The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1844-07-12
CcoNrlxurD FROM TIE FIRST PAGE.

first approach Of danger, yet we have
little sympathy with those who are con
tinually sounding Gai5e alarm, harrassing
themselves and others with gr0undlcs-
fears for the future, and who almost seem
anxious, in advance, to sound The death
note Of their country. We are pointed
- tie ancient republics, which "haye
been" and are no more. Bat our repub-
lie possesses far greater vitality. Those
systems were not founded upon equality
AMI pure republican principles. The mas,
of The people received no education; war
was their policy, conquest was their aim
virtue and valor, ia their language, in their
idea, were the same thing. But yet,
Rome wilhs,ood the attacks Of monarch
cal, military power Of vice and corruP-
ton in every possible form, for hundreds
Of years, and does not our country, which
enjoys the full blaze of all the sciences,
the companIonship of all the virtues
where learning and wisdom is brought to
every mans door and the public press IN
forms him Of the principles and measure,
of his government, Of the acts Of his pub
lie agCnis-possess FAR greater vitality !;
The press aud freedom Of speech alone,
without our other advantages, would, IN
Judiclous hands, perhaps, be a sufficient
preseryalIyc Of our Liberties, panaCca for
all the ills that threaten or are now fas-
tened upon our constitution. The time
has come when our people, and the time
will soon come, we hope, when the world.
will be governed by oplnlon-by moral
truth. This is IN accordance with the gc-
mus AND spirit OF our constitution and
laws. Let truth and error take the field,
we fear not--whethcr the subject matter
Of controversy, the heresy, be Of church
or state, OF public morals or public mca-
sures-wc fear not tho consequences
Men will, ordinarily, choose the right and
reject the wrong. Violence and blood
she'd should he used only against their
kind-against the aggresslon5 of power
When appealed to to advance and support
any supposed truth or repress any sup
posed moral, political, or religious heresy,
II will certainly miss its aim, recolI upon
the actors, and produce the same effect as
IN odcn time, when the blood Of the mar
tyrs became the seed Of the church But,
If error prevails for a while, we have this
consolation, that it will be comparatively
innocent and negative in its character; for
there is
"No crime SO bold but would be understood
To he a real seeming good"
When it changes that character, becomes
the aggrcssor, the vlolator of rights, it is
then sufficient time to change our mea.
snres, while we act on the defensive alone.
But while such violent conduct as is fire.
quenty, and, especially, such as has been
lately exhibited, betrays want Of conf
dcncc in the power Of moral truth, or a
disregard TO the principles of right, justice,
yet, we believe that there is a redecming
spirit in the people, that order, on the
whole, will be sustained, and that i'm
proyement generally marks the progress
Of our country. We do not fear that our
tree of liberty, which, in its tenderness,
grew up under an unpropItous sky, en-.
durcd The blasts Of winter, and wilhsiood
the raging storm, will now, when It's roots
are deep and strong, its branches high and
brawny, be endangered by every gentle
breeze. But, if all our hopes pcrish--il
our ship OF state, now bounding gaily Ger
the sea of successful experiment, shall, IN
some dark, tempcstuous hour, be dashed
ioplcccs, where again, on this earth, shall
freedom ever have a home, a habitalion,
and name Where and when can be
found SO many favorable circumstances as
have attended the Use and progress of our
country
Such a place, we fear, could not be
found, and liberty, first driven from the
old world and now from this, will
retire TO her native home in the skies.
Human hope will then be stricken down
as the eagle from his lofty flight. But we
will hope and labor for better things, and,
in all the discussions that may arise, in
civil tliscord or in civil war, let the con
stitution be raised as u shield over us; to
this we will look and live, as did the child
rem OF Israel in the wilderness upon ,he
brazen serpent raised by the prophet OF
Jehovah.
"By our affairs, pure and free;
by our laws dcep-rootcd tree;
by the posts dread memory;
by our Washington.
Dy our common parent tongue;
by our hopes, bright, buoyant, young;
by the tic Of county strong,
We will still be ONE"
We live, fellow citizens, in most in
icrCslng age. The past ares may have