Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1848-04-19
cav be slowly learned, but they are sure

: 81 ia4 50 ise2 ess{zz Ss. zsf .
may be slowly learned, but they are sura
ri ly learned. For ourselves, we were al
q ways free. Our nnces ors brought will
u them the principles of civil and religious
: liberty; and these have come down {, us
through prosperous and adverse events,
d tiHthey have become bone of our bsne and
, flesh of oar flesh. But the first schools OF
;. liberty in Europe have been the schools OF
revolution; her first lessons have been
taught there. The feeling itself, is an in
stinct of tbs human heart. planted in it'by
1.-The Creator; but its rational enjoyment
comes with time, generally with labpr, often
with suffering Something is. gained by
fevery step. The effort may bs stasionary
apparently retrogroding, still the sentiment
will be onward,a d,and misfortune prepare the
way for success And SO i. is in Europe;
time, experience, and exertion, will bring
with them their reward Not only will
the rights of man be appreciated, but their
rational enjoyment will be secured, and
the principle that government wes instilu-
ted by all, for the good Of oil, viii be prac
tically acknowledged. Sd -
We oil feel that this is an age ofprogress
Onward. seems to be the great word of,
our day and generation-onwardi in oil the
! elements Of human improvement, intellect
ua!, social, political and physical. He
would be wiser, who should make the ex-
pertinent in practice, which an ancient
king is said to have made in rebuke of his
courtiers, and plant himself upon the shore
of the ocean, saying to its tides, Jaoao not;
than he who should say 10 the spirit Of the
age, aduance not. There are many who
fear the progress and result Of this great
feeling ain not among them. | have
watched it, and mingled with it for fifty
years. In my opinion il is yet but in its
instruct and TO guide, what we could not
check if we would, and ought not If we
could. Human liberty, human equality,
human improvement, moral and physical,
should be the objects of our desires, as well
as of our efforts
Some peculiar characteristics have mark
ed the progress Of the recent events in
France. The capital is surrounded by q
wall of circumvallation upwards OF thirty
miles in extent. Detached forts strengthen
approaches, and smaller defensive works
are placed, at regular intervals, along tho
whole wall. It is an immense fortification,
one Of the most extensive in the world f.
| 1t completely commands the city of Paris,
and is garnished with an immense tfein of
artillery, ready for any operations the gov.
eminent might direct in their lortficntion,
and in the CITY ITSELF when these troubles
broke out, the government had collected a
great army of one hundred thousand men,
among the best disciplined trepps in the
world, and collected for the very purpose Of
putting down oil opposition to the course it
was proposed to adopt. And what was the
result OF this great political foresight, as it
seemed to be? The Qualifications did not
/ fire gun the resistance III the streets
did not produce as much bloodshed as an
ordinary enae,tts; and the troops lraternized
with the peoples and went over to them in
the hour of trial. The colossal power
which Louis Philippe had been building up
for eighteen years, disappeared like q
dream. His government was dissolved,
his dynasty terminated,his family expelled
from the kingdom, and the people took pos
session of the power that belongedto them.
And what then? Any more blood? Any
more violenceq Any Of those reactions Of
feeling, which have too often marked the
progress of revolutions, and have rendered
the word itself unacceptable 10 timid enrs!
There has been nothing Of all this; and let
us hope there will not be. A Provisional
Government has been organized, composed
Of able and eminet men, some OF them
known through the civilized world, and oil
Of them we'll fitted for their position, and
with characters which furnish the best
guarantee for their patriotic conduct. They
have summoned national assembly to
convene in a short time, in order to pre-
pare constitution for the French people;
and. in the mean time, all violence and
resistance have ceased. The equality of
al. French citizens before the law has been
established, and the great principles Of lib
erty have been recognized as freely rs
they are recognized in our own county
And public vessel has actually been Of
ferred to one OF the Kings sons, 10 enable
him to go where he pleased. What q
beautiful illustration are oil these proceed
ifigs of the progress Of a healthful public |
opinion in France: and what q beautiful
example for the other nations of Europe,
who feel the same evils, and may resort to
the same remedy?
The people of this county are no pro-
They permit no other nation
to Interfere with them in their own inter-
nal concerns, and they seek. to interfere
with no other in theirs They proclaimed,
On the 4th of July, l776, that it is the right
Of every people TO abolish its government,
and to institute new one, Staying its foun-
lations ON such principles, and organizing
is powers. in such form, ss to them shall
eem most likely to effect their safety and
happiness" But every people must judge
or themselves, as we'll. whether they will
ontinue an existing governnaent.as as wheth-
r they will change it; and, if So, what il
orm they will substitute. We know the "
riceless value of liberty, we know it suits S
ur condition, and that it has given us ii
reater measure of political happiness than b
ny nation ever enjoyed before US. But, h
,hile we feel all this, and wish that every tt
L.. wall Gffnd for the an.