A stirring speech given by educational reformer and abolitionist Horace Mann on the occasion of July 4th celebrations in Boston in 1842. Mann speaks passionately about the meaning of the holiday, the principles of democracy, and the need to strive for a more perfect union. This reprint edition includes an introduction by a leading scholar of Mann’s life and work.This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.This work is in the 'public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.