The Placer herald., 1857-07-11

not unworthy of retrospective glance al
this time. What are theyl The boundarie.
of the coufederacy were then but ilnperfectly
defined or understood They were spoken o'
IS extending from Massachusetts to Georgia
and from the Atlantic to the Mississippi. and
to the chain Of Northern lakes. None OF
this territory was inhabited by whites except
Immediately along the seaboard, and tha: by
population reckoned in round numbers at
three millions. Now we extend from lat.
20 to 40 north, and from the surgiug waters
of the Atlantic to the placid depths Of the
broad Pacifc-embracing every quality Of
climate, soil, and production, from eternal
SHOWS to never ceasng mmer,--grans that
germinate in nipping frosts to the regions Of
never-ending harvest-from bleak hills whose
scant verdure maintains no life, to broad sa-
vannahs ever blooming, and gardens laden
with the perfume of the citron and orange.
Instead Of thirteen sparsely populated States,
the blue field of our national banner is orna-
mented with thirty-one stars, whilst even
now five or six more are budding into light.
Great cities and princely palaces, now stand
where then were forests, and teeming pop
ulation Of more than thirty million souls now
call it nome. Upon the broad national base,
then laid by our ancestry has sprung up re-
public after republic, and ambitious hope
looks forward to the day, when this entire
western continent, shall be covered with
those glorious monuments to their fame.
We may we'll suppose that the public i'm
provements of that day, were meager. There
were few high roads, and those of modest
pretensions Some idea Of the post office
department may be gathered from the fact,
that Doct. Franklin, then st the head of that
gig, all the offices then established. Spa
cious public buildings would have been a su-
perfuty. Our colleges were few--in fact
the more wealthy sent their children to Eu
rope to be educsted-free common schools
they had none. We were not manufacturers,
we had no founderies, and our armories
were quite meager affairs But behold the
change! magnificent macadamized pixies, and
long lines of canals, pass from State to State.
This vast empire is checkered over and bound
together with bands of steel-and before our
eyes shall grow dim with age we shall see
the "iron Lorse," in exulting strength, ca
scream Of delight dash through the gorges
of the Rocky and Sierra mountains, and
foaming, halt upon our shores. The print
ing press never ceases its labors, and is every
where-post roads and post Offices are al
most countless; and for greater dispatch we
have gathered the lightnings in our grasp,
and send it at our bidding with messages,
along our iron nerves.
There is not State but has its temples
dedicated to the highest learning and deeds
of mercy; whilst the meanest child in the
land, may claim from the public the rudi
ments of an English education. Our cotton
gins have clothed the naked-the products
Of our mechanics surpass in cunning and use
filness those Of any other land-in our pri-
vate armories, we mould the weapons Of
death for the armies of the world; whilst
from our abundant granaries we have enough
even to give to the starving millions Of the
other hemisphere.
Our army then, was without discipline
not even organized and consisted of levies
fresh from the workshop and field. Now we
have more than two millions enrolled mill
tia, and regular corps uneqra|ed in ap-
pontments Of every quality and kind.
Our navy then consisted Of few leaky,
second hand merchant ships, commanded by
the intrepid John Paul Jones; now our steam
frigates are specimens Of naval architecture,
and the admiration of all the world.
Our commerce then consisted of few
ventures in coasters from Massachusetts along
the shore to Georgia or the West Indies
now our sails whiten evevy sea- Our clip
pers carry troops to storm Sebastopol and
emigrants to populate Australia. We hunt
the whale from his hiding places among the
dangerous icebergs our bold navigators
visit the North Pole on missions of mercy;
and we trade with everybody and in every
nook and corner of the navigable waters Of
the earth.
That we are here to-day the advanced
guard of civilization and empire is most
significant fact in itself.
These are some Of the fruits of institutions,
that instead of lettering. give freedom of
thought and action to man. Let us, then,
upon this glorious anniversary return thanks
to that supreme director of events who has
vouchsafed to us this inestimable heritage,
and ioin one and all, in sacred VOW, to
preserve the blessing of political liberty to
the generation now pressing into our path.
The Richmond Enquirer says that about
three years ago, Miss Anne W. Taliafero, of
King William county, Va, emancipated for
ty negroes, giving each $3.50. They we're
placed in Quaker settlement in Ohio, by E.
w. Scott, executor Of the estate. A few
weeks since Mr.. Scott had occasion to visit
them on business and found them in wretch
ed condition; almost starving. One OF the
children had been stolen, and several had
died for the want of attention and the me-
cessaries Of life. They begged Mr.. Scott to
allow them to return with him to Virginia and
90 into slavery.