Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-06-24

The Centennial Orator.
should be remembered that mon
arches, more or less absolute, then
held sway throughout Europe and
while some rulers were apparently at
tempting to ameliOrate the conditions
of their subjects yet, for the most part.
kings and emperOrs sought wealth and
power only for their own agrandiZe-
ment. But, as threatening an eclipse
of all European government, written
across the heavens from Gibralter to
the land of the midnight sun, was the
name of Napoleon, whose ambitions
were forcing Europe into general war.
The respite from continental strug-
giles granted by the treaty Of Amiens
was 50 brief as to be hardly called a
rcSDite I'hc alliance Of Paul Of Rus
STA with the first consul had been
abandoned by Alexander T., who sue
cecdcd the murdered Paul, ana Russia,
still exhausted by forty years of cease
less strife found herself allied to Eng
Lana. tine bittercst enemy of France,
under mutual vows to drive BOnaparte
from northern Germany and to make
Holland and Switzerland independent
Sweden entered the Anglo Russian al
lance and Prussia, with eighty thou
sand men, fought on the side Of the
Lion ana the Bear. Austria had a.
ready begun war against the Corsi"ln
while in Spain. Ferdinand VII who
h%d come to tn throne on Il wave of
absolutism. who had publicly burned
the Constitution. who declared the
aCts Of tie Cortes illegal ana who had
restored the Inquisition. found him
self and his country forced into q coali
ton with the man whose hand was
against all Europe. The disastrous
campaigns of MaranGO and Tohenlin-
den soon compelled Irarcis, in behalf
Of Austria, and in the name Of the
German empire, to sign the treaty of
luneville whereby Germany lost
twcnty-four thousand square miles Of
its best territory and three and a half
millions of its people. NuSterlitZ was
followed by Waterloo and the struggle
Of nation with nation for supremacy
on the one hand ana Independence on
the other absorbed the attention of a
continent. Everywhere on that side
Of the Atlantic was heard the martial
drum beat. the roar of cannon. and the
means of the dying. everywhere was
the war-cloud. everywhere was in
trigue, plot and counter plot.
Prom this hasty view of that land
where monarchies and wars to support
monarchies held sway. we turn To the
western world in which the Yaungesl
nation of the earth had begun the eX-
pertinent of a government OF the PEG
pie. by the people ana for the people.
Across our heavens, i'm letters 4"
glorious light. was written the name Q
a great patriot who had just closed hi
eyes on the scenes Of earth, our owl
;uustrious. Incompatible Washington
Upon our soil no king, no potentate, ~
emperor had set foot. our institution
were dedicated to the immortal primer
pies That all men are created equal
that they are endowed by thei
Creator with certain unalienabie rights
that among these are life. liberty an
the pursuit of happiness Than TN
no statement could have been frame
more comprehensive. more significant
more prophetic. when viewed IN tn
light of all that has happened durin
the century which has just closet
Have we had wars? They were no
for the requirement of territory, tn
suhiugaton Of 4 nation, or the glor
of n king, hut rather in the defense
the lives of American citizens, for III
liberty of American subjects and tn
down lrodien of other races. Have ar
science, invention and philanthrop
horne fruit? The golden harvest III
not been cleaned by the favored few I
rank and station. but, in all it's bount
has been laid at the door of the nc
and the poor. of the lofty and OF Il
lowly and herein has the pursuit
happiness been richly rewarded.
1T is not my intention to dwell up'
the wars through which we have be-
called TO pass during the centur
Every one was a necessity and u
avoidable. But whether in our cha
tisement of the piratical Barba
States. our final war with the moth
country. our occupation of the halls
Montezuma. our domestic tragedy
the early sixties, or the latest conque
of the Spaniard. in every instance t
Stars and Stripes were unfurled in
righteous cause were defended by 81
liant soldiers and sailors and we