Newark post., 1910-08-31
BATTLE OF COOCH'S BRIDGE
HONOR THE DAY ON HALLOWED
GROUND

ONOUNU
TO most Of us the power of assocla-
ton has great influence. Reverence
for the scenes OF exalted deeds Is
deeply planted III our breasts. he
onward rush every year to Europe is
in great part to visit the scenes where
deeds great and good have made
History.
What wave of imagination surges
over the student who stands amid the
ruins o the Acropois. Napoleon
felt it in Egypt when he said, Sol
diers. forty generations look down
upon YOU" Germanicus enjoyed 1t
when he divested himself OF all insig-
MIA of power on his visit to Athens;
Julius shed tears on quitting the bow
ers of Greece; Leo Allatries wept
over the ruins OF the house in which
Homer had lived. He whose heart is
not excited upon the spot which mar
tyrs have sanctihed by their sutferings
is cold indeed.
To stand amid the ruins OF Pom
pcii, to bow head under the crurnb-
ling arches of Rome, to wander
around the coliseum by moonlight, to
walk out on the worlds battlehelds-
all are things which bring to the true
man feelings that have never been
put in words, except in the rare in
stances OF Hugo on the field OF Wa
terloo or a Lincoln on the battle
ground OF Gettysburg.
Just recall Thermopylae. Runny-
mede, Wagram, Waterloo or our own
Concord, Lexington, Saratoga, Bran
dywne, Valley Forge and Yorktown,
or OF later period, Antietam, Viii
derness, Gettysburg! What do these
names and places mean?
America as we'll as the old world
has an ever growing list OF names
and spots consecrated by their asso-
ciation with the struggles for liberty.
Our country has had moments as vital
and scenes as sacred as has the old
world with its centuries teeming with
love and strife The Declaration at
Independence Hall has more sisnih-
canoe than the treaty at Runnymede,
The light kinded by those sturdy Co
lonals reflects today in every school
and church, in every institution and
home that is truly American-it re-
fleets MAN at his best III all History.
As he visits those walls, one takes
vows for truer, robler and better
manhood--or in word he deter
mines to better represent what the
world calls America"
The Delawarean who visits that hall
and in imagination sees the Adams
and Lees, the Jeffersons and Carols,
soon hears the clatter OF the hoois OF
his own Caesar Rodney and he real
ICES that Delaware. too, played part
that the ride of Rodney only needs
Longftllow 10 make it the most
vital and momentous ride i'll history
He is led. in his reyeries, over the
flag, to the. scene where ii was hrs'
unfured in battle and that brings hin
to the beautiful spot that should be
sacred not only to Delawareans but
to the whole nation--aye to every pco
pie on the globe where the word LIB
ERTY means THAT all men are ere
ated free and equal" interpreted To-
day To every man a chance.
And where was this flag first un
furled and defended by men wht
made their theory OF freedom real
ity! This flag that today stands TO
what is true, honored and loved OF
every land and sea-WheTe7
Right here. 1t Cooch's Bridge,
pleasant walk from Newark, wher
the monument marking the spot
graces the bank of the Christiana.
Excepting Independence Hall itsel
there is no spot in the United State
that is more sacred than this plac
where on September sd, TIT, a ban
Of patriots were defeated by over
whelming numbers Of the BritisI
force.
As Saturday brings the annversar
Of this day, shall we not take our chll
dren and go out to this hallowe
ground and reteil the story Of Della
wares part in our early struggle, c
her glorious heritage and say wit
Lincoln 1T is rather for us to b
here dedicated to the great task re
naming before us-that we take in
creased devotion to that cause 70
which they gave the last full measur
of devotion
Standing uncovered before the float
ing flag would we not resolve to here
after revel in the sentiment that
inspires and step ont on the tirin
line to fight our country's battle!
even in the times called peace. w
shall be inspired TO give to her prot
lens today the same energy the he
roes of bygone days did. Toda,
when our country so needs men, l.
us reconsecrate ourselves,
Lest we forget"