The Cook County news-herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Cook County, Minn.) 1909-current, 1917-05-30
The SPIRIT Of '76.
BY N. P. Parsons.


often been recounted, but it is ever
new because the principles for which
it stands are still with us, nourished
and cherished by the great grand
sons as they by the great grandsiHes
of these sons. The spirit of '76 was
an age-old spirit; it's fruition was
the result of evolution; it was the
spirit of liberty, and it reached the
full sunburst of it's splendor in the
heroes and sages of '76, when the
voice of Patrick Henry from the
mountains echoed that of James Otis
by the sea. They united in demand
ing certain inalienable rights and
reliefs from English tyranny and
oppression for the people of the col
OnieS.
They were denied those rights by
the English government, and moth
ing was left them but an appeal to
the God of Battles or submission to
the chains and slavery. Inspired by
the highest and hottest spirit
Spirit Of Liberty-they entered upon
the struggle to secure their God-gi-
ven rights and Heaven smiled down
upon them and their efforts and
at last crowned them with success.
1t is Spirit that I am holding up
to be honored, reverend and immita-
ted. The desire for Liberty, and
the hatred Of oppression are as old
as the human race. This same spirit
in it's first dawning caused the child
rem Of Jacob to wander forty years
in the Sinatic wilderness in order to
seek freedom from their Egyption
task-masters. 1t later animated the
breasts of Miltiades, Aristades, The
mistocles and the nameless Grecian
heroes in that first decisive battle
where freedoms field was won," and
Persia's glory faded at Marathan.
The spirit is inherent in mankind,
and only long ages of oppression can
subdue it.
The same spirit. inspired Leonidas
and his three hundred Spartans at
the Pass of Thermopylae and left
the remembrance of his heroism and
devotion as a sacred legacy to all
succeeding times and generations. It
inspired the Roman citizens in the
time Of the Consuls, and before they
had grown enervated and weak
through wealth and dissipation this
spirit was transplanted, along with
the bronze eagles and legions of
Rome, to the British Isles, and en-
grated alike on Celt and Saxon
where it hourished and shined until
it appeared to be extinguished in
oceans of Saxon blood shed at the
Battle of Hastings only showing it.
self when conditions grew unbear-
able; and at such times showing
sparks Of vigor and power such as
forced the Magma Charter from the
hands of the tyrant John on the his
toric field Of Runnymede.
The attempted tyranny and usur-
pations of Charles the First fully
aroused and Weakened it from it's
slumbers, and brought forth a Ham.
den, a Cromwell, a Milton, and a
host of others, who for a time were
successful; but conditions were not
yet ripe for the full Towering of the
plant of Liberty.
Tie spirit of Liberty was carried
across the seas and planted in the
New World, where it was nourishec
and tended until full grown, able tx
make it's demands and insist these
demands be met. 1t was the spirit
full grown and inspiring that ami
mated the breasts of those embat
tied farmers, who "fired the shot
heard around the world" at Concord
Washington was the embodiment O.
this spirit. He was misrepresented
ard had he failed the scaffold would
have been his portion; but success!
crowned his efforts, and his name i
one of the few, the immortal name
that death can never stay. He woul<
have deserved the same honor hal
he failed that he secured by his tri
umph, but it would have passed
northumberland undeserved.
The spirit of '76 surmounts all oh
stacles; remains tranquil, impassive
unmoved in the face of seeming de
feat, and oft times accomplished tn
declared impossible. That spirit
still with US. 1t has been hande
down from father to son. 1t in
spired Perry at Lake Erie; Jackso
at New Orleans and Taylor at Buen
Vista and Montery. It manifesto
itsef during the Civil War in thos
who carried the Stars and Stripe
to victory, and those who went dow
into the Valley of Defeat under tn
Stars and Bars Of the Southland. 1
reached it's loftiest manifestation
perhaps, on the slope of Cemeter,