Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1859-07-04
INpErENpENcE DAY.-. NC Lord l,ath done

INDEpExDExcE DAY.-"The Lord hath done
great things for us, whereof we are glad" tits
no wonder that the great heart of America
throbs and 'swelIs with unwonted, emotion to-
day. With solemn delight the tribes of ancient
Israel observed and welcomed the return of the
passover night when the angel Of destruction
went by their habitations with unmoIesting
hand. 1t is with similar dei.ght that we may
commemorate the day, when our patriot fathers
laid upon the Altar sacrifice. which forever
drove away the cruel angel of foreign oppres-
sion. The thrill of delight will be felt to-day in
the veins of Americans everywhere; whether
here in our own native land, North OF South,
East or West; whether out wandering on the
wide blue ocean, or away off exploring unknown
lan6s; whether Illuminating among the grand old
towers and stupendous modern work of grave
Old England :or breathing the soft air of sunny
Spain; whether carrying Christ's gospel through
India and China, or listening to the roar of
French and Austrian cannon on the plains of
Lombardy and Piedmont No matter where,
for wherever the American is, the thrill will be
felt and all will unite in common ascription OF
praise and thanksgiving to the God who first
gave us our liberty and has since preserved it.
We can excuse the extravaganza of Fourth
of July Orators" Let them grow wild and
crazy if they will; we can pardon the faults of
literary taste when the Stheme is too grand
to depend upon literature for ornament
If we are ever excusable for passion, it is when
to-day's anniversary returns, with its joyful, he
roic associations.
1t is highly proper that the day should be
well observed. 1t should forever be kept as
national thanksgiving day. The memories of
our ''sires of re" should be revived, and we
should thus be stately taught to revere their
memories 1t is the practice ..of some Chris
tian churches to set apart one day in the year
for the special purpose of teaching and instruc-
ton in particular doctrine which is held cs-
sential So should the American people have
one day in the year specially devoted to the
honor of their glorious doctrine of freedom and
equal rights. Tho secular business of life
should be left of, and the lesson taught to the
world eighty three years ago, should be revived
and re-taught to us. Let it become as fixed
day of political devotion as the Christian Sab
bath is of religious worship, Let us be taught
to venerate the names of the patriots of our
WHO OIONS Tue llVdueT OaCk, broken ana
cowed," as we are taught to revere the names of
the pious patriarchs of DID, Let us-and not
only US, but our childrcn-be instructed to adj
here as tenaciously to the principles, of which
to day is the birthday, as the Christian to the
doctrines of his bible.
The sweetest thing upon earth is liberty, and
we perhaps enjoy larger share of it than any
nation in the world But liberty is jealous
friend, and requires constant respect. Onr Re-
publican government, framed with such wisdom
and simplicity it is, is, of all others, the best
adapted to the preservation of liberty. But it
requires something more than mere form of
government. There must be the sincere aad
intelligent love of liberty at the heart OF the
people. There must be sacred reliance upon
and prayers to the God Of liberty, for his con-
slant blessings and benedictions upon US; and
there must be, with this, a brave resolution to
preserve the sacred inheritance at all hazards.
"Easier weTeIt
To husl the rooted mountain from its base,
Determined to be free"
Whilst we see, with so much sympathy and
interest, the struggles of European nations,
fighting for freedom, what source of congratu-
lation it should be to US, that we already possess
all that they have so long been striving in vain
for. Is there not fear that we may come to
prize the blessing too lightly? Poland and Hun
gary and Italy prize it enough to shed their
hearts best blood for it. Still they are ground
down in the bonds and agony of slavery. May
we ever preserve our exalted blessings, by ever
showing ourselves worthy of them. May we
ever honor the memories Of those who bought
these blessings for us; and may the day hallow-
ed by their great actions, be ever kept sacred
and holy!
BIsHOP JAMES LErrEK,-On the first page of
tOdAy's Inteuigsneer we publish, with some
few omissions, the letter of Bishop James,
touching the late distm bance, by mob, of the
AIatL,i;st n..;......l O. -