The Shasta courier., 1861-02-16
Union Threatening Epochs.

In 1920 the Union was shaken to its centre
by those who sought its destruction, and many
of the wisest men of the nation trembled for its
safety. In 1882 and in 1850 the enemies of the
assaulted the pillars of the Temple of Liberty,
and again the hearts of all patriots and lovers
of the Republic almost ceased to beat with fear.
lest the magnificent structure should fall and
hopes of the lovers of liberty throughout the
world. But God Almighty, whose hand has
been seen working in our behalf from the days
of ITS, inspired men of the North and men of
the Soqth-slare-holders and anti-slave-holders
mark We Republican, -Abolitionists) with true
wisdom and the spirit of conciliation, and the
dark cloud from which the threatened death
dealing thunderbolt was expected to come,
foated away off and up into the heavens, merriy
discharging its lightnings in the upper skies, as
if celebrating with Heavens own pyrotechnics
the grand and sublime victory of wisdom, lib
erty and concession over violence, the fell spirit
of discord, and exaction
Will itnot be so again True, the matricidal
arm hath already removed some of those majes.
tic columns which for three quarters of cert \
~ r. have supported -. sublIzss and g.
structure of faultless similitude, of divine as
pect, of God-like conception, the handiwork of
master builders, whose foundation stones all
Americans have been taught to believe were
imbedded in the {. Rock of Ages"-the Temple
of American Liberty-and the hand of violence
hath snatched from our glorious flag some of the
brightest stars which for the same period have
shone with transcendent efulgence upon our
own and other lands, and filed with light and
hope the minds and hearts of the down-trodden
millions of both hemispheres
Yet, we have faith as firm as our hope OF
Heaven, that this nation has not yet performed
thousandth part of the work set apart for it by
the Ruler of the Universe, the Conductor and
Guardian of nations and of men. We have a
hope which is irrepressible, which is unsub-
dued, which is unshaken even by the mad freaks
which infuriated and unreasoning secessionists
are now exhibiting in the sight of an astonished
world, that this Republic is destined to live and
flourish and bless the world centuries upon cen
turies after the present generation of men have
moudered into dust and all, save the few whose
names may be retained upon the historic page
forgotten by mankind.
| But we have rambled. We intended simply
to contrast the power and wealth of the United
States as she was in 1920 and as she is in 1861
That done, we will let the reader, from the data
| furnished, speculate as to the unparalleled gran
deur which, in a not distant future, our noble
Republic might attain, and then say. whether, SO
far as depends upon his act that grandeur, great
ness and glory shall be permitted to grow until
it overshadows the nations, or, by present igno-
BILE dissolution, be forever placed beyond the
pale of possible realization.
But to the contrast, which we find floating on
the current of uncredited newspaper litera-
ture:
In 1920 there were % States in the Union
now there thirty-three. Then its area was
1887, $50 square miles now it is 2,936, l66.-
Our population then was 1858, 49, now 1t is
33,000,000. Our shipping then was 1880, l65
tons ; now it is 6,l43,l 1877. Our annual imports
then amounted to S74, ,z=53, 900; now they amount
to 1895, 76S, 100. Our exports then were $685.
97l ,766; now they are S366, ,6S9, ,402. Our
revenue then was Sl6,779,3 ,33l; now it is $780,
100000. The real and personal estate of our
citizens then was not over 81 900, 900, 900; now
it is estimated at $4,000, 100000.