The 4th of July brings out orators of all stripes, and over the past two centuries many distinguished Americans have seen fit to offer their own encomia on this day. This lovely collection from the University of Missouri's Ellis Library brings together published pamphlets made on Independence Day from 1791 to 1925. The speeches take a look at crucial topics from this time period, including civic duty, religion, national politics, and the Civil War. The majority of these pamphlets were published in New England, and the collection also includes pamphlets from Louisiana, North Carolina, Illinois, and Indiana. First-time visitors may wish to start by reading Charles F. Adams' oration "before the city authorities of Boston on the fourth of July, 1872" and then move on to Oliver Wendell Holmes' talk before that same body in 1863. Visitors are encouraged to browse through the pamphlets, and they can also use the search engine as well.