American Independence day was celebrated as enthusiastically as ever, this year at the American Consulate in the Kiukiang Road, it being the first time for very many years that the function has taken place out of what used to be designated the American settlement. At noon Mr, Leonard, the U.S. Consul-General, took his seat on a dais in the large Court room, which was profusely decorated with the American flag, shrubs and flowers, having on_ his right Col. Charles Deitby, the U.S. Minister to China, and on his left Capt shnson, of the US.8. Monocacy. A large number ican citizens and those of other lities had taken their seats in the ladies, the large hall being also crowded with visitors, Shortly after twelve o'clock proceedings were opened by Bishop Boone with prayer, on the conclusion of which Mr. Leonard made a short but eloquent address to those present, and then called upon Mr. J. G. Purdon to read the Declaration of Independence, which was done in a commendably clear and audible manner. On the invitation of the Consul-General, Col, Denby then addressed the assembly ina stirring speech, which was warmly applauded from time to time. This brought the more serious part of the cere-many to a conclusion, but those present Gid not fail to respond to Mr. Leonard's hospitable invitation to celebrate the occasion in the adjoining room in a man-net that proved particularly acceptable.
In the afternoon Mr, and Mre. Leonard held a reception at Chang Ssu-ho's garden on the Bubbling Well Road, at which there was a attendance, but the rain that fell about half-past five o'clock rather marred the proceedings. The Town Band was in attendance, and played some patriotic airs suitable to the occasion. At noon the U.S.S. Monocacy fired a salute; and there was an illumination at the Astor House at night, Appended are the addresses delivered at the official celebration.
The Consul-General said We have assembled, a3 is our custom, on the recurrence of the annual date accept ed as that of the origin of our nationality—the day on which the thirteen colonic ceased to be dependencies and became a nation. 'The Declaration of Independence was followed, a few years later, by the establishment of the Republic,' so well characterised by Abraham Lincoln, that typical American, as 'a government of people, for the people, by the people 'After @ hundred and fourteen years' coi tinuance of the Republic, in a country unhampered by ancient precedent or old time conditions, and perhaps unequalled in physical advantages, we may well, as we have for years past, consider its perpetuity established beyond reasonable doubt. 'We are justified in pride in its past, satisfaction with its present and faith in its future. During the year of independence just closed the extensive Empire of Brazil' has been peaceably transformed into a republic, and there has been assembled at Washington a convention of no less than eighteen American republics, agreeing upon important international interests and enterprises providing fur the perpetuation of international peace. And while republicanism has become so nearly universal in that Western Hemisphere, it is also noticeable that in the Old World the Republic of France has maintained, under severe trial, its stability as a representative government. In view of these facts we might well consider the period from July 4th, 1889, tejuly 4th, 1890, the jubileeyearof republicanism, Look: ing back over the past century, it is evident that the tendency of most governments has been in the direction of greater popular representation. In celebrating, here, in the Republic of Shanghai, the origin of our own republic, we may do so not only as Americans, but, in a larger sense, as citizens of the world.
Col. Denby, the U.S. Minister to China, spoke as follows It gives me great pleasure to be in the Mode! Settlement on the 4th July, not only because, as the honourable Chairman has stated, it is a cosmopolitan Reput but because Shanghai is the most intering and instructive city in the East nated midway on the continent, it looks across to Japan and America, it is the depot of the great river which flows for twenty-five hundred miles across the empire of China, it is the probable terminus of the network of railways some day to be \constructed in China—Oh, may it be soon"—it is the residence of thousands of mongst then being several the brightest and most adventurous of the citizens of the old countries, and the home lof Inundreds of the most beautiful and accomplished ladies—it has no rivals near it cannot be doubted that it will be to Asia what Lond"n is to the British Empire, Paris to France, and New York te America, Such celebrations as this of the natal or
agreeable of observances of dwellers in fete days of nationalities are the most foreign countries. It would seem that patriotism increases in proportion to di tance, and the farther one is from own country the more he loves it. This result probably follows from a comparison made from one's own standpoint of the institutions, habits and customs that one has left behind with those of the new country. But "comparisons are odorous." We are here by the consent of the Emperor and by virtue of the Treaties, our relations are peaceful and mutually advantageous to the Chinese and the foreigners, and comparisons would be invidious. I may mention, however, a circumstance which strikes one in travelling over China. In my country, from the St. Lawrence to the Gulf and from the Atlantic to the Pacific one language—the Anglo-Saxon tongue—is spoken. "That this is a great advantage to our 60,000,000 or 70,000,000 of people in constant intercourse is apparent; whereas in China the most accomplished sinologues from Peking—of whom I see one present—can scarcely understand a word of the spoken language outside of the province of Chihli, My countrymen, there are other things of which we have the right to be proud and on which the world will forgive us if we comment a little, We are a free people. The government for the people, of the people and by the people exists. We wag2 no crusade against emperors, kings or monarchs—we do not leave our own to tread on foreign soil—but for us and ours we believe, and we have proved it by more than 100 years of eventful history, that man does not need another man to govern him, but that he is capable of governm, himself. [hope that we are not vainglorious people. Iam glad that we are a proud people—proud of our civil and religious liberty, proud ut our obedience to law, proud of our common schools, proud of the glorious deeds of arms which secured the independence that we celebrate to-day, and proud of those later bervie feats which cemented in fraternal blood the union of the States, which thus cemented will now endure for ever. We turn our eyes from the Far Kast, glowing and pulsating with the progress which England, and France, Germany and Russia, Italy, Spain, Belgium and other countries and our own have introduced into thequietude of Asiatic life, and we see across the Pacific a country—the nearest of the great commercial countries to China—which is marching forward to the foremost. position. Already from 18 small and struggling Colonies it has grown to 42 great and powerful States, and while I am speaking to you to-day—on the third day of July at Washington—the Congress of the United States may be admitting Idaho and Wyoming, and Utah, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Arizona are knocking at_ the door, In 1892 we celebrate the 400th anniversary of the discovery of America. Tried by time alone these 400 years ure nothing in the presence of the hoary civilisation which confronts us in China, With a history dating back 6,000 years, with abounding monuments of antiquity, with a conserva tive Government, with practical democratic tendencies in Spite of its autocratic head, China may well challenge the admiration of the world for its permanence, its position as the dominant power in Asia, and for the peace and prosperity that attend its people. The young giant of the West may come to grief ere he has attained a fourth of the centuries which, passing over China, have left her still the calm and potent arbiter of the destinies of 400,000,000 of people. But we Americans believe in the Anglo-Saxon race from which we mainly spring. We believe in om selves, We believe that as questions arise which have shaken other nations to their centre we will settle them according to law and justice. We will trespass on no nation's rights, and we will hold that no foreign foot shall tread the soil of our continent to establish institutions antagonistic to ours. We will hang the anarchist, and the comniunist if he commits murder, though he may disguise his crime under high sounding appeals to human freedom. We will in moral and material progress. We will build up the waste places in our own country. We will furnish homes for millions of honest and respectable immigrants. We will cherish morality, and we will foster education. And now, my fellow citizens, a8
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.