Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1823-08-16

! Rht CooNHiidi purposes Vi ClVil govern
ment when the condition of the subor-
dinate stale is sufficient to its own pro-
lection.
The intervening space between the
colonies OF America and Great Britain,
rendered the administration of Justice
precarious and unequal. A common
band of union must be kept up between
the members of the commonwealth, and
mutual sympathy between those in au-
thorily and those in subsection, as be-
tween the head and members of the body,
and these could not exist in the state of
colonial servitude from which ourfathers
emerged. Allthe elements which form
ed the basis Of union and the bond of
sympathy between the two countries,
were severed long before the revolution
airy struggle began. The American
people had become total strangers to the
inhabitants of Britain. They knew each
other only as the people of TWO nations
or two hemispheres are acquainted
The people Of America were known in
England only by the transactions of COM
merce, and the government of Britain
was known here only through the agen-
oy OF few royal governors and mi
mons ofthe throne, sent from kingdom
beyond the seas TO rule people OF which
they knew little. Indeed we may GO
further back to trace the origin and
search for the elements of our indepen.
dence. The history Of the materials Of
the first settlements of North America
will diyulge it. The colonies of New
England were chiefly formed by puri.
tans or dissenters from the established
church who were driven from Grea,
Britain by the intolerant prosecutions o.
Archbishop Land. They had endured
The "pi,iless peltings OF the storm" of
persecution under the ecclesiastical do
ainaiion of Europe, and had sought
refuge from its fury in the wilds Of Amer
lea. They were exiles from a country
they loved, but they were the exiies of
liberty and the rights Of conscience dear
er to them than their own country.
The seeds OF civil and religious libcr-
ty were sown in 1920, and for a century
and a half were maturing for the harvest.
Removed from the glare and lrappines
Of hereditary nobilty-lhe pomp and re-
gala of kings, the first settlers of Anne
RIGA early imbibed principles OF genuine
freedom, and taught their posterity the
invaluable lesson ofhumen rights. Con-
sequently when the stamp, act Of 1864,
designed as the entering wedge OF
complete system of British taxation, was
announced to the Americans, they were
prepared for the consequences. This frs,
aggression met with the determined re-
sistance of our fathers, as did every sub.
sequent encroachment upon the rights
OF free people.
The connection Of a people with their
government, consists in the obligation Of
duties as well as the enjoyment of rights.
In the long conflict of twelve years
which preceded the declaration of in
dependence, GUS fathers had not been
less faithful to their duties, than tena-
cious OF their rights, else their resis-
tance had been rebellion. But it
it was not the reslive ungoyernabe spi-
rit of ambition, bursting from the bonds
OF colonial subjection; it was the deep
sense ofreiterated wrongs,the complaints
OF which had been answered only BY ag-
gravation, and the petitions for redress
by an increase oftyranny. 1t was not till
every other expedient had failed that
they took firm stand on the imperish-
able rock Of the "rights of man." and
appealed to heaven for proof of the lust
ness OF their cause.-It was even fifteen
long months after the plains of Lexing-
ton and the heights of Bunker had been
stained by the blood of freemen-alter
Charlestown and Falmouth, fred by
british soidiery, had been laid in ashes
1t was after two successive but unsuc-
cessiul supplications to the British
throne, and two unsuccessful appeals to
the British nation, to which no respon-
sive voice of sympathy or kindred feel
ing was returned; then it was that the
thirteen united colonies of North Amer
lea, in Congress assembled, exercised
the FIRST act Of sovereignty, by declaring
themselves free and Independent, states.
But lest the slight and general man.
ner in which have touched the causes
that led to this great and glorious event
should be construed into a neglect
of the subject, | beg leave TO refer
you to the contents of that instrument
which has just been read-that sacred
declaration of independence, in which
the separa alton Of the two countries is an
nounced, and the Entertainments upon
our liberties that led to it. 1t is a vaiua-
BILE sfafa naner for hence un,, aId