The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1862-01-02
The HOLIDAYS

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strens stbcued for the labors OF the year
before u.s. We enjoyed ourself oouside'
ratly during our play time. and We Gao
assure all that We made such good use Of
the short respite from beadHork and hand
work, that We stand, as the politicians
say, redeemed. regenerated and Olsen
thralled" from the epuui which q close sp.
plieation to business will fasten on the
best of zen. May we ell live to see and
enjoy the merry greetings and the excel.
lent cheer of many Christians and New
Year to come.
The holidays bave gone by, but they
have not carried with them, as things o!
the past. the troubles, trials, and tribula-
tious which beset our once happy country
Secession yet holds up its hideous heed.
and large armies, with the parapherualia
and all the inconvenieDces of war, occupy
the places where Dow should stand cult
waited fields, bearing upon their surfaces
the evidence of rich harvest to come.
pleasant cottages containing within them
smiling countensnces. ruby lips, rosy
cheeks and sparkling eyes. and thriving
villages exhibiting to all teholders those
evidences of prosperity, which publish to
the world a happy, free and contensed
people. Cur present status exists in
spite Of, and not becau-e of the action Of
free government. Where every voter is
a sovereign, and every Office holder a ser
want, and wb ere education, and every o.
teer means for the promotion of iutelli
gence. is open to the masses such things
should not be. On the contrary, every
thing should portend the existence of tbst
over6owiDg happiness which should sp-
pear as a perpetual Thanksgiving to God
for his bouudless mercy, and for bis un-
measurable kindness to US. Every thing
BY which We are surrounded tends to the
conviction that We are a favored people.
We have lands almost boundless iu length
and breadth, and of quality surpassed
By no country on the face of the earth,
and equalled By but few; We have enter
prize which accomplishes ends which as.
tound the rest OF mankind We have
wealth beyond the demands of our most
extrsVagaDt wants aDd We have freedom
that pearl of uatebless price-freedom
to worship God according to the dictates
of our own consciences, freedom to tbiuk
and do, SO long as We keep within the
bounds OF our own rights, and refrain
from interfering with the rights of our
neigbbors. Why then. with these bes
sings and privileges showered upon us.
should war disturb our eqniniuity, and
wars tyrsuuic chains hang about our
necksi Not that our status may become
better, but that it may become worse.
Ambition, by which sin fe II the angels
"a brillisnt invention Of Satan to destroy
souls sDd encompass the happiness of ma
tions--is the root of all the evil by which
We are now surrounded and ttreatene
Men without knowledge of principle, or
if they ever possessed principle lost all in
their ambition. desires to rule their fel
lows-determined if they could not rule
they would ruin the splendid structure
which our patriot fathers of the revolution
erected on our happy land and they
have gone on. from preteDce of good 10
the beginning, through regular gradation,
dropping cloak after cloak, until now, in
openuess of evil. they dema and the di.rup.
ton Of the Union, the destruction of the
Constitution. the subversion of our laws.
and the decentralization of our people
Demsgoaues at all times. they never
had any other object 10 view but self
and now that the advance nent of self is
vanishing far from their sigbt-as a vain
hope they demand the disne 10 berment of
the States, and the estsblisbneut of q
seperate government. in which they may
revel amidst crowns, and thrones, and
septres, and bold in oheysnce those whose
estate they have changed from masters
to serfs. This is the aim of the JEFF.
Davis's of Secessiondom this the aim
for the accomplishment of which all their
strength is employed. But, thank God,
the signs of the times are plainly on the
side Of Northern Justice; and if We are
but true to ourselves, Northern might. al.
sisted BY the God of battles. will 20 on con.
queriDg and to conquer until not vestige
Of the vandsli.m which now overspres ads
The south. will remain to mar the lowell. o
ness. which to the oppressed Of all the t
'srth, pervades the face of our country.
But how is this to be accomplished . :
Not. IS some would have US do, by patch. n
ng op such peace as would strengthen 9,
hs densgoaes while it would prove