The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-05-29
MEMORIAL SERVICES
Continued From Page One.D

Almost a century and a half has
passed since the founders of this ma
tion broke Through the cramping
shell of colonial dependence, declar-
ed themselves absolved from all
foreign allegiance and took the first
step toward free and Independent
place in the worlds great family of
nations.
There were then but thirteen
feeble colonies, with population of
about 100000, thinly lining the
Atlantic coast from the st. Law
renee to the Savannah. These were
sprung from different nationalities,
reared in different religious tradi-
tions, with no common government
and here through very adverse in
fluences. They were a mixed peo-
pie, widely scattered people with but
little promise of becoming one great
homogeneous nation. Common ne
cessities, however. tended to bring
them together for mutual protection.
George Ill was then on the throne
of Great Britain which claimed do
minion over these colonies. He was
one of the most narrow minded, ar
bitrary, obstinate and stupid kings
that ever occupied the throne of
England. He did not hesitate to tax
and oppress his American subjects
in the most unreasonable and often
sive ways and sought to enforce up
on them tyrannical domination.
1t was more than human nature
enlightened as to it's rights could
quietly endure. Our fathers re-
monstrated, petitioned and appealed
by all the ties of blood and all the
demands of righteous and loyal de-
votion for the removal of these glar-
ing wrongs inflicted upon them and
their children, but their humble cries
were answered only by repeated in
juries. MerCenary armies came to
force them into submission, plunder-
ing their seas, ravaging their coasts,
burning their towns, and destroying
the lives of their people Hence 1876
years ago in the old State House,
Philadelphia, Pa, the representa-
tives in general congress assembled,
appealing to the supreme judge of
all the world, solemnly published and
declared that these united colonies
were, and of a right ought to be,
free and Independent states; and for
the support of this declaration, they
mutually pledged to each other their
lives, their fortunes and their sacred
honor
Alas the thirteen separate colon
les were not yet a nation. They
needed to pass through the fires of
revolution-they needed to be weld
ed into tirmer unity. How could l 3
separate sOyereignities treat with
foreign governments? How could
they ever hope to keep peace with
one another? Separate and several
with as many armies, as many fleets
and as many diplomatic corps as
there were states, how were they to
take their place amid the rivalries of
commerce and the perpleXities of
foreign entanglements? There need
ed yet to be a national constitution
built.
But the men were found for the
task. Strong hands and farseeing
intellects selected and fitted the
mountain rocks of freedom into the
gigantic fabric of an enduring COM
pact. AS in every moral crisis, God
supplied the man for the hour, so
He sent a Jefferson to give express
sion to the Declaration of Independ-
ence-a Washington to lead the
Colonial forces to victory and an
Alexander Hamilton to frame the
mighty arches of glorious national
confederation.
Across the storm-tosseu Atlantic
INC must pow III ldllOl Oll lClu Vi
sea sounded its protest. Then came
the battles of Lexington and Bunker
Hill and Monmouth and Long Island
battles-then came gaunt wasting,
consuming pestilenCe that "stalketh
at noonday"-then came famine,
starvation and contlagration-then
came the heartrending cries of or
phanage and widowhood and the 13
colonies went through sufferings
such as the historian, the artist and
the sculptor could not portray on
paper canvas, marble or bronze.
Since then, those 100000 of
people have grown to more than 90,-
0,000, those thirteen feeble colo
nies to As states and the Stars and
Stripes then unfurled to the breezes
of heaven have continued to wave
over the land of the free and the
home of the brave" respected and
honored in all parts of the world and
acknowledged and cherished as the
glorious symbal of the happiest, the
freest and the most prosperous ma
tiOn under the blue canopy of
heaven.
BY the slow march of centuries
and tentative experiences Egypt,
Babylon, Assyria, Greece and Rome,
grew into strength and Compacted
into solidity, but a period of six
months was long enough to give
birth to the constitution of these
United States, under which and by
the grace of God, this country has
extended and expanded until the
range of territory over which its flag
is acknowledged and honored can
not be stated in comprehensive Ian
guage.
If the illustrious founders and
preseryers of this nation could re-
turn and take their places again in
this temple of freedom-aye, IL they
could be with us tonight with what
pride could we point out to them
this mightiest of republics which
they created and preserved and you
defended and saved-a blessing to its
people-an asylum for the down
trodden and the oppressed of all
nations and a potent influence in the
affairs of the world; with what pride
would npiDt ont IN than that