Year: 1876

confines OF the Grecian States The laws the customs
the impulses and sentiments Of the people have gwen
wider and wider range and license 10 the agtations
OF the press, multiplied and more frequent
Tor he exercise Of the suffrage, larger and larger
communication OF ITS franchise. he progress OF a
hundred years finds these prodgious activities in
their fullest piay-nccssant and ali poweriul-inds-
pensable in the habits OF the people, and lie
In their affections. Their public service, and their
subord nation to the public safety stand their play
upon one another and in their freedom thus main
tained Neither could long exist IN true vigor In our
niprcsent ndomtabe energy of the press the
frage would dDguish would be subjugated by the
minstration OF the AFFAIRS OF great nation imposes
upon II, and fall prey to that 'vast patronage
which we are told "ds.racied, corrupted
the otncr hand, II the Impressions OF the press
upon the opinions and passions OF the people found
settled and ready mode OF their working out through
the frequent peaceful suffrage tho people would be
driven, satisfy their displeasure government
Their iovo OF change, 10 the coarse methods Of barr-
clare that the original principles OF equal society and
popular government still inspire the laws, live in the
their hopes. These principles have not lost their
spring elasticity. They have srficed for all the
methods OF government in the past; We feel no lear
for their adequacy in the future.


PossEssloNs TO-DAY.


Unity. liberty, power. prosperty-these arc our
possessions to-day. Our territory is safe against
foreign dangers; its completeness dissuades from
.nrihe ambitions to extend It, and its rounded SYM
merry discourages all attempts to dismembcr IL No
division into greatly unequal parts would bo olerable
to citherno imaginable union Of interests passions
large enough TO include half the country, but
embrace much more The madness OF partition into
numerous and tecblo fragments could proceed only
from the hopeless degradation of the people, aud
would form but a. incident general ruin. The
spirit OF the nation is at the highes,-its triumph
over the Unborn. inbred perIls OF its constituti
has chased away all fears justified u hopes,
and with universal Joy we greet this day. We have
not proved unworthy OF great ancestry; we have had
the virtue to uphold what they wisely, firmly
tablished With these proud possessions OF tho past



habits formed the nation passes as it WERE from pre-
paratory growth TO responsible development OF char
actor and the steady performance duty. What
abors await it, what trials shall attend it, what tr-
umphs for human nature, what glory for itself, arc
prepared for this people The coming century
not assume 10 iorete. "One generation passeh away
and another generation cometh but tho earth abdcih
forever. and reverently hope that these
sttuted liberties shall be maintained to the unending
line OF our posterty and so long as tho earth itself
shall endure.


HOLD PLACE.


In the great procession OF nations in the great march
OF humanity, We hold our place. Peace is duty,
peace policy. In its arts its abors and its
tories then, find scope tor all energies rewards
for all ambitions renown cnoul Tor all love
and fame In tho august presence of many nations
which, by their representatives, have done the
honor TO be witnesses OF our commemorative Joy and
graduation aud in sight of the collected evidences Of
the greatness Of their own civilization with which they
grace our celebration, We may well confess how much
we fall short, how much we have 10 make up, in tho
cumulative competitions OF the times Yet, in
this presence and with just difference to the age, tho
power the greatness OF the other nations OF the earth,
We do not fear to appeal to the opinon OF mankind
whether We point TO our land, people and
laws. the contemplation should not inspire with
lovers enthusiasm tor our country.


CENTENNIAL.


Tnc makes no pauses in his march Even while
speak the last hour OF the recedng is replaced by the
first hour of the coming and reverence for the
past gives way to the joys and hopes the activities and
the responsibilities OF the future. A hundred years
hence the piety OF that generation will recall the
ancestral glory which celebrate to-day and crown IT
with the paudts of vast population which man
can number By The mere circumstance of tins
gpcriodcity our generation will be III the mnds in the
hearts, the lips Of countrymen at
the next Centennial commemora;on in com
lion and with the great founders of the nation.
What shall they say Of usg how shall they estimate
the part bear in the unbroken line Of the nations
progress? And so on, IN the long reach of time. for
xnd forever place in the secular roll Of the
must always oring into observation and crit
cism. Under this double trust. then, from the past
and for the future let us take heed tn ways and
while is called to-day resolve that the great heritage
we have received shall bc handed down through the
long line of the advancing generations. the homo OF
liberty the abode of justice, the stronghold OF aith
among men, (which holds the oral clements OF the
world together" ana OF faith in God which binds that
world TO bis throne


CONCLUDING CEREMONIES.


At the close OF Mr. Evarts Oratlon the orchestra and
chorus played the Halalujah Chorus, from Handel's
'Messah. and the ceremonies of the day concluded
with the singing OF the DoxoIogy, the "Od Hundred" "