USA > Minnesota > Faribault County > The history of Faribault County, Minnesota : from its first settlement to the close of the year 1879 : the story of the pioneers > Part 43
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Our better sentiments and natural impulses and instincts incline us very strongly to the admiration and love of trees and the green, sheltering and homelike groves and wild forests. There is a mys- terious tie between them and us, as though mankind and the trees are in some way a kin. There is a sort of companionship be- tween us.
"I would not say that trees at all Were of our blood and race, Yet lingering where their shadows fall, I sometimes think I trace A kinship, whose far-reaching root Grew when the world began, And made them best of all things mute To be the friend of man."-S. J. C.
We all have or have had associations with trees, they are our friends. Perhaps we played in childhood's years under their pleasant shade and often in maturer years, we have sought rest and peace, on summer days, under their strong, protecting limbs and thick foliage. But there is still another companionship, for where there are trees, there the birds are apt to visit and congregate. But, no trees, no birds. And trees have a voice of their own. That of the pine differs from that of the oak, and that of the oak from the elm, and that of the elm from others. Listen, reader, when the breezes blow and you will hear those low, soft voices. They are whispering, rustling, sometimes sighing and moaning sounds.
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A person residing far out on the treeless prairies, however com- fortable a dwelling he may have, feels that he is, somehow, away from home. A dwelling without, at least, a few trees about it, is lacking something to its comfort as a home. And no other proof of this is necessary. than the fact of the pleasure we all enjoy in the shade of our trees in summer. Trees, and especially a well kept grove, makes a locality homelike. And no man is so poor, that he cannot have a few trees, at least, about his house, either in town or country. It is not remarkable that a lone tree on the prairies, is al- ways a landmark or guide, but it is a little curious to know that peo- ple in its vicinity, are very apt, sooner or later, to visit it and look it carefully over, and that without any very definite motive. The groves, so often called natures' temples of the ever living God, and the great forests, how wonderful they are, how attractive, grand, mysterious, the fresh, pleasant odors, the long aisles, the lofty arches, the world of living beings, whose homes are there, the realm of strange sounds, weird music and dreamy solitude.
But we need not go to the great forests. What more beautiful thing is there in nature, than a well grown, thrifty tree, with its strong body, shapely limbs and green, rustling foliage; and the mysterious life that is in it, and, if a fruit tree, its fragrant blossoms, and then its fruit? Look with an eye of intelligence at such a tree, think how it grows, its uses, its beauty; what can supply its place, what could man do towards making it, with all his skill. All the science and art of the world cannot make a live tree. Only Almighty God can do that.
"There's something in a noble tree- What shall I say? a soul? For 'tis not form, or aught we see In leaf or branch or bole. Some presence, though not understood, Dwells there always. and seems To be acquainted with our mood, And mingles in our dreams."-S. V. C.
Yet some men can see nothing in a tree but the lumber, or fire- wood that is in it, or the value of the fruit it can bear, and will think all our remarks but sentimental nonsense.
But, reader, when yon find a man that admires trees and loves to look at them and work among them, do not say that he is an old crank, or has a soft spot in his head, for that is probably not true, but what is true is this, that you have found one who has intelli- gence enough to appreciate the useful and beautiful, and that has, at least, one good spot in his heart. Let us always remember Arbor day, and plant a tree.
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THREE ITEMS.
The spring was backward and but little seeding was done until about the nineteenth of April, and corn planting was not begun un- til the middle of May.
Wheat was very low in the spring, and during May and June money was exceedingly scarce, in fact during spring and summer hard times prevailed, and as indicating the financial situation, it may be stated that but little of the public taxes was paid until June 1st, and there was greater delay in paying taxes than had been known for years.
A great hailstorm occurred on Saturday, May 20th, and pre- vailed over a large part of the county. A large amount of hail fell. At Blue Earth City the storm was severe, and the windows on the west side of the houses were badly damaged. but no injury, beyond the breaking of glass, was done. The hailstones were larger than had ever been seen before in this county.
