The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1858-10-26

fsoaxee inaths 8rosening Cabinets Of Eu
rope. What are the reform bills Of Lore
John Russell, the plans of social ameliora
ton Of Louis Napoleon the evangelical
cxertions Of Exeter Hall, compared to tbi,
mighty mandate. of the East, which by
striking at the root of monstrous nation
al evil, opens new vista Of moral sub
Unity, for the land and race, purifying and
ennobling at ouce the whole character, the
social relations, and human intercourse
calling, as it were, upon the poor laborel
to rise 10 higher degree cf dignity and
self respt Ct, and upon the stroug task. mas
ters, who fatten, in many instances, upon
the laborer's toll, to rise to higher sense
of regard dae to Others, and to drop lit,
tie of the reckless egotism which rules their
conduct.
Where liberty is, there is my Country
Such were the words of the immortal pa.
trict, philosopher and statesman, Benjamin
Franklin. Do they not, ought they not to
find a noble response in every American
heart. Freedom is inherent in man, it is
birth-right. In our country shall it re.
main secure, or shall it be the prey of a
political party, whose leaders boast that
Slavery is of divine origin, that it is ma
tional institution, and must be protected
at all hazards. There is no truth more
prominent in the history Of nations, than
that security and success depend upon true
manliness, natural dignity, and that bold.
ness transmitted by cultivation in individ-
uals. In pcrusing the annals of he past,
although we may find that wave after wave
of unmitigated barbarism has submerged
noble nations for awhile, yet genius in its
lone closet, and persevering intellect, whose
secret workings are as invincible as the at
triton OF the clements upon the rocks of
time, have worn asunder the shackles of
oppression, liberated the sons of humanity,
and brought them forth stronger and bright,
er for the contest. We may look back in
to the depths Of the history of man, and
trace out the pathway of his progress, from
his cradle in the eastern world to ths--the
last limit Of his wanderings-we may view
the dark clouds Of despotism as they loom
up in the western horizon, and were hur-
ried on by the turbulent winds Of supersti.
tion and ignorance, covering the fair cano.
py Of freedom with its angry folds, hurling
the thundcrbolts Of death around-yet the
rainbow Of hope has ever cheercd on the
friends of mankind, and the bright stars of
liberty still shine over our broad land as
vivid metcors lighting up tho tracks Of
rolling ages Why are We SO emnently
favored amid vast creation, but that we
might 60 on with tho glorious work com.
menced by our forefathers? We were sent
forth, not into tho mists of passion, or the
topping tide Of chance, but into the wind
ing way of progress, that we might hold
our course, with the sweet voice Of TruLl,
and Virtue to guide us up the steep ascent
Why have we been placed in this free land
-one more extensive than the empire of
the Caesars in the accumulated conquests
of thousand ycars-our country, possess
ing every natural advantage, and with in
sti,utions, in which are mingled the light
of philosophy, with all that is dazzling in
literature? Let Excelsior" remein upon
the Republican banner. We will work un-
der its ample folds, worship at the shrine
of liberty, and kndle with loftier spirit,
we will listen to her voice, for whenever
she has spoken, her cloquencc has been
triumphant and sublime. We must conse-
crate our homo by vigorous efforts and hon.
est aims, and Freedom will remain within
cur grasp.
The Fourth of July commentaries the
birth of a republic-the final definitive re.
solve of people hitherto tie dependent
colonies of foreign power to dissolve their
allegiance to that power, and to assume a
nationality wholly their own. tits the an
niversary Of our own National Indcpen-
dence, aud the men who have given us the
"day We celebrate" were our fathers
Every true Americon heart is inspired with
generous and patriotic emotions upon tho
return of this sacred day. | regard the
general interest with which the return Of
this day is hailed, as an index of the love
Of liberty in the hearts Of the people
When the memory of that heroic genera
tion of men who pledged their lives, their
fortunes, and their sacred honor to liberty,
shall lie buried with their dust-when we
shall no longer remember independence
Hall, and '76 shall lose its power as ial-
lying word for the nation, then will our
liberties have departed, and the glory Of
our institutions faded away. 1t is well then
to celebrate the day, not only as a memo
rial of those great and good men who found
ed our government, not only V TO give indi-
cation to the world that the fires of liberty
still burn brightly upon every altar, and
that the spirit of selfgovernment is still
strong in the hearts of our people; but also,
that upon this day We may rotraco our
steps, and cherish for brief hour the spir-
it which gave to this goodly land not only
population, but in after times govern
ment It is well in this age Of rapid de-
velopement, TO draw aside the veil of the
past, and scrutinize tho history Of our race
upon this Continent, that we may learn
our own characteristics, and discover If pos
slble the drift of our American System.
Tho first discovery Of this hemisphere is
but comparatively an event Of yesterday
We will not disturb the sepulchred nations
OF antiquity, nor linger among the histor-
ic land marks, mouldy with age, and half
obliterated by time, which designate their
rise, their progress, and their fall. We
need but to glance at nations which now
exist, and whose influence and systems en-.
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