Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1850-07-03
FOR THE AMENDMENT TO THE CoNsr1rur1o
Independence Dav.

To-morrow's sun will light up, through
out the Union, another glorious festival of
Constitutional Libcrty-another jubilee of
Freedom. Each anniversary of this hal
lowed day brings with it rejoicings more
thoughtful, yet more cxultant, than its
predecessors. Each twelve-month's prog
ress up the sleeps of fame and power is,
latterly, prodigal of great events, and
shadows forth fresh wonders in the future.
Each passing year developcs anew the
mcasureless capabilities of our free insti-
tutions, imparts to them renewed life and
potency, and strengthens and deepens the
foundations on which they rest
1t is difficult to realize the changes of
seventy years that have elapsed since
the political ties that connected us with the
mother country were severed, and it is
doubly right that the fires of patriotism
should be annually rekindled, and our
country's origin and destiny be thus vivid
~ IcCdIicu. Auu tucSc IcStlNlticS cOuiu
never be more appropriate than on the
present anniversary, while the insane cry
of disunion," from scattered handful
of political fanatics is yet ringing in our
ears.
Springing from the fceblencss and de-
pendence Of our colonial days, as with the
energy of a new creation, our country has
in three quarters Of a century attained a
proud and just prc-cminence in all the cs-
sential clements of national greatness. 1t
is but yesterday, as it were, that one half
the present populous States of the Union
were wildcrness-when there was neither
turnpike, railroad, canal, or steamboat in
the whole country. When merchandise
was conveyed across our mountains on
pack-horses, and transported up our streams
in unwieldy barges that were urged against
the current by the most toilsome labor, at
the rate Of two miles an hour. When
post-offices were few and far between, and
the transmission of Intelligence between
neighboring States wasahore tedious than
it now is between distant continents. But
within the lifetime Of single individual
all this has been changed as by the touch
of a magician's wand. Manufactures and
institutions of learning have sprung up in
oil A <f
canals and railroads has been extended to
all points Of the compass. Many of the
most improbable dreams of the Arabian
Nights Entertainments have been realized.
The thundcrbolts of heaven have been
disarmed of their tcrrors and guided safe
ly into the bosom of the earth We have
harnessed up fearful engincry that savages
might innocently suppose could only have
been discovered down below" and with
it plough at will our lakes and rivers
Ferry the occan-and make the earth
tremble under the winged flight of pondc-
rous railroad trains. And not satisfied
with these, and numbcrless other minor
victories over nature, we have laid a mas
ter hand upon the most subtle of all known
elements, and called upon the lightning's
flash to become our obedient messenger.
Improvement has kept even pace with the
progress of scientific discovery. Our wes-
tern forests echo to the tread of the ad-
,aEcing column of civilization. Trading
posts have become cities, and villages
populous commercial emporiums. We
have boldly pushed out into the wilderness
and belted the continent with confederate
empires. State after State has marched
steadily into the Union-star after star
has flashed forth from the broad folds of
our national ensign-States have become
empires, and sparse territories have become
States in such rapid succession that puz-
zled Europe stands aghast as she in vain
attempts to cast the horoscope Of our fu-
ture greatness.
In Science, Literature, Theology, and
the Fine Arts, VIC have risen from obscu-
rity to position that challenges the re-
spectful regard Of our riper transatlantic
ncighbors. The thunder of our Diploma
cy has resounded through the courts and
cabinets Of Europe, and by its directness
and honesty of purpose, has cut the Cor
dian knot of their Machiavellian policy,
and taught them to respect the dictates of
justice, and the demands Of right. The
warlike spirit and achievements Of our
people has impressed the desrotisms of
the Old World with a sense Of the char
acter and capacity Of cur institutions that