THE S. S. ASSOCIATION.
The action, progress and success of great moral and religious societies, no more than those of political parties and commercial corporations, can be overlooked in history. They are the conserv- ing, elevating, purifying influences of society, without which, every human interest would hasten to destruction.
Strange as the statement may appear, at first sight, it is true, that the natural tendency, the bent, so to speak, of every individual, community and state, is to retrograde, to revert to the original con- dition of barbarism and savagery. There is an element of the bar- barous still in the heart of the most civilized races.
An individual, a dozen, or twenty men, isolated from civilized society and free from any external, restraining influences, what- ever their other conditions and surroundings may be, would soon grow reckless, negligent, indifferent, uncouth and depraved, and in less than twenty years, would reach a condition, but little, if any, better than that of a barbarian.
The most cultured state of to-day, if left free from the educa- tional and restraining influences of the teachings of the church and of other religions and moral societies, and the laws of the land, made in pursuance of justice, and morality, or if the influence of these saving agencies became greatly inactive, would, in less than the period of two generations, revert to the conditions of the savage tribes, which so lately roamed over our hills and valleys.
And it is a sad truth that, even with all the conserving, redeem- ing and elevating influences that have been at work in the world, the whole earth, since the day when Cain killed his brother Abel,
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has been a human slaughter house, too terrible to picture. Per- petual wars have deluged the earth in human blood. Even to day, the mightiest energies of great nations are not enlisted for the im- provement and the happiness of their people, but to secure the most efficient means of destroying property and human life. What infer- nal spirit has animated the human race, to make men and nations cach others' worst enemy?
And the so-called "laws of the land," on which so many would depend, who would abolish religious influences, those laws, however wise they might be, would, themselves, be worthless, whatever power should be provided to enforce obedience to them, unless backed by the moral sentiment and the religious conscience of the people, for without these they would be "but ropes of sand." They, whose duty it would be to enforce the laws, would, themselves, be- come corrupt and inefficient. In fact, wise laws would not exist, to begin with, but because of an awakened sense of justice and relig- ious conscience.
And no government worth living under, can long exist without the constant cultivation of the sense of justice and of moral obliga- tion and duty.
To progress, in the path of civilization, onward and upward, even to retain what the world has already secured, requires great, positive, aggressive and perpetual effort and the use of not one, but many moral and religious instrumentalities. To go backward, downward, to degenerate, requires no labor.
The work of the churches and other religious and moral socie- ties, even though they may not, at some particular time, or locality, appear to be making much progress, are still, and after all the ob- jections that may be alleged against them, the real conservators to- day of our civilization, and constantly exercise a mighty influence in behalf of the welfare of humanity. And when these influences are active, progressive and all-pervading, we may look for the happiest conditions of mankind. The contest with the powers of darkness, degradation and destruction, is indeed a mighty one. Among the greatest foes of the human race to day, are intemperance, or in other words, drunkenness, lust, and impurity of thought and conduct, fraud in its hundred garbs, unholy ambitions, lying, the love of money, the worship of wealth, and the studied perversion of truth, even of the Scriptures, to justify evil. And these are some of the ministers plenipotentiary of satan on earth. While in every community there are, happily, some people who labor and give of their time and means to elevate the community, there are also others, whose principles, conduct and work, tend to mislead, de- moralize and degrade it. It certainly seems that every one who loves his country and claims to be a free and an honest man and a
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good citizen should give every encouragement to all religious and reformatory institutions.
We note with pleasure, the sixth annual meeting of the County Sunday School Association, which was held at Wells, on the 30th and 31st days of May. The attendance was quite large, there being delegates present from all parts of the county. The association was in a very prosperous condition, and doing much good work.
