Tonopah bonanza. [volume] (Butler City [i.e. Butler], Nev.) 1901-1909, 1901-07-13
FOURTH or JULY ORATION.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. One hun
dred and twenty-five years have
passed away since the Declaration Of
/ Independence was first read to the
American people One hundred aud
twenty-five years that have been
fraught with changes that have
chronicled the downfall and building
up of empires, the remodeling Of gov
ernments, the certain rapid advance
ment Of mankind and the opening Of
"a progressive era such as the world
never before Knew. .' f''s't
When we turn the pages of history
back to that cvcntful time when that
ever living declaration was made
known tO the world; when it was
hurled by IA mere handful Of liberty
LOVING men directly in the face Of
British power and arrogance, the
American heart swells with emotion
and bounds with eternal gratitude
toward those sturdy patriotic beings
who vOuchsafed US the ines timable
liberties we enjoy to-day.
No human mind, | care not how
fertile it may be, can faithfully por-
tray the awful surrounding of that
historical time. Imagine country
thinly populated, without an ex-
chequer, limited resources. sur
rounded by savage foe that never
knew IA semblance Of pity or an lota
of humanity without single ray of
light penetrating the gloomy sea of
doubt; declaring war against the
pruudest monarch of the earth aided
by his merciless ally the American
Indian. then some idea of the immen-
sity of the undertaking can be con
ceivcd
Even the announcement of that
declaration was in itself a movement
of momentous magnitude and unques-
tionably gave birth to serious doubts
in the minds Of its bold promulgators
regarding its reception 10y a lApnareh-
ial world. gHt ttEfiv w.
Little did the dauntles, Patrick
Henry realize when with his hand
raised toward heaven, his noble soul
fairly bounding with its load of pat
rio, Sm, he gave utterance to those
memorable words So engraved upon
every American heart. II know not
wha action others InaNtakc in this
great matter but as for me, give me
liberty or give mc death, that he
was sounding the Keynote Of Ameri-
can independence and laying the
foundation for the building of the
grandest COVE nment b bneath the
broad blue canopy of heaven
The die was east and from back
woods homes and country hamiets,
from towns and cities poured forth
stream of brave humanity deter
mined to worship at liberties shrine
or die ip the attempt. 3'lH
1t is unnecessary to dwell upon
that long, hard struggle so familiar
to every school boy in the land. the
fears aud doubts were trampIed uns
der foot by a deep set determination
to conquer and after seven years of
bloodshed and slaughter the sunshine
of victory broke through the clouds
of war and, as they driftel away
there in the golden sunlight Of
heaven, its bright folds given to the
breeze waved the starry emblem of
American liberty and independence.
The grand old democratic idea of
self government nculcated in the hui
man family long before the days of
Christ had triumphcd here and the
original thirteen colonies were tn
write the first pages of its history
Quietly that little army of cam
paign worn men disbanded, again was
the plow taken up, the workshops Of
the country opened and peace and
tranquility hovercd over the new
born republic.
Westward the star Of empire took
its march, crossing the Alleghanies
it tioaled over the fertile vallie- jf