Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-07-06
THB STORY OF Liberty
As Told by Senator McLau-
rim at Spartanburg.
IDEAL FOURTH OF JULY GRAFTON.

1t Reads Like a Sermon-The Desti-
ny Of the Nation Is Outlined-The
Politics Are Such as Are Taught by
the Four Gospels.
Senator John L. McLaurin delivered
the following speech in Spartanburg
last Thursday: ".h-'s -s
While the 4th Of July, 1776, was the
date Of the Declaration Of Independ-
ence, the 4th Of July. 1901, was the time
when It was carried into full effect by
the establishment Of the capital, so that
this country is really but century Old
Union and independence forever Is to-
day the watchword of rs million Amer
lean freeman. When the ninteenth CEN
tury was born. there was not a nation
in which the subjects had a voice in the
affairs Of government. The influence
of the United States has been such dur
ing the past century. that there Is not
now a civilized nation in the affairs Of
which the people have no voice. They
vote even in Russia. There are now
five republics upon the continent Of
Europe. There are no nations that are
not republics in the western hemis-
phere, and there are two republics IN
Africa. Having republicanized the
world and made every nation recognize,
at least to some extent, the principles
outlined in our declaration Of independ-
ence, we now open a new century, as
the beacon light Of the world, In bring
ing about the natural sequences of this
universal brotherhood Of mankind,
taught first by Christ when upon the
earth, and forgotten through eighteen
centuries, the dealing together Of the
nations of the earth to their mutual
profit, in the advancement Of civtliza-
ton, the promotion Of peace and the
enhancement Of their material welfare
Our forefathers pledged in a revolu-
tion their lives, their fortunes and their
sacred honor to secure for us this boon.
They forecasted the future. and built
the foundations of our free government
upon broad and patriotic principles,
which in their triumph would secure
perpetual union of states and an endur-
ing independence Of the nation. The
crises through which we have passed,
while menacing the stability of the
union. have never imperilled our free
dom. The civil war was a severe shock
to the unity of the states: but we have
passed through the fiery ordeal, and to-
day have a Union stronger and patri-
otism broader and deeper than ever. In
all this land from Maine to California.
from the Lakes to the Gulf. there is but
one heart, one country and one people,
all cemented together by the ties OF
true patriotism and the love Of human
freedom. Well may the American peo-
nile. North, South, East and West, glory
in this day, hallowed as 1t Is by. the as
sociations and triumDhs of the past, and
magnified by the bright promises of the
future. Our past as a nation Is safe;
but II Is gone forever; we cannot recall
or change it. We can. however, seize
the present, and wisely use the oppor-
tunity to make our future the realiza-
ton of the widest dreams Of the most
optimistic American.
The Lessons of the Past.
I propose today to emphasize our
present splendid opportunities as a
nation, and the grand results 10 flow
from their full appreciation and util-
ization. We are standing today with
the vanishing shadows of the last CEN
tury playing about our feet, while tie
dim light Of the dawning new century
kisses our brow. From the top Of times
highest peak. we can look backward
along the great highwaythat all nations
have travelled, we can see the steady
footsteps of the human race, as 1t has
plodded on and on, making epochs In
earth's history and rearing monuments
to mark human progress. Let us, my
fellow-citizens, learn wisdom from the