Andrew C. Dunn was elected president for the ensuing year, Chas H. Deaborn, secretary, and J. Chestnut, treasurer, and one vice president was chosen from each town in the county. A resolution was adopted instructing the vice presidents to assist in the organi- zation of schools in their respective townships, and to see that proper reports and returns be made, punctually, each year. The reports had always been defective. The session was a remarkably lively and profitable onc.
PARAGRAPHIC PENCILINGS.
March 1st .- A bill passed by congress recommends all counties and towns in the United States to have historical sketches written, for July 4th, of this year, and file a copy with the county clerks, and one with the librarian of congress. This was an excellent sugges- tion, but was not, generally, acted upon. Had it been, much valua- ble local history would have been saved to the world.
May 30th .- The Sultan of Turkey was deposed.
June 25th. - The Custer Massacre occurred, in which Gen. Custer, one of the bravest of the brave, and his whole command of three hundred, were killed by the Indians. Not one person escaped to tell the story.
July 12th .- A violent war raging in European Turkey.
August 1st .- Gen. Belknap, secretary of war, was impeached by the House of Representatives. He was acquitted by the Senate.
October 17th .- President Grant issued a proclamation com- manding certain rifle companies, in South Carolina, to disband in three days. They disbanded.
THE CENTENNIAL. FOURTH OF JULY.
The Fourth of July is the great secular holiday of our people, as it is of the whole nation, and in our local, social life, is a day of great importance. And it is because of this fact the annual cele- brations of the day have been noted through the course of this history. The day was appropriately commemorated, this year, at Blue Earth City. S. J. Abbott, of Winnebago City, read the Declaration, and S. W. Graham, of Blue Earth City, delivered the oration. The day was also celebrated at Delavan, where a large company had as- sembled, to do honor to the occasion. Here Andrew Carson read
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the Declaration, and D. F. Goodrich, of Blue Earth City, was the orator. At these two places were the only formal celebrations in the county.
This being the one hundredth, or the Centennial celebration of American independence, the day was commemorated much more generally throughout the United States than usual, and in many places with extraordinary display. To appropriately signalize the great event, preparations had been made during several preceding years, for a World's Exposition, at Philadelphia, Penn., which opened on the tenth day of May, and closed on the tenth of Novem- ber, and on the fourth of July there was had, in that city, the most costly and magnificent celebration ever seen in America. The Cen- tennial Exposition was gotten up on the most extensive scale, and far surpassed all the world's fairs which had yet been held. It was in truth an exhibition of the natural and manufactured productions, the industries, the works of art of all nations, and there was gath- ered there people from all parts of the globe.
The history of the exposition reads like a splendid romance, and it was in all respects, a fitting, a most magnificent celebration of the one hundredth anniversary of the nation's birth.
Should you ask, what meant the midnight clamor and the sun- rise salute of thundering cannon and ringing bells, and all the dis- play and demonstration to-day? The answer is, that this is the Fourth of July-the anniversary of the birthday of the nation-an event which is not a hazy myth, but a fact, and that the people all over this great nation, celebrate this, the most memorable event, of a political character, in its influences upon the destinies of mankind, that can be found in the records of this world's history. Yea, ver- ily, it looms up like a mountain, above all others.
And we should have clear ideas of the nature, the character of this sublime event, for it was the occasion of a vast stride in hu- man progress made across the line which divides the ages of polit- ical and religious darkness, superstition, bigotry, despotism-the alleged divine and hereditary rights of rules and the slavery of the masses from the age of national freedom, freedom of opinion, of the press, of speech, of conscience, of education, of personal action, the age of the acknowledged equality of men in the eye of the law, in short, the age of civil and religious liberty and self government. For, it must be said, that the fourth day of July, 1776, was not only the birthday of a great nation, which then stepped forth on the world's great stage, to demand recognition, but it was also the occa- sion of the declaration of certain political principles, which form a new departure in governmental science, and which constitute, as all true Americans believe, the only true basis upon which to establish civil government-principles which through all the long, dreary ages
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of despotism, men never dared to proclaim before, and which shall forever hereafter inure to the blessing of our people. and after a while, to that of all mankind.
