The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1861-03-07
Richmond, Wayne County, Indiana,


Prom the N.siona, Insslliseneer, of the sad als
The Day aDA the MAo.
The people Of the United States are thi
day called once more to celebrate the Nata
Anniversary Of the man first in war. frs
in peace, and first in the hearts of his coun
Iymen." To whatever designs and what
ever deliberations the other days Of tn
year may be devoted. this At least is da,
which. BY the very force Of the associations
that enshrine it. should Be kept sacred to th
cause of the Constitution and of the Union
for. commemorating as it doss the birth 0
him who. by the consenting voice Of Amer
lean citizens. has been called the Father 0
his Country" It were better to celebrat.
the day Of his death than the day of his ma
tivity. it in the Iremature destruction OF tha
country the pen of the future historian i.
destined to find the evidence that Washing
ton lived and labored in vain. We know
not how We can better interpret the spirit
IN which this day should be kept. and sug
consscrated. than by citing for the renewed
Perusal Of our readers the subjoined extracts
from letter addressed by Gen. Washing
to Gov. Green. of Rhode Island. At the
| Revolutionary war. when the same evils
imPsndsd over the country. from the want
Of unity under the Articles of Confedera
ton, as have now been precipi.ated upon
! the laud by the partial disruption Of tho
Union which has so long been our safety
and ornament. The letter is dated July Is,
I1783:
Sir: The great object for which had
| the honor to hold an appointment in the ser.
vice Of my country being accomplished, l
am now preparing to resign it into the hands
of Congress. aud return to that domestic re-
tirement which. it is well known. left with
great reluctance
The foundation of our empire was not laid
in the gloomy age of ignorance and super
stition. but al an epoch when the rights OF
mankind were better understood aud more
clearly than at any former period.
At this auspicious period the United
States came into existence as a nation, and
il their citizens be not completely free and
happy the fault will be entirely their own.
Such is our situation. aud such are our
prospects. 4
But, Notwithstanding the cup Of blessing
is thus reached out to US; notwithstanding
happiness is ours. if we have the disposition
to seize the occasion and make it our own.
yet it appears to me there is an option still
left to the United States Of America, wheth-
er thsy win stin sspssabis sad prosper
6as q oonismptah ahlesaA atsetabIe = . as~t
hon. This is4he &ah1ieqR tsSSt
hatiop; this ~ - 6shs8s ~. e. e1ipkf sa|
zsis their nssioosl chesacteFa - iftf II
q bs.sss 81 sSs 6a.oo. j sasls;i..;ns III 9be sSs
csmcnt Of the Confederation. and exposing
us to the sport of European politics. which
may array one State against another. to pre-
vent their growing importance and to serve
their own interested purposes. For, ac-
cording to the system OF policy the States
adopt at this moment. the will stand or fall |
and by their confirmation or lapse, it is yet
to be decided whether the revolution must
ultimately be considered a blessing or (
curse-a blessing or curse not to the pres /
ent age alone. Tor with our fate will the des. /
tiny of unborn millions be involved With /
this conviction OF the Importance of the /
present crisis, silence in me would be
crime. l will. therefore speak to your Ex- /
cellency the language of freedom and sim +
without disguise.
There are lour things which humbly i
are essential to the we'll being, [
may venture to say the existence. Of the ,
UuiteI States as an independent power.
1. An indissoluble union of the States un-
der one confedera;ed head.
2. sacred regard to public justice.
3. Tue adoption Of a proper peace es,ab !
lishment.
And 4th. The prevalence of that pacific /
and friendly disposition among the people of
the United States which will induce them to |
forget their local prejudices. to make those |
mutual concessions which are requisite to |
the general prosperity. aud 10 some instances /
to sacrifice their individual advantages to
the interest of the community.
These are the pillars on which the glori-
Gus fabric of our independency and nation
al character must be supported. Liberty
is the basis; and whoever would dare 10 sap
the foundation, or overturn the structure,
under whatever pretext he may attempt it,
will merit the bit,erest execration and the
by his Injured country.
Yeti it will be q part Of my duty. and that
of every true patriot, to assert, without re-
serve, and to insist upon the following prop
ositions:
That, unless the States will suffer Con-
gress to exercise these prerogatives they are
undoubtedly invested with By the Constitu-
ton. every thing must very rapidly tend to /
anarchy and confusion. That it is iudispen-
sable to the happiness Of the individual
States that there should be lodged some- +
where q supreme power TO regulate and /
govern the general concerns of the confede- /
rated Republic, without which the Union /
cannot be of long duration. That there /
must be a faithful and pointed compliance |
on the part of every Stale with ate propo- |
sails and demands of Congress. or the most
fatal consequences will ensue. That what |