Year: 1876

the various towns ana clues OF inc y Hiteu
States for grand expression of national JOY
on the hundredth anniversary OF American
independence. The festivities on this occa-
sion will surpass and eclipse every manites-
tation of public rejoicing which has taken
place on this continent or in any part OF the
world during the long stretches OF time
which comprise the history of the human
race. The greater part OF our forty millions
of freemen will participate IN this glorious
celebration, and our means of giving express
sion to national feeling exceed those
of any people in the world, because
the average we'll being of our citizens
is so great that they do not mind
spending money freely on public occasions.
Although we are suffering under prolonged
stagnation of business the standard of COM
fort in this country is SO high that millions
will be expended in this anniversary week
and our people will not feel perceptibly
poorer by the indulgence of their demonstra-
tive patriotism.


The contrast between the celebration Of
this great anniversary and the original re-
joicings of the people when the news Of the
Declaration reached them one hundred years
ago is of itself signal illustration OF the
wonderful growth of this country in all the
elements of material and social well being
In genuine fervor OF feeling and deep
sincerity of national JOY We have no
ground for boastful comparisons with our
patriotic forefathers. When the Declara-
ton was published to the world it was
greeted, in every part of the country, with
all the tokens of enthusiastic appreciation
and exultant thanksgiving which were within
the means of IA frugal but profoundly earnest
population. We had not then spread over
the continent from ocean to ocean we oc-
cupied but narrow strip on the Atlantic
coast our towns and cities were small and
insignificant as compared with the teeming
millions which now inhabit them; in
wealth and art and luxury the contrast was
still greater than in numbers and territorial
expansion but then, as now, we were an en-
thusiastic and demonstrative people, and the
Declaration of Independence was met every
where with great outpouring of popular ap-
prevail But in grand scenic effect there is lit
tie resemblance between the rejoicings of 1776
and those of 1876. The warm demonstra-
tions of public feeling one hundred years
ago consisted in the ringing of church bells,
the discharge OF few pieces of brass artil-
lery, bonfires in the streets and the illumina-
ton of houses by tallow candles in the
windows. There was nothing resembling
our grand civic professions, our hundred
millions of flags waving on public buildings
and huttering in the windows of private res


licences in the thousands and thousands of
miles of city streets, the endless blaze Of
coruscating fireworks with emblematic and
artistic designs, and, above oil, the instant
tclegraphic communication and prompt pub
lication by the newspaper press in thou
sands of cities and towns where the country
was wilderness tenanted by Indian
make every locality in our broad and
magnificent domain acquainted on the in
slant with everything done in the interest OF
patriotism within the limits of our glorious
Republic, and which combines over forty
millions Of people in one vast and sympathetic





and 1876 which is fitted to impress the popu-
lar Imagination with the marvellous progress
the country hns made in the first hundred
years of its independence. If we were to
select any one feature which marks the con-
trast and illustrates the wonderful progress
of the country we would fix attention on our
civic societies. The fact that our workmen
and artisans have grown to the dignity of
great organized bodies. that they appear in
public professions and parades as u promi-
nent part of the life the Republic, is noble
testimony to the value of our institutions in
promoting the self-respect of citizens who
contribute to the prosperity of the country.
1t is the peculiar glory of American institu-
tions that they allow free play to the senti-
ments and wishes of every portion of the
community, and that every section and
every peculiar interest can assert it's infu-
ence in the public life of the country. One
hundred years ago we had nothing of this
multiform social and industrial organiza-
ton. 1t is one of the noblest fruits of po-
litical freedom. Every body of citizens
which has. fancies that it has, peculiar
rights to assert or peculiar interests to pro-
mote is free To meet and consult. free to or
ganize and act and enjoys full opportunity
for impressing its views and its claims on
public attention 1t is the glory Of our in
stitutions that not only every individual
citizen is free to proclaim his senti-
ments. but that every class en-
lows perfect liberty to associate and
to impress its views public attention
with the nd vantage which results from num-
bers aud association. The appearance of
multitudinous civic associations in the
parades of this great centennial celebration
not only -attests Il great advance in the or