The National tribune., 1907-06-27
FOURTH OF JULY.
Continued from page one.)

guns. the setting free of prisoners, and
festivities in which the wives of the
Generals had been very active, Mrs.
Knox and Mrs. Greene being especially
interested. The year when peace was
declared witnessed the introduction of
the Grafton. Guns and bells, of course,
continued to be very much in evidence,
and toasts We're drunk and responded to
at the dinners which We're provided on
every village green or city common.
George Washington" The ConstiIu-
tion," THE United States" and The
Daughters of America" came in for ii
goodly share of attention in Grafton
and in toast. Squirrels, chickens,
green corn and vegetables of the sea-
son" We're piled upon the tables, and
were free to all, while firewater as well
as fireworks abounded. The introduce
ton of the "oration," however, chiefly
distinguishes the celebration of 1888,
and dates from that time.
The 50th anniversary was the jul
bilee," and was the most elaborate of
all celebrations up to that time. Three
of the signers of the Declaration We're
still living, although the. weakness Of
old age prevented them from taking an
active part in the festivities. The strug-
gle of the South American countries to
throw off the yoke of Spain and the
popular sympathy with Greece helped
to inspire the American people. Bands,
bells, cannon and professions abound
ed, and the oration held Il conspicuous
part. Josiah Quincy was the orator in
Boston, Edward Everett in Cambridge,
while in Washington an honorable
member delivered great speech be-
fore a greater crowd from the steps of
the Capitol. New York had not yet
made so much of the Grafton as had
some of the other cities. but did not lack
in enthusiasm. A long procession
marched from the Battery to Wash
ington Square, and was there reviewed
by Dewitt Clinton, the Governor of
the State. Ten thousand people were
in the assembly. and aided in disposing
of. the "oX. feast which had been pro-
yided- The enthusiasm throughout the
land. was intense. The Monroe doc
trine', the liberty of man. the OPP
preston of effete monarchies' were eX-
pressions used not only by the orators
but. by all men, Doubtless. the Jubilee"
provided a mighty impulse fer the Ma
ton, then just passing out from its
childhood.
) ....-- The Centennial.
Marvellous were the changes which
the so years. had witnessed since the
jubilee; but they We're no greater than
the changes IN the method of celebrat-
ing the great event in American history.
Noise of bells and cannon was still re-
young America, but science, art and
literature all received their due share
of attention. Upon the very spot where
the Republic was born Senator Joseph
r. Hawley extended a welcome to the
friends of all nations assembled there
and then resigned the chair to the Vice
President of the United States. Will
liam NJ. Evarts delivered an oration
upon What the Age Owes to America"
poems by Holmes and Bayard Taylor
were read and "Our National Banner, a
Grand Triumphal March," written by
Dexter Smith, was rendered. Great as
was the enthusiasm manifested in the
quaint old Quaker town, it was but lit
tie in advance of that displayed in
every city and village in the Nation
The "Centenniai' will be remembered
not only for it's material display, but
for its oratiOns and poems as well.
Among the various Fourth of July ora
tors on that occasion were Richard s.
Storrs, Henry Ward Beecher, George
William Curtis, Horatio Seymour, Lu-
cius E. Chittenden, Henry barnard
Cortlandt Parker, John A. Dix, Fernan-
do Wood, Leonard Bacon, Robert C.
Winthrop. Charles Francis Adams and
innumerable other lesser lights.
OF poems. William Cullen Bryant.
John Greenleaf Whittier. Oliver Wen
dell Holmes, Bayard Taylor and others
furnished their best Perhaps the poems
of Bryant and Whittier will live long
not only historic, but also prophetic. He
celebrated the past and did not forget
the future, as he wrote:
And thou, the new-beginning age,
Warmed by the past, and not in vain,
Write on a fairer. whittier page
The record of thy happier reign.
There is far more in the meaning of
the 4th of July than is represented by
eloquent speakers dissenting upon the
glory and greatness of our common
country. Important as our cOuntrys
development has been, it is exceeded in
what might be termed the spiritual
value of the event. Prior to the 4th
of July. 1876, the Governments of the
world had all been instituted and car
ried on upon principle diametrically
opposed to the doctrines which We're
enunciated in the Declaration of Inde-
pendence. Those who have not thought
of the theory of Government can spend
a profitable hour considering what are
the basic principles upon which Gov
ernments are established. The first
model that We have of Governments is
that of the Jewish, which was estab-
lished upon the principle of worship to
that God were grouped together and
governed by the priests who served
God This was a genuine theocracy.
and served as the model for the many
Governments of the past and present.
The Empcrors of Japan and China, for
example, claim direct descent from
the gods and to be their vicegerents on
earth. They have thus acquired tho
right to govern other men: to say what
they shall or shall not do; to take from
them such portions of theirs property
as pleascs them and even to put them
to death whenever it suits their pleas
ure or their ideas Of right. These peo-
pie only exist for the benefit of the En-
perOr. All the present Governments OF
Europe, except those of England.
France, and Switzerland are founded
on much the same principle. In some
way the monarch is supposed to be con-
nected directly with God; to be placed
over his people by divine interposition
and to be thus empowered to absolutely
rule all the people of the country. The
wealth, life and death of everybody are
in their hands.
This theory is followed even in the
establishment of Constitutional Govern.
ments.
The King of Italy granted a Consti-
tuition to his subjects. He said in this
grant that ne would give over Il portion
of his powers to a Parliament, and If
this body exercised those powers wisely
he would give Them more and if not,
ne would withdraw that which he had
given. The same is true Of the Empe-'
rors of Germany and Austro- Hungary
At one time the King of Prussia, under