Year: 1867

which might be arra,cd Asaiast it. but when
torn and weakened by dissensions at home, each
ieii an easy prey to the haad of the invader
Luis was the instructive lesson set before US
how much We have pro6ted by its teachings and
low narrowly we have escaped destruction from
the same causes, they who are at once the living
witnesses and judges are before me to-day. A
feeling of solemn awe strikes upon me as ap-
proach this the third great era of our nation s
history. The first was marked by the settlement
q our country, the second by its independence,
the third by the war for its preservation. While
we meet to-day to give thanks over our country s
Eafety and rejoice in the blessings which that
safety has secured to ourselves, we feel that our
praise should be rendered alike to the Pilgrim
Fathers who frst planted the seeds OF Liberty
in the Western World; to the heroes of the Rev.
olution, who, having achieved independence,
sought to so frame our government as to secure
TO the people its greatest blessings; ana 10 tue
brave spirits Of own day, who rallied to the
standard of the Union and bore it proudly on TO
victory. We have passed grandly through the
most fiery ordeal to which n nation can be SUBJ
jected, and henceforth the pathway of our coun-
try will be marked by career of glory and
greatness which its past, prosperous though it
has been, will pale before, as the moonbeams
fade in the light OF the morning sun.


It's ne easy task at this time, when this Or
deal is yet fresh in Our minds, to speak calmly
and dspassionately upon the theme. Its scenes
are too fresh in our memories each and all of
MS have acted some part in that great drama,
and formed opinions which will remain un-
changed through all coming time. To the his
1orian in fature years-to the orator of this day
century hence, when all the actors now on the
stage shall have mouldered into dust, will be
committed the task of looking back into the
past. and saying how much justification, if any
be urged for those who kindled the flames of
war in a peaceful, happy land, and sought to
overthrow that Government which had ever been
their protection aad their pride. While those
who in many a hard-fought field upheld the
standard Of their country, are mingled in our
thrones to-day, and in every kindred one in the
land while the symbols of mourning and woe
nre saen in every household ; while the MANNED
and crippled soldiers of the Union met
every hand, and the wall of the widow and the
orphan falls upon the ear, we, who have assem-
bled to celebrate thetannirersary of the nations
birth, cannot be expected to speak dispassion-
:.te!y of that act which sought to blot the nation
from existence. Nor do we wish to sit in jndg-
Inent upon our own actions-by the verdict of
syosterity let them be judged.


The feeling of patriotism - the love of that
Sand which gave US birth, and which has thrown
lts chershing protection around the heartstones
%: our home, is of the nobest in the human
heart, yet when perverted or misapplied, it be-
comes dangerous to the liberties Of that land
which it seeks to serve. The unscruplous ambi-
lion Of leading men in the South sought to with
draw that portion of the Union from its allegi
ance to the common government, and establish
another more in accordance with the views
which held in that section upon certain
questions of national Importance. How often
this attempted before it enlisted the sympn-
1hy Of any great portion of the Southern people,
has become matter Of history, and it was only
when at last plausible pretext was found, that
the appeal so often made to the misguided pat
riotsm Of the masses became in a measure sue
ressful, and the flames of civil war spread over
1he land This the hour of the nations
danger-an hour which called upon her patriotic
sons to rally in her defence. And the appeal
was not made in vain. The echoes of the guns
which hurled their iron messengers against the
ramparts of Sumter had not died away in the
land when another sound was heard-the march
of armed legions TO the defence Of the National
Capitol.


successful result for the insurgents in their
war for the dismemberment of the Union would
have left us hopelessly divided, perpetually at
variance upon international issues, with no hope
of reconciliation in the future. The precedent
once established that any State had a right TO
dissolve its connection with the others, would
have been followed to an unlimited extent when
ever there was conflict Of interests, which un-
scrupulous politicians would eagerly have grasp
ed 10 work upon the sectional feeling, and pro-
mote their selfish aims. But the intelii-
gence and patriotism of the country was more
than equal to the occasion it foresaw the dread
consequences which would follow dissolution
of the ties which united us together, and putting
forth its whole strength, crushed the conspiracy
aoainst its unity and happiness, and stands to-
day upon more solid, more enduring basis,
than before And now we trace out the po-
sitcal history OF Cur country for the past forty
years. and see how long and how earnestly the
leaders of disun;on strove 10 accomplish their
Lpo- hat
come sooner or later; that all compromises
which would haze involved surrender OF right
10 the demands of seryie expediency, would
have been worthless and that the sooner 1t was
fought and its issues decided, the sooner the ma
lion could resume its onward march toward the
zenith of lis greatness.


An appeal to the fortunes Of war to secure re-
dress of injuries, recognition OF just rights,
should be the last resort of civilized people,
vet from the carnage of the battlefield, and the
blackened ruins of smouldering cities, there will
often arise blessings which amply compensate
the horrors and desolaton that war inevitably
brings in its train. We meet to-day in our ma
tiona jubilee; we look upon that banner known
and honored to the ends of the earth as the en-
bem of our freedom, and no blush of shame
tinges the cheek, no inward thought mars the
joyousness Of our greetings, that with our songs
of thanksgiving which ascend to heaven will be
mingled the moan of the bondsmau-the cries
pud tears Of the enslaved. That hour, thank
God, has gone, and gone forever No more
through the streets of populous cities will file
the sad procession of manacled men, whose only
crime is their color. Never again within sight
of the dome of the nation IS Capitol will be heard
the sound of the auctioneer's hammer as 1t con-
signs human beings to the mercies of the highest
bidder. This has been our great national sin,
and deep and bitter has been the atonement.
The blood of four hundred thousand of our best
and bravest, who went forth under the banner of
their country never to return, has done much in
the way of atonement, and it remains for us to
do the rest. And it will be done Revolutions
never go backward, and there is a revolution in
public sentiment which is advancing over the land
with giant strides, and no exercise of the - one
man power can check or hurl it back, no more
than it could hurl back the resistless tides Of the
ocean, or forever stop the onward flow of a
mighty river to the sea-


I can see nothing in the future of our country
but wha, is brigh, and full Of promise. ! look
forward TO the day when every feeling OF bitter
ness engendered BY the late conflict shall have
passed away, and naught remain in memory save
tha -la hat roUa heeO achieved