13 



:i nation's sah^ation, we hail it as a blessing though flames and ruins 

 are the success of its march. 



For us as a nation, the brightest future is opening — We have 

 freedom, the first great incentive to labor. With this, there goes 

 virtue and intelligence to render that labor most effective. Wealth 

 must accumulate fi'om our mines of precious metals, but more than 

 all, fi-om the products of oiu- soil. In days of ignorance and 

 oppression and vice, labor must be long continued and exhausting. 

 But if we are true to ourselves, every year will Hghten labor and 

 shorten its hours. And we call upon all those who would lighten 

 the burdens of the working-man to join with us to secure the condi- 

 tions that shall double the efficiency of every hour of labor. If 

 ever}' man would do his share and there were no reckless waste of 

 property, the hours of labor would be diminished v.'ithout the aid of 

 law. Begin, then, first of all I say, to secure the conditions of 

 diminished labor. Every school established, every criminal reformed, 

 every idler made industrious, every plan of sound economy in the 

 household, every treaty with foreign nations that averts the danger 

 of war, every workshop that suppHes at home what was once 

 imported, either removes a burden from labor or gives promise of 

 its removal. 



See to it, then, that there shall be peace within our borders . It 

 will be long years before any foreign nation will indulge in the 

 costly pastime of measuring swords with us. If we are true to 

 ourselves and the principles of freedom and justice, no more hostile 

 troops will tread our borders tiU the present generation has passed 

 away, if ever. See to it that vice meets a swift punishment that vir- 

 tue may enjoy its own in safety. See to it that education is every- 

 where provided for the young, — education that shall guide and 

 quicken industry', that shall enable the farmer and artisan to press 

 Nature's forces into their service. See to aU this, and you have 

 done what no laws can do ; you have made all producers, you have 

 multiplied your powers by the agency of falling water and expand- 

 ing steam, you have stopped all useless destruction of products. 

 Labor is utilized because every blow is turned to the best advant- 

 age, and eveiy product rightly used. It may be impossible to reach 

 such a happy state of society, but it is something to be aimed at. 

 New England is already on the road. She has but to be faithful to 

 the chm-cli and the school-house, to her -^vise system of agi-iculture 

 and manufactiu-es and commerce combined, and she will continue in 

 the van as she has thus far been. It is not too much to say that 



