Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1862-03-14
9ome Correspondence.
American Union.
MILFORD, March Sth, 1861.

immortal mind could not dwell upon the
reality of that sisterhood of states with
out feelings of admiration. The heart
could not feelits municipality without deep
pulsations of bliss.
Here has been the residence of happy
and free people: place where the op-
pressed might look for justice, and where
virtue might direct her steps and find an
asylum of repose. 1t was in this Union
Of States that Liberty, the great birth
right of Gods dependent children receiv-
ed its first terminating clement. Here
hereditary nobility was disclaimed, while
the equality of right and the union Of heav-
en- were sweetly blended together. In
this Federal Union, for the first time in
the midst of an enlightened people. was
that noble and Godlike declaration ex-
pressed, with seeming understanding of
its meaning, "That all men were endowed
with certain inalienable rights, among
which were life, liberty and the pursuit of
happiness. . But how far they were right
in this seemingly noble assertion it still re-
mains for posterity to answer. In order
that they may answer correctly, we have
but tie trace back the pages of history to
the earlier periods of our national exist
ence- When our Pilgrim fathers guided
/ their craft across the raging pillows and
moored upon New England's rocky coast,
determined, rather than flourish under des-
potism, to perish where liberty flowed I'M
der the colonial charters which were grant
ed them, This little liberty loving band
became strong people; when the mother
country sought to subdue the colonies
which she termed as rebellious, but found
finstead+o of the little feeble band an invinc-
IDLE power with which to contend. Such
became the inveterate despctism of Great
Britain that she determined, as she could
not destroy the union of the people, she
would destroy the people themselves. But
God indicated the cause of the oppressed
and the land that was termed the rebel
ious colonies came to be the thirteen Uni
ted States Of America. To this cemented
sistorhood division after division has been
incorporated under the same supreme law,
until they became moulded into mighty
Republic, which has stood-Jrarely stood,
because united while the treacherous at
tempts of an Arnold to betray or a Hull
to surrender it, were but the opponents of
their intrepid daring Yet our government
has long been in possession of those who
have cherished spirit of dsunion and
anxiousiy looked forward to a time when
this compact should be broken and the
North be one and the South another. But
alas, another Arnold appears and that CO.
mented sisterhood is declared no longer to
be, But shall the dear bought legacy of
our fore-fathers be torn from us? Shall
the spirit of rebellion predominant in the
midst Of a civilized nation? Shall our
government be slaughtered, mangled,
butchered, in its own land, its own home.
at its own fires de? God forbid ! Long
has the intellect Of our land looked for
ward with fearful forebodings but at last
the long pending crisis has seized upon us
and we are called upon in the name of hui
mainly to defend those rights which were
purchased by the blood of our Fathers
The same spirit that actuated the heroes
OF 10 and was so strongly resented, to-
day fires the bosom of every lover of
right and opposer of servile power. While
the north retains her patriotic spirit and
the south, destitute of that gem with which
she crowned her immortal Washington,
loud may we cry 'God speed the cause
while such enmity exists; and may the
time be not far distant when the spirit of
rebellion to those God-given rights shall
be swept from our land and right forever
triumph over despotism. Let union and
freedom be our theme, and the graves of
our venerable sires our security for the re-
union OF the states and perpetuity of those
lnallenable rights which were the endow-
ments of just God. Yet we have other
thoughts wherewith to turn our GAZING
sight. Our waking vision might open its
dllated orbs upon the power which our
Republic has long exercised upon the
world by its own superior form of govern
ment. 1t has come to be living archie
type from which other nations might sketch
the outlines and then tint with hues adam
ted to the wants of its own peculiar peo-
pie. Yet while cur dilated vision pene-
trates the past and views the rising splen-
dor of each Republic, there seems to come
voice from our own dear land calling for
the protection of its power When, with
breathless anxiety, we watch the intrepid
daring of those noble minds whose life was
liberty and whose death that of seryile
power, we are reminded of the debt which
we owe to posterity and to the world for