The Illinois free trader. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1840-1841, 1840-08-08

danon OF passions participated with brutes (;
and in the accident of their alternate as
cendancy shuddering al the terrors of an
hereafter, or embracing the horrid hope
of humiliation.
Reverse the picture, and from a scene
of gloom, misery and degradation, we be-
hold the glorious sun of freedom shining
upon an enlightened-upon happy peo-
pie; he no longer rises to his course and
lights race of slaves-his last beam no
longer falls upon a slave. Man is changed
from what he was-he no longer bows
abjectly to the power of an hereditary
line of despots-he becomes what his
Creator designed he should be, free,
happy being; he views all things with
different eye; he no longer basks in
the sun like the beasts of the field, his
only qualification arising from the indul-
gence Of his sensual passions, needless of
all that passes before him;-no longer
does he rise from his couch to 90 relur-
family TO work, knowing that his earnings
will be wrested from him, to pamper the
luxuries of his oppressors, but with a
feeling of independence he rises cheerful
ly to his labor, with the assurance that
what he acquires by the sweat of his brow
is his own, aud cannot be taken from him
even to pay the taxes necessary to the
support of his government, without him.
self having had voice thro' his represen-
tauves in the imposition of those taxes;
and in his hours of relaxation from toll,
he sits by his own hearth, and by reading
improves his mind and renders himself
capable of understanding and properly
approaching the blessings which he en-
Joys. Take away this feeling of ndepen-
dence-this interest in the government,
and you at once sap the very foundations
ofindustry, enterprise, virtue and morality
-you destroy all incentive 10 noble exer-
ton; vice and immortality raising tlieir
hideous front, would stalk unblushingly
and triumphantly through our land, and
mems nccks would again be prepared for
the yoke of bondage from which ages
have scarcely been able TO redeem them.
Industry must be promoted, or the fabric
of our government be hewn in pieces, and
the land become prey TO all the horrors
OF civil war. in the attempts of designing
and unprincipled men 10 seize the power.
An industrious people alone can be virtu-
Gus and pure, and in the purity and virtue
OF the people is the greatest strength and
safety of Republican Government like
our own; destroy these, and the Republic
must fall and Despotlsm take place
| The transition from one to the other is
easier by far than most people imagine, or
are willing to admit. Under the genius
of our free institutions, America has
already become one of the greatest COM
mercial nations of the world. Every sea
has been whiened by the sails of Ameri-
can ships. Our star studded ensign is
treated with respect by all nations, and the
activity, enterprise and ingenuity Of the
American people, are universally known
and acknowledged.
To the list of eminent men, what n
proud array of names has she added A
Washington--a man whose like was ne 'er
before beheld; in whose character his
enemies could not point out one stain;
whose name no patriot mentions without
a holy emotion, and in whose hearts he
sits enthroned in all the majesty of virtue;
a man Of whom it was proudly and truly
said, "That he was first in war, first in
peace, and first in the hearts Of his coun-
trymen;' man without ambition, save
to serve his country; Of spotless reputa.
ton; innexiblc integrity and unblemished
virtue; respected by his enemies; beloved
by his friends; his deeds will never be
mentioned by posterity without gratitude
or his name without emotion. Like Ma,
poleon, he was instrumental in freeing his
country from kingly power; but the com,
parison here ends--he freed not again tc
enslaye. The one filed the world with
the cries and lamentations Of orphans anC
widows, whom his iuordnate ambition
had made dosolate. How different the
otherl 4 world Of freemen prayed for the
success Of his arms. Mothers armed
their children, and wives their husband.
to fight with him for freedom; and when
after successfully achieving a country,
liberty, he laid down his arms and retired
to a private station followed by the pray
ers and gratitude of nation, who, through
his instrumcnlality, had been made happy
TO his name may be added those o
Franklin and Fulton, whose names re
ouire no paDepyrr. The one tho nro