Arizona republican., 1904-07-07
Gathering at the Birthplace
 of the Republican Party
UNDER THE SACRED OAKS
Celebration at Jackson, Mich, of the Semi.Centennial of an 0rganiza- tion of ofnarvelous Accomplishments. Eloquent Address by John Hay.

| Jackson, Mich. July 6.-Five thou sand people assembled in Loomis Park here today to celebrate the fiftieth an- niversary of the birth of the republican party, under the oaks" in this city, July 6, 1854. It was here on that date that the first state convention acting under the name of republicans" was held. The state ticket nominated on that day went through heated cam paign to election day to success.
 Secretary of the State John Hay. who was private Secretary to Abraham Lin coin, the first republican president, was the orator of the day. Other distin- guished guests present were Speaker Cannon Of the national house of repre- sentatives. Senator Fairbanks Of Ind.- ana, republican candidate for vice pres ident and United States Senator R. A. Alger and J. c. Burrows of Michigan.
 The city :S hung with bunting, and band concerts on the main streets pre- kceded the arrival of Secretary Hay and Senator Fairbanks with company If prominent republicans on a special train from Detroit. Speaker Cannon arrived last night. At the morning eX- lercises at Loomis Park, Mayor Todd delivered a hearty welcome and Gov ernor Aaron T. Bliss briefly responded. Attorney General Charles A. Blair of Jackson then read an able paper on the history of the republican party.
 Thomas J. O'Brien of Grand Rapids, the next speaker was introduced as one of the participants in the original "un- der the oaks" convention of 1854. M-. O'Brien as well as MT. Blair, had for his subject The History of the Re- publican Party in Michigan
 An interesting feature of the exer- cises was a body of Fremont voters and for the men who cast their ballots for the path finder" prominent seats had been reserved. Grand Army un- forms, crutches and silvered locks
 were conspicuous among them and the rapt attention of these charter repAb- licans was notable.
 When the morning exercises at the Grove were concluded, the distinguish ed guests were driven to Hotel Otsego,
 where they were rendered a reception. Then theer was half hours interrup- tion of the days programme for lunch con. In the afternoon the programme at the grove was resumed. A tremend- ous audience was present when Sena- tor J. C. Burrows, of Michigan intro duced Secretary of State John Hay, orator of the afternoon. Secretary Hay said:
 A century is but a moment of his-
 tory: it has often happened that sever- al of them have passed away, since
 men began their deeds, with Ettie
 change in the physical aspect or the moral progress of the world. But at
 other times-of intense action and , spiritual awakening-a single genera
 tion may form an epoch; and few periods of equal duration in political i annals have been so crowded with
 great events as the fifty years we cele- bEate today. Under the oaks of Jack son on the 9th of July, 1854, party was . brought into being and batiZed, which
 eyer since has answered the purposes of its existence with fewer follies ard
 failures and more magnificent achieve f ments than ordinarily fall to the lot of any institution of mortal origin. This . historic party is only now in the full , maturity of it's power and it's capacity
 for good. We lcok back upon a pas;
 of unparalleled usefulness and glory
 with emotions of thankfulness and
 pride we confront the future and its
 exacting problems with a confidence
 born of the experience of difficulties
 surmounted and triumphs achieved iT paths more thorny and ways more ard
 uous than any that are likely to chal. enGe the courage and the conscience
 of the generation which is to follow us Ii is meet that at this stage of oul journey we should review the past anC read it's lessons. and in it's light take
 heart for what lies beyond.
 The republican party had Q noble origin. It sprang directly from ar
 aroused and indignant national con science. Questions of finance, of polit ! | ical economy, of orderly administration 1 passed out of sight for the moment tt q be taken up and dealt with later on 5 But in 1854 the question that brough the thinking men together was whether 4 there should be a limit to the aggres 5 sions of slavery; and in 1861 that sol 4 emn inquiry turned to one still mort 9 portentous, should the nation live O, q die? The humblest old republican il ! America has the 'r:ght to be prouC q that in the days of his youth in tn, 3 presence of these momentous questions q he judged right; and ir he is sleeping in his honored grave his children ma! N justly be glad of his desision.
 
 ever forget the ardent enthusiasm C q those days? It was one of those pc S riods, rare in the life of any natio1 N when men forgot themselves and, il z spite of habit, of interest, and Of preju 3 dice, follow their ccnscienc" whereve N they may lead. Tn the clear, keen ali that was abroad the best men in tn & country drew deep CT breaths and ros d to a moral height they had not befor d attained. The movement was univer sal. Sumner in the east Seward il d | New York, Chase in Ohio, Bates in Mis- q souri, Blair in Maryland, all sent foIt q their identical appeal to the highe q motive; and in Illinois, where the mos
 popular man in the state boldly ant cynically announced, "I don't car whether slavery is voted up or votet
 down." voice, new to the nation, re