Year: 1874

OUR NATIONAL ANNIVERSARY.


There arc periods IN the existence of Q
nation, when the mind of its people IS IT,
resistibly tempted to glance retrospective
~ into the past, to review in succession
the leading events which constitute the
chain Of the nations history, and 20 pass
in judgment upon the bearing which each
may have had upon the after and future
welfare Of the country. Then to turn
prospectively to the great future TO
strive in the imagination to fathom It's
hidden depths 10 lift the veil from its
unrevealed secrets and pierce the dark
obscurity in which they rest. This day,
around which cluster so many patriotic
remembrances, is the one above all others
to recall to the American heart the deeds
Of valor which won for US n land of free
dom. 1t has been ftly called the Sab
bath day Of American Liberty. For, al
though Bunker Hill and Lexington, with
many other spots, were consccrated to
patriotic recollection before the day on
which the delegates of the United Colo
nics put forth to the world, their declara-
ton of the newborn nations freedom !;
although the blood Of the chosen mar
tyrs Of liberty had crimsoned the soil Of
every State Of the Old Thirteen prior to
lhc 4th Of July, 177G yet it was not an
til that day that the tie Of allegiance
which bound the colonies to the mother
country was formally severed, ard civil
liberty, following close upon the foot
steps Of religious freedom, declared in
the young republic Of the Western
World.


The march Of Time has been un-
ceasing, and with the chime Of the mid
night bell we enter upon the last year but
one Of the century which marks our ex-
i.tence as n nation. They, to whom we
owe our liberties ; to whom all the We
publics of the New World are indebted
for the example of self-goyernment have
passed away. Ofthe men Of the Revo-
luton, who stood in the ranks when the
Declaration OF Independence was read in
front Of the armies, mono are living to see
the power and extent Of the mighty en-
pire which has grown from the beginning
then made. None could have dreamed
Of the wide eXpanse of territory which
would, ere the seasons of Il century pass
cd away, bow in allegiance to the banner
under which they marched to battle
Their country was the narrow belt be-
tween the Atlantic on the one side, the
Great Lakes and the Mississippi on the
other. The shores of the Pacific were to
them an unknown land nor could they
have been made to believe that ere the
years Of a century were numbered, proud
States would arise upon those unknown
shores, claiming n common heritage in the
glory Of their deeds.


Yet such is the case. To-day we can
look back through the years that have in
tcrvencd since our fathers took the decis-
i've step which gave our country birth,
and mark the advances it has made from
decade to decade, until the close Of tho
century will Xhibit a growth Of national
power unequaIed in the annals OF history.
We see how, commencing even before in
dependence was achieved, the tide Of
civilization began setting toward the
West, rodccming the Wilderness from
the dominion OF the sayares to create new
States for the homes OF fjcemen, On
ward toward the setting sun this tide has
rollod with ro@istlcSs power, and on ~
when its pioneers crossed the continent
to lay the foundation of empire upon the
shores Of the broad Pacific, was its pro-
gress stayed. We have seen how, step
by step our country has advanced in the
scale Of nations, until she now rank. with
the first powers Of the civilized world
But three generations have passed since
that day, yet in that brief hour of nation
al life our population has increased to
more than forty millions, from the thrco
millions who rallied at the sound Of the
tocsin Of liberty century ago.


These are fitting thoughts for this great
day. With the lessons Of the past to
guide Us in the future, the path Of patri-
otic duty is plain. Chcrishing the mem
ories Of those who pledged "their lives,
their fortunes, and their sacred honor"
to maintain the declaration put forth up
on this sacred day, let us form n firm res
olution to guard with jealous vigilance
the Temple Of Liberty given to our care,
to transmit the noble heritage given US
to the generations which shall succeed
our own.


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