Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1861-07-04

The 4th OF Jnly.
To-day Is the s5th anniversary Of Am.
erieau independence. It comes TO rs this
morning unlike all tia, have preceded it.
Even on the day Of its birth, when the
new republic was launched amid all the
gloomy portents of an uncertain futursi IN
70 the family Of nations, it wore GO such
look a. It does to-day. It was then start
ed upon its trial. It's makers and builders
had everything TO gain and rothing 10
lose. They we're already suffering des-
potism, and if they failed they had the al
tentative Of knowing that their situation
would but be IS it was before. To-day
everything is different. For ueHr one
hundred years the sweet fruits Of their La
bors have been uninterruptedIy enjoyed BY
their posterity. We have had no king to
reign over Us; VIC have elected all our m.
lers, and have made all our laws to suit
the necessities of our nature and situation.
We have governed ourselves. Those who
were born humblest among Us have risen
70 historical prestige, and thousands Of
those who were Of us and from Us have 10
turn been among the rulers and the ruled.
The favors Of Office, the honors of position
and the powers of promotion have fallen
equally upon all classes Of citizens Com
meneinE With an eminent and patriotic
foreigner, in one of the high places Of the
Government, we have continued to elect
other eminent aud patriotic men Of alien
birth to responsible positions Commence
ing the liae of our Chief Magistrates With
a survsyOr6oy, We have steadily preserved
its democratic character. Commeneiugour
foreign ministry With poor printers boy,
no accident of birth has changed the cur
rent. We have had an unbrOken success
sion Of democratic rulers. God ennobled
our fathers" and by His gifts 70 their de-
scsndants, through the suffrages OF free
people, they have exercised whatever of
power theY acquired.
Such in brief has been our history. We
have been a free people, and to-day the
mOmeutous question iS, shall We continue
to be free7 Would that we could eonsrAt-
uIate our readers this morning upon the
prospect before them. Would that We
could see the land glow With the pride
aud confidence that 1t exhibited this day
year ago upon the hearing and reading
Edward Bveretts magnificent viudicAtioa
Of Ameaiean institutions. Full surely, We
all then thought, our nationality would
stand perpetual, and NO would be strong
and free forever. But to-day the prospect
is all overcast. The heaviest cloud that
ever yet settled upon our sight ia now
spread clear athwart our horizon. The
future is full Of doubt and anxiety. 1t is
not iu the power of man to say what will
DO our condition this time next year. We
know that thousands of our rountrymen
will fall between this and then, fighting for
the liberties of this day. Aud wedevoutly
trust that each drop OF their blood will cry
to the God Of our fathers for that same ter
rible retri6ution that drew down the curse
Of frAtrieide upon the brow Of Cain.
With heavy hearts oar patriotic people
will go to the woods and the groves to-day,
to hear orations and sing national anthems
Like the captive Jews by the waters Of
Babylon, they will lament the troubles
which have 6efallen Jerusalem. Yet, like
them, they will see 10 the future the hope
Of a restoration. That Power which made
aud preserved US nation" none of Us can
doubt, is with our armies now. Surely
that good Providence which smiled so mer
cifulIy and beautifully uPoa the work of
this day, eighty Eve years ago, has no
attribute that can take sides with the
desperate aud wicked traitors who ale at
work seeking to undo that work. AS We
believe that the planting of the colonies
was not the result of accident, nor the is
sue Of the Revolution mere chance, We
must believe that the same fostering hand
that was over Us then, will guide "a safe
through uow. 1.-THE curse causeless does
uot.eoms,' sad it would be to doubt every
divine attribute. to believe that the loyal
States Of this Union, with right and iu,sl-
ligenes and the sympa,hies of the Chris.
tiaa world on their side, will come out
Of this coates, oSer.hrova by those whose
only watobwsrd Of battle is the extension
Of the area Of human slavery.