The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1844-07-12
GRAFTON,

BY L. S. HOLBROoK, ESQ.

BY L. S. HOLBROoK, ESQ.
Fellom ciHeenS--
We celebrate this day as the birthday
OF our national independence, 1t is NEE,
that 1t should be celebrated with eloquence
and song; with Banners, festivities, and
reJolclngs, in honor and remembrance OF
! the 4th of jul Y, l776, when our faith.
ers' in congress assembled, solcmnly de-
clated that these colonies "are, and OF
right ought to be, free and independent
states Then was broken the chain
which bound us to the mother country.
and these United States assumed a name
and acquired n standing among the pow
erS OF the world, soon to be regarded as
the greatest and the best, soon to build a
colossal power on land and unfurl her ban
ner OF stripes and stars DER every ocean.
lhere are cer'aln great epochs in time
more important than others, when the mo-
wing causes which have been secretly at
WORK develope themselves by their conse-
quences, which, for long period after
wards, are to have predominant inilu-
ence over man, nations, and the world
such are not the transactions which ex-
cite the most interest Of to-day, as battle
and its Earthquake voice of victory" but
such as change the current of human aC-
lars and introduce a new order of things.
Such period was the date of our indie
pendence. 1t introduced new era in
the history Of the world.
The principles set forth in the declara-
1lon were not Of moments growth.
, They cannot be said to have been discov-
cred by It's author. They were not all
original with him: though it may be safe
~ sad that he had clearer conception of
them, and, perhaps expressed them in
more bold and forcibe manner, than it
were possible for any other man living.
and that his capacous, energetic mind
had most powerful influence in the adj
vancement and calculation of them. But
the spirit of freedom was already in the
hearts of the coIonists; it was like eaven
'ransiused through, and was fermen,ing in
1Ae whole mass. The material was pre.
pared and in a plastic state, and only
awaited the hand of genius to mould it to
, strength and beauty. The principles of
Tree self government were long ere this
developed. They were practised, in all
their simplicity, by the pilgrims. On
board The Maynower, before landing, thew
formed government on purely social,
voluntary principles: the first govern
ment where perfect equality was recog-
nsed-wherc the law making power was
acknowledged to reside in the people, the
free elective franchise adopted, officers
elected by the people, and to them re-
sponsible.
10 the development, in this country,
OF the principles of the equality of man
and his capacity of self government, many
things, for long time, had consprrei.
The tyranny of the old world had arrived
at Its eliminating point. Religion, in its
purity, had taken strong hold on the
minds of many. But, in the church, d.
vision, and strife, and relentless persecu.
ton troubled the more devoted but, phys.
icaIIy, the weaker portion, and both states.
man and divine painted for rest and secu
rl'y from the cruelies Of tyranny and the
fortunes Of persecution.
lhe new world, which had hitherto
been sought by the restless adyenurer,
by fortune hunters who had become de-
llrlous with the fauering prospect of sud.
den and inordinate wealth, opened an
asylum. Thilher they fled. They took
with them all the virtues Of the cons,iu-
ton and laws of the mother country.
They left behind them the faults, or, if
they retained any, reformed them, from
time to time, as occasion required. They
met, from various directions, on our
shores; they met as equals each one
showing no superior, claiming no pre-, en-.