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does his oivn tJiinJcing, but thanks God daily that his heritage is 

 given to him here in this cold clime ; on this soil which yields to 

 labor only, rewards labor only. A true man does not grumble 

 because he was not born with a golden spoon in his mouth ; he 

 knows that gold is a soft metal and does not Avear well — iron is 

 better. There is no one here to-day who is any thing, who has 

 made himself any thing, who feels that he is a living, real man — 

 who does not in his heart of hearts thank Heaven that he was not 

 born rich. 



How false and shallow is this complaint of one's lot in life, 

 this complaint of our toils and labors. The exact truth is, 

 that the primal curse, as we call it, " in the sweat of thy face 

 shalt thou eat bread," is a blessing in disguise, perhaps the 

 highest blessing. This is the real and earnest belief of our 

 age : the age of iron is passed, and the age of gold is pass- 

 ing away : the age of labor is coming ; already we speak of the 

 dignity of labor, and that phrase is any thing but an idle and 

 unmeaning one ; it is a true gospel to the man who takes in its 

 full meaning ; the nation that understands it is free, and indepen- 

 dent, and great. The dignity of labor is but another name for 

 liberty. The chivalry of labor is now the battle cry of the old 

 world, and the new. We hear it from England, great, brave old 

 England ; sometimes, too, though more faintly and doubtfully, 

 from sorrowful, struggling Italy. Cherish these brave thoughts, 

 then, in your hearts ; let those noble w^ords, the dignity of labor, 

 be your battle cry, as you fight the battle of life. The age pro- 

 claims these truths at last ; but nature, the green fields, the wav- 

 ing harvests, proclaimed them long ago. Ask your cornfields to 

 what mysterious power they do homage and pay tribute, and they 

 will answer, to labor. In a thousand forms nature repeats the 

 truth, that the laborer alone is what we call respectable — is alone 

 worthy of praise and honors, and rewards. In other years, men 

 paid almost divine honors to the successful heroes, in their bloody 

 wars ; the soldiers returned home in stately procession, and 

 triumphal arches were built in their honor, Avith silken banners 

 fluttering from their sides, and bright garlands adorning their 

 sculptured ^stones. These splendid structures were the tribute 

 which man in those by-gone days paid to the victorious soldier ; 

 but nature does honor to her peaceful soldier still, and as every 



