light of the past illumines the future and
reveals that decay is written on terres-
trial things; that the common end Of all
is, Earth TO earth, and dust to dust"
Here the evil and the just,
Here the matron and the maid,
In one silent bed are laid.
Here the vassal and the king
Side by side lie whitening.
Here the sword and scepter rust;
Earth to earth, and dust to dust.
But would not speak Of death aud de-
| cay. My theme is not of Nations dead
| but Nations birth, and nations life.
Standing here today in in the evening
glow OF the worlds most progressive CEN
tury, my thoughts go back to that July
day III which nation was born The
staid old City of Brotherly love is in ,u-
mutt of excitement, crowds
throng the vicinity of the state house.
Within the assembly hall is being enact
ed the first act Of drama that will change
the history of the world and influence
the lives of millions yet unborn. The
! dominate thought in every mind is twill
they do iR Dare they do itl Up in the
belfrv the old sexton awaits the signal.
at the door of the room. his little grand
tscu ready forgive it Suddenly the boy
rnshes To the foot OF the stairway, aud
4 shouts, Ring grandpa! ringl" The old
man did ring and the iron tongue sound
ed the knell of European ascendancy on
American soil, and proclaimed the equal
ity Of man. The work began that day
/ with the pen, and was finished with the
sword. | will not enter into the details
of that struggle; how
"On Lexington's swar,:,
By Bunker's steep side,
From the breasts of the stain
Ran the crimson life tide.
Il On Monmouth's s hot plain,
By Brandywine's wave
II The cohorts of foeman
Found many a grave.
Across Delaware's stream,
Through bleak valley forge,
When blood marked their steps
In that wild mountain gorge.
Still Freedoms blest hopes
These heroes led on
To battle and death,
\ Till triumph was won;
And York'own's proud rampant
In ruin raised its side
Gainst the wild rushing surge
OF l.iberty's tide"
We were a tottering infant then; what
a'e W. 'c-pas' TSh pIdiii, tHc WftCk OF
whose navy is pitiful object lesson OF
the decadence of a once powerful nation
Ask England, who seeks our alliance,
that the Angelo Saxon NAV dominate the
affairs of the world,
The thunder of Dewey's guns in the
harbor of Manila proclaimed TO the world
that the United States of America were
fulfilling their destiny. The Star OF
1 Empire, which i'll I492 had crossed the
Il Atlantic was 400 years later on the west
ern shores OF the Pacific. That the thir-
teen original states had expanded to
Fourty -four;-the number Of whose people
was three score and ten millions; the rep
resentation of which in Congress would
vote fifty millions in the cause Of human.
ity
We are "maDy men OF many minds. -
Since the time when old father Noah
made his reputation as weather prophet
to the present, mankind has disagreed on
all questions In politics, religion and
social affairs we all hold diverse view.
but on one question Americans are un
animous, that we are the greatest nation
on the earth. II greatness is measured
by success quickly achieved, then we are
truly great; great IN age III which 10
live is an education, for We are living in
glorious age; in grand and awful
time" an age Of art superb, OF science
marvellous, and achievement stupendous.
The nineteenth century is 10 mechan.
ical inventions what the eighteenth was
TO literature. Did Lewis and Clarke
those intrepid explorers who camped a,
the junction of these rivers ninety odd
years age, think that ere the century
closed bridge of steel would link to.
gether the commercial interests of two
mighty commonwealths; that the rumble
OF the locomotive would wake the echoe.
in these canyons, and the Paddles oI
! steamboats, would churn these waters
Mscharical genius had evn.ved nothing
r. .,t that 'uld lead t:.auliydtc cxreci