Read that declaration made on the fourth day of July, 1776. thoughtfully, and then tell us, student of history, at what other time and by what other body of men, or nation, or on what pages of the writers on political science, were the great truths announced, or more than vaguely suggested to the world. that are contained in that paper ?- The truth that all men are created equal, politically- that by their Creator they are endowed with certain inalienable rights, among which are, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness -that to secure these rights, governments are established-that government derives its just powers from the consent of the governed -that when any government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the governed to alter or abolish it, and institute such government as will secure these rights, and the safety and happi- ness of the governed. No such declaration was ever made before. Never before did men dare to make it. For ages men had been struggling with an uncertain and ever failing effort to give some expression to their longing for civil and religious liberty and secure the just recognition of their rights, and here at last, in this new world and in this declaration, made on that day, were these new principles formulated and proclaimed to the world.
But those other principles of civil government which are ob- noxious to reason and to natural justice, and which have cursed the earth for ages, the Shibboleths of which are, the divine right of kings, of hereditary rulers-of the unequal division of men into classes as to rights and privileges, some of whom. the very few, are to govern, and the others to serve and suffer-of practically unre- strained power on the one hand and implicit obedience and submis- sion on the other-the system of perpetual serveillance and espion- age on the part of the government and citizen, slavery and political degradation-the government everything, the people nothing-these. through all the past centuries have been the dogmas of civil gov- ernment.
And it is fortunate, beyond estimate, that the American revo- lution produced a change in these, among the most important of all the affairs and interests of man. As a result of that great event, light broke in upon and hope dawned for the downtrodden and op- pressed millions of the earth, for those new and better principles of civil government, announced in the declaration and maintained by the revolution, recognizes man, as a being of certain rights and of equal political rights, in the eye of the law-that government is of right made by the people and for the people-not the people for the government. Here is the grand idea of law regulated liberty and
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citizen sovereignty, and in these few words is contained the whole philosophy of the science of civil government. And these great principles are not for us alone, for therein is that great thought and from thence is evoked that great force, which shall yet overcome all others and lead all nations at last to freedom.
Victor Hugo says, of the great contest on the field of Waterloo, upon the result of which hung the destinies of Europe, that "it was not a battle merely, it was more, it was the change of front of the universe." So we say of the American revolution, with much more propriety, it was not a mere war-a mere revolution, it was more, it was the change of front of the universe, for in maintaining the truths of the declaration, it inaugurated an entirely new system of civil government.
And these better principles are becoming recognized every- where, notwithstanding the strong bulwarks despotism has been everywhere raising against them. It is indeed but a narrow view that limits the beneficent influence of the great truths of the declar- ation and the results of the war of independence, to our own time and country. From the very day of the declaration, its great an- nouncements have helped to ameliorate the political condition of men in all lands-they have given hope to the oppressed in all countries-the shackles of the old iron-bound despotic systems of government are loosening, arbitrary power has heard the knell of doom, and the world now is moving forward, though slowly, yet, to the goal of political regeneration. Yes, the truths of that declara- tion will go forth to all the world, have already gone forth, and will nerve the arm in the battle for liberty and right through all time to come, and while the thrones of tyrants and their kingdoms are crumbling to dust, they will live, the guiding light of mankind, in their struggles from wrong and despotism, to right and freedom.
