The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-07-05
To the Republic and It's
Builders.
Continued from First Page.)

nv tbe God of our Fathers that this
great Republic shall not pass away,
but shall continue for all time to vim
dictate to all the world the right and
the capacity of the people to gov
ern? We have many difficulties to
encounter, many grave problems to
solve"
Here the speaker named these diff
ficulties and problems, these being
our immense increase in population,
the infusion of a large, ignorant and
unframed foreign element the re-
Inarkable development or our re-
sources, the tremendous commercial
and industrial agencies with their con-
f1icting character and interests, the
old and apparently never ending strife
between combined capital and labor,
the greed and aggression of organized
wealth, the acquisition of foreign ter
ritory, with government contrary
to the genius of the home govern
ment, the centrali2ing tendencies OF
the Federal Government, and the
never silent voice of the Demagogue.
Declaring that no matter what the
obstacles might be, he urged that II
never be said that such a country is
to furnish the last and convincing
proof of the incapacity of the people
for self-goVernment.
Then Judge Shepherd told of the
things in our favor. The isolated
geographical position. sentiment to
be created to end acquisition of any
lnore territory, a shutting down on
lax systems by which foreign emigra-
ton comes, our written constitution
properly interpreted by the Suprem"
Court to preserve the autonomy of
the States, the nature of our land
laws, the transfer of public lands in
the very title aiding for public peace,
and a free but not unlicensed press.
III speaking of this Judge Shepherd
said:
Another feature in our govern
ment is a free but not unlicensed
press. This is truly the life blood of
ali free government, and without it
they must perish 1t is true that it
often follows where it should in
struct and lead, but even with this
imperfection, its freedom is the pal
ladium of Republican government"
Continuing, he presented as other
things which give us hope the his
terry and character of the people who
constitute the dominating political
force in our country. a people en-
dued with the principles of liberty,
with a bold, hardy, Independent spirit
sleeping giant of vast physical pow
or; the education of the people.
"Above ALL he said, there must
he cherished with increasing devotion
the memory of the men and the
events which made this free govern
ment possible The scenes of their
heroic struggle must be rescued from
oblivion, and their courage indicated
against the aspersiOns Of ignorance
or malice. Here and there dotted
along the Atlantic slope, are monu-
l1ents erected to their memory. They
are so many meccas of liberty to-
wards which thousands of pilgrims
| turn their faces on every recurrence
| of this Hlustrious day. He who is
| the midst of the busy pursuits of life
| devotes his best energies to this great
work. who has been indirectly instru-
mental in restoring one of these bat
| tlefields and who has successfully vim
! dlcatcd the conduct of those VINO
fought here, is not only an educator
| in the highest sense, but q grand pa
| triot whose memory a grateful people
will not willingly let die. 1t is in
| honor of such an ore that this beau
! tiful monument is unveiled today"
Here Judge Shepherd devoted his
address to the life and history of
Judge Schenck. He traced this in
details and reaching the period of his
life in Greensboro beginning in 1882,
| he paid many tributes to him, recit-
| ing his works in Greensboro, his COR
rcction of the garbled history of Guil-
| ford Battle Ground; the very finding
| of the place itself, the recovery of it
| from a wilderness, it's purchase, the
establishment of the "Gulford Bat
| tie Ground Company, Judge CchenckiS
election as its president, the first cele-
bration on May 5, 1888, the successive
celebrations at which Governor
Vance, Hon. Kemp. Battle, Chief
Justice Walter Clark, Dr. f. A. Alder
man, and others spoke. He told of
| the various monuments erected at
Guilford, and the improvements made,
and then paid a tribute to the present
president, Colonel Joseph NJ. More
head.
He closed this part of his Grafton
by referring to the monument I'M
yelled at Guilford today to the mem
DRY of Judge Schenck and said:
at is a fitting tribute to one of the
most patriotic of North Carolinians,
and the Company has well performed
its pious duty, beautiful as 1t is, and
enduring as it may be, it is, however,
unnecessary in order to preserve his
r.emory The memory of us, says
Pliny, will last if we have deserved
it in our lives. eSted by this the
memory of David Schenck will be
forever cherished in the history of the
State. This restored battlefield and
his great book in VindicatiOn of the
men who fought here, have indisso-
lubIy connected his name with one of
the greatest events of the Revolution,
and are memorials which will live
always in the hearts of his country
men. Rest in peace, dear faithful
friend. Your name and your work
will never be forgotten by North
Carolinians."
In concluding his address, Judge
Shepherd spoke as follows:
"As 1 have said, one of the strong
est hopes we have of preserving this
great republic is in the cultivation of
q spirit of patriotism. And how can
this be better done than by the study
of the heroic devotion of our revolu-
tionarv soldiers. and the marking aGd
adornment of the scenes of their
struggles These are true fountains
of Patriotism. 1t is in this way that
VIC can understand and appreciate
the self-ascrificing spirit that won our
independence and established this
government and it is in this way that
we may be inspired by similar
spirit to preserve them. We have
here a grand example of the patriot
citizen; and if all men were imbued
with his spirit of devotion to the prin
ciples of the Revolution, then, no
matter how threatening the storms