The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1901-09-26

modern Fitz James in support of his
countrys interest, until by an unmis-
! taxable and overwhelming choice OF
mis- fellow citizens he was called to be
the exalted ruler of this great repub-
| lie. To us he is the brave man, the
patriotic man, the embodiment of the
power, the dignity and permanency
of our highest hopes and aspirations
of the constitutional liberty of our
people, and the refuge of the OPP
pressed of all lands. 1t is in this
sense, greater than that of fellow cit
izen, greater than that of personal
friend, greater than that of brother
or sister, greater than that of father
and child, for these and all of these,
honorable, worthy and loving as they
may be, are swallowed up if need be
in the imperishable and transcendent
necessity of the commonwealth of
men. The American commonwealth
exists that men may enjoy or have
the American born right of life, lib
erty and the pursuit of happiness,
with liberty of conscience to worship
God after the dictates of their own
hearts, for without these the living
gift of God to man, with his moral
! and intellectual attributes would be
uncomfortable. Occupying this con-
stitutional right to rule by the suf-
frages of his fellow citizen, for the
state is of God, his untimely taking
off by unlawful force was blow at
organized government, and in the
language of that most wonderful and
unequaled of the human mind and
human action, 'Then you and l and
all of us fell down and bloody treason
flourished over ALL"
Mournful as is the occasion that
brings us together, there is pleas
urable feeling in the contemplation
of the life of the dead chieftian whom
we this day seek to honor by the sim
cerity of our tributes. Without pre-
tension, without the pride which
sometimes attend elevation to high
position, he has borne himself so
meekly and pleasantly in his high Of
flee, and with such modesty and mod
Grafton that those whose convictions
on matters of public policy differed
from his own, are unable to see in
his views ought else than sincerity of
principle and high resolve of purpose.
The new and intricate questions of
governmental questions with which, as
the executive of the government, has
been presented for his consideration
| and determination, has been met with
that singleness of purpose for the
public veal as to inspire confidence
in the final result and the conserva
tion of the basic principles commit
ted to later generations by the worthy
founders of this free government. In
everything that makes for material
greatness the country as whole I'M
| der the four years of an administra
ton in which he has had the direc-
ton, our people in their collective
capacity has advanced to the front
rank among the powers of the earth
with their centuries of development,
and it's moral political powers so re-
spected that it's influence in the soly-
ing of the international questions for
amelioration and lifting up of the
population of the world, is recognized
as potent factor. While the coun-
try under his administration, in his
expressed words, has become alarm
ingly prosperous he had led the
way by which thoughtful persons are
led to feel that the era is approach
ing, that one of the grand and grand
est functions of this government will
be in spreading the gladstone light"
of free constitutional government un-
til its benign influences shall encircle
the earth. 1t has sometimes, prior to
the lamentable occurrence, suggested
itself to my mind that the public mind
has not sufficiently awakened to this
great idea that the direction or trend
of our governmental policy in far east
ern affairs, under the great logic of
events, is to find contamination in
the spread of American liberty, Amer
lean morality with crown of relig-
ion with its American grand impulse
of voluntary support a nd earnestness.
In retrospect over the Christian
era, it seems providential interior
ence of imposing magnitude, that the
discovery and settlement of this coun-
try was postponed until the fifteenth
century and at time when the in
tellect of Europe was awakening from
the lethargy and interest of the mid
die ages. When men had begun to
distrust the powers of church and
state. Had it happened earlier, dur
ing the centuries when might alone
made right, all the superstitions of
MEDIEVAL Europe with it's hallowed
abuses of church and state, might
have been fastened upon us, and its
blight and it's whitening influence in