And now on this fourth of July, 1876, the first century of our national life has rolled away, and we stand to-day at the beginning of our second century, and the question is appropriate at this time, what has been the outgrowth and development of the great princi- ples of the Declaration and the fruits of the Revolution, as manifest- ed in the history of the nation, born one hundred years ago to-day ? To answer this question it is not necessary to trace the history of the nation from the day of the Declaration to the present time. We need not recount the long years of suffering, the immensity of blood and treasure it cost to sustain the Declaration, nor need we speak of the constant success of the nation in war and the military glory and renown which render our annals glorious, for our greatest and best achievements, have been in the arts of peace. Let us summar- ize briefly-unlike any other nation, this republic came into existence an enlightened, Christian people; no long line of barbarous ancestry,
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no ages of growth and development, shrouded in the gloom of heathenish despotism, superstition and blood. But at the moment the United Colonies were declared free and independent, they were behind none of the nations in the arts and blessings of civilization. The fathers and founders of the republic were a body of men, than whom, for great experience in the ways of life, in intellectual culture and sterling virtues, no superiors have ever appeared. This people, who at the time of the Declaration, consisted of thirteen small colon- ies and three millions of souls, without commerce, without a name or a place among the nations of the earth, has grown to be a mighty nation, indeed. Thirty eight great free states, eight or ten organ- ized territories, and nearly fifty millions of population. We have taken the place now of a first-class power of the earth. Our empire is almost a continent. We have a country possessing every variety of soil, every character of climate and all kinds of productions. We have thousands of miles of sea coast, great harbors, the longest rivers, railroads and canals in the world. Our commerce spreads its sails on every sea We have brought our manufactures to compete with the world, and we carry our goods and inventions and machinery to every country on the globe. Our people are industrious, intelligent, brave, progressive, and in their personal demeanor they are also frank, courteous, dignified and self-contained, orderly, yet fearless in any presence where they have the right to be. But this is not all. The extent of territory and the vastness of the population of a nation and its progress in material things, is not all that is wanted to make the nation great. We have something more to boast of. In the higher blessings, those of free government, the universal diffu- sion of knowledge, progress in the arts and sciences and literature, which find their best encouragement and development here, the free- dom of conscience, of opinion, of speech, of the press, and of personal action, we have no equal among the nations of the earth, and here withal, and as important as any of our blessings, labor is free and honored, and the ways of promotion are open to all alike, and the culmination of all these blessings is summed up in the announce- ment, which we make to all the world, that we live to day in the light of the fullest, freest and most progressive and best civilization of all the ages.
But, says the political philosopher of the old school, is all this permanent-will it last?
The answer may be that we have passed safely through all the chances and changes of a hundred years of experiment. We have, too, been tried in the fires of rebellion, we have withstood the flood of opposition and unfavorable criticism and braved the fury of political cyclones, such as have wrecked many of the nations of the past. Yet we still live, and are stronger to-day than ever before.
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We may, too, rise to a higher view of this subject, and claim that by the decrees of the councils of heaven, there has been given to this nation a position, a work, a mission, the grandest that has ever been accorded to any nation of the earth, if we but remember that it is righteousness that exalts a nation-that of being the instrument of high heaven, in the final political redemption and re- generation of the nations of the earth, in these, the last centuries of the world's history.
Such was the great event of the day-the fourth of July, 1776- the anniversary of which we annually observe, and the outgrowth and results in the life of the nation, of the great principles of civil government proclaimed on that day. And it is not only the native born American who does honor to the day, for there assembles on these occasions the people of many nationalities, who have made this land their adopted home. The Scotchman, the Englishman, the Irishman, the Frenchman, the Scandinavian, the German, yea, representatives of the people of almost every land under the sun.
Millions from all lands have come to America, and we bid them welcome. Let other millions of the intelligent, industrious, law- abiding and liberty-loving come. America wants them all.
And herein lies one of the best assurances of the continued strength, prosperity and perpetuity of American institutions-in the infusion of the best blood of Europe, in American veins. In the union, assimilation and Americanization of the best brain and brawn of all nations making a wise, strong, free people, who shall never know mental or physical degeneracy. A people, who are at work, concentrating here, developing and making homogeneous, what is best in all the forms, phases, experiences, of the old world civilizations, in combination with the newer and better principles of government here. To these we can but say, ye are countrymen now, ever most welcome, in the scenes and festivities of this great anniversary.
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