And State Papers 1.51 



the making of the Americans who in '76 made this 

 country a nation. Within the boundaries of this 

 State was founded that colony which first of all 

 on this western continent saw a government mod- 

 eled upon these principles of religious freedom and 

 toleration which we now regard as the birthrights 

 of American citizens. 



Throughout our career of development the Ger- 

 man immigration to this country went steadily on- 

 ward, and they who came here, and their sons and 

 grandsons, played an ever-increasing part in the 

 history of our people a part that culminated in 

 the Civil War; for every lover of the Union must 

 ever bear in mind what was done in this common- 

 wealth as in the commonwealth of Missouri, by the 

 folk of German birth or origin who served so loy- 

 ally the flag that was theirs by inheritance or adop- 

 tion. 



And here in this city I would be unwilling to let 

 an occasion like this pass without recalling the part 

 of incalculable importance played by the members 

 of the Turn Verein of Baltimore in saving Balti- 

 more to the Union. In congratulating every man 

 here to whom it was given to fight in the great 

 Civil War, in congratulating the men of Baltimore 

 whcrin these dark days followed the lead of Sigel, 

 Rapp, and Blumenberg in playing well and nobly 

 their part in upholding the hands of Abraham Lin- 

 coln, I congratulate them thrice over because it was 

 given to them to fight in a contest where the victors 

 and the vanquished alike have bequeathed to us as 



