The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-07-20
DELIVERED ON THE FOURTH OF
JULY TO A GROUP OF DlPLo-
MATS AND CITIZENS GATHERED
AT WASHINGToN'S TOMB.


Gentlemen of the Diplomatic Corps
and My Fellow Citizens: | am happy
to draw apart with you to this quiet
place of old counsel, in order to speak
a little of the meaning of this day
of our nations independence. The
place seems very still and remote. II
is as serene and untouched by the hur
ry of the world, as it was in those
great days long ago, when General
Washington was here and held leisure
ly conference with the men who were
to be associated with him in the crea
ton of a nation.
From these gentle slopes they
looked out upon the world and saw
it whole; saw it with the light of the
future upon it; saw it with modern
eyes, that turned away from a past
which men of liberated spirits could
no longer endure.
Fulfilling Promise.
ut is for that reason that we can
not feel, even here, in the immediate
presence of this sacred tomb, that
this is a place of death. 1t was place
of achievement. A great promise, that
was meant for all mankind, was here
given plan and reality.
''The associations, by which we are
here surrounded, are the inspiring as
sociations of that noble death, which
is only glorious contamination. From
this green hillside we also ought tC
be able to see with compromising
eyes the world that lies about us; and
should conceive anew the purposes
that must set men free.
1T is significant-signific OF
their own character and purpose anG
of the influences they were setting
afoot-that Washington and his asso
ciates, like the barons at Runny
meade, spoke and acted not for a class
but for a people. 1t has been left fol
us to see to it that it shall be under
stood that they spoke and acted not
for a single people only, but for al
mankind.
Thought Not of Selves.
"They were thinking not of them
selves and of the material interests
which centered in the little groups OF
landholders and merchants and men oil
affairs with whom they were accus
toned to act, in Virginia and the col
onies to the north and south of her
but of a people which wished to be
done with classes and special interests
and the authority of men whom they
had not themselves chosen to rule
over them.
They entertained no private pur
pose, desired no peculiar privilege
They were consciously planning that
men of every class should be free, and
America a place to which men out OF
every nation might resort, who wish,
ed to share with them the rights and
privileges of free men.
"And we take our cue from them
do we not? We intend what they in,
tended. We here in America believe
our participation in this present war
to be only the fruitage of what they
planted.
Liberty for Whole World.
"Our case differs from theirs only
in this, that it is our inestimable priv.
ilege to concert with men out of every
nation what shall make not only the
liberties of America secure, but the
liberties of every other people as we'll
We are happy in the thought that we
are permitted to do what they would
have done, had they been in our place,
There must now be settled once for
all what was settled for America in
the great age, upon whose inspiration
we draw today. This is surely a fit
ting place from which calmly to look
out upon our task, that we may fortify
our spirits for its accomplishment
And this is the appropriate place from
which to avow, alike to the friends
who look on and to the friends with
whom we have the happiness to be
associated, the faith and purpose with
which we act.
Points to Helpless Russia.
This, then, is our conception of the
great struggle in which we are en-
gagged. The plot is written plain upon
every scene and every act of the SUI
preme tragedy. On the one hand
stand the peoples of the world-not
only the peoples actually engaged, but
many others also who suffer under
mastery but cannot act; peoples OF
many races and in every part of the
world-the people of stricken Russia
still, among the rest, though they are
for the moment unorganized and help
less.