The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1857-07-01

IALu D1iilSo LILO Ian "A.i A'ii 'H''e
day when "Small liquors" are poured
down with unnatural avidity and provis-
ions sell at premium-that day of ma
tional pride and rejoicing will be past.
Well, we have much to rejoice for
Our history is luminous with many glo-
rious record. The true American-the
man who fully appreciates the value of
civil liberty will upon this day bestow Sc
rious thought, upon the history of the
past, the influence of our institutions upon
the world, and the responsibilities Of our
position.
We have a history upon which we may
look back with pride. America has fur
nished many an honored name, names
of those whose lives were crowned with
glory and whose deaths
shave left a light,
Upon the mountain tops of death,
That make them lovely"
The fourth, will bring back remem-
ORANGES of Saratoga and Yorktown, and
of the crossing of the Delaware mid the
sleety storm, of the ''dark and bloody
ground" of the Carohnas, where Marion
and his brave peers in arms, done deeds
which make the sober page Of History,
glow with thrilling adventures, like an
olden tale of romance. 1t will bring to
mind afresh, our Washington, brave old
Put, mad Anthony, the tireless Veteran
Greene, the generous, chivalric Lafay
ette and the peerless soldier-the Murat
of American warriors, man who
brought dazzlang glory, and damning dis
grace to our arms-Benedict Arnold
And the thought will glance DER the bill
lowy sea, and note the dying Lawrence
and the'immortal words "Don't give up
the ship" the desperate fights of that rover
of the seas-Paul Jones, the glorious ca
reer of the old frigate Constitution, and
the brave deeds of the many gallant sea-
men who have given undying renown to
the American flag. Elated with this
glance at the past, the American will
look at the influence of the Revolution on
the governments of the world. This in
fluence cannot be computed. As the star
of Christianity rose from the dark night
of heathenism and revealed to men the
possibility of nobler life, gave them clear
er glimpses into the mysteries Of Life and
Death, over turning the established forms
of faith; so the truths contained in the
"Doclaration of independence" came to
men like a new Gospel, and they were
greeted with rejoicing and hope. Their
influence, has permeated all the govern
ments of the civilized world, and where
tyranny is not overthrown, it is mitigatod
and held in check by their power. Ofthe
present greatness of our country who is
able to speak. Here facts read like ro-
nance, and truth is stranger than fiction.
Fifty years ago could any one have
prophesied of our present wealth and pop
ulation, the improvements in all the me-
chanical arts, the adaptation Of steam to
so many uses, he would have been hurried
away by astonished neighbors to some
lunatic asylum. And when we reflect
that the career of our country has but just
begun, that a vast portion of her resour-
ces are yet all undeveloped, that the fer
tile lands of the West must become as
thickly peopled as the crowded homes of
the old World, it behooves lis to think of
our responsibilities and our duties. These
responsibilities cannot be thrown off by a
GLORIOUS celebration" one day in the
year, by a display of banners and beauties
music and marching, burning of powder,
hoarse hurrahs, and a general mixture of
of dirt and divinity.
Our fathers achieved our liberties but to
us remains the task of preserving them.--
This task is no easy one. We are not
frightened by any cry of disunion. We
believe that owing to our geographical
position, to the imperative demands of
commerce, to the binding links of social
life, to our common faith, there is q ne
cessity that we always exist under one
government. And it is because this ne
cesity exists, that we should be watchful
of everything which may disturb the bar
mony of our relations with each other
Three sources of danger exis. amongst us.
Slavery, the passion for the acquisition of
territory, and the ambition of unprincipled
politicians, combined with the thoughtless-
ness of the mass of the people upon the
subject of government. Of the first of
these dangers we will not now speak,
1t has been and will be a paramount top
ic of discussion, until the anomoly of the
most crushing servitude amid the freest
people shall be done away. But we APP
prehend danger from the spirit of annexa-
ton. Jonathan is avaricious and grasp
ing. He coyets all he sees. But as the
limits of our country expand, sectional in