Iii.
Our history had been more wonderful than the dreams of
Oriental fancy.
All the images of wealth, prosperity, and power that had ever thrilled the brain-pulses of the most ideal disciple of
Plato, vanished into thin air before the form of Young American Liberty, rising from this fresh continent, proclaiming to the race freedom, order, and happiness for all. No such treasure had before been committed to men. When He spread this festival, He asked all nations to come.
Hardly a day went by, but some winged messenger came from the Old World, freighted with hearts that were weary, seeking a new roof-tree,—with muscles that were over-strained by the unpaid toil of
Europe; but all ready to carry out the dreams of personal, manly, ennobling social life.
The best minds and the warmest hearts on the other side of the water understood
America.
They knew our history, and they burned with enthusiasm to mix their fortunes up with our earlier settlers.
They did; and even this tide of national disaster hardly arrested their corning.
They were arriving still; and they found fertile soil and free institutions for their free possession, till at last all
Europe and
Asia will together rejoice in the triumph of the thoughts and desires of the brave and humane men who constructed our system of civic life.
