The dollar weekly bulletin. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1862-1864, 1862-09-25


! it. The first effect of the war, long befor
} any one could have forseen the magnitude
of its scale or the bitterness of its animosi-
ty, was to sweep away that one institution
on which personal liberty depends. Before
any serious effort was made to humble it
enemy, the Government of the United
States filled it's prison with disconteDted
citizens. The first thing the American
Revolution erected was the first thing thai
the French Revolution destroye Bastile
The civil courts in vain interfeared. Theil
jurisdiction was trampled in the dust by mil.
itary violence.
And now, as if there was not enough al
ready to remind us Of the Old World. the
conscriptions, which E glish readers known
only by the experience of foreign countries,
is put in full force. America trusts no long
er the voluntary energies of her citizens,
and impresses them for a service which
money to any amount to which it may be
offered cannot bribe them to undertake.
Not only freedom from imprisonment. but
1.-The right of every man to seek his own
happiness in the way he thinks BEST" so
confidently stated in the Declaration of In
dependence, is thus destroyed by single
word of single man. who assumes to him
self the tremendous power of dragging from
the ordinary pursuits of life 100000 of his
follow citizens that they NAV pass through
the fire to the NJ oloch OF civil strife. No
Oriental despots ever ventured on so tremen-
dous stroke of power. and no people Of
European origin. except the democracy OF
America. ever submitted to it. Turn from
the question Of personal liberty to the hope
OF physical well-be!ng. In a fortnight from
this time will commence throughout the
United States the collection of taxes more
~.
more vexations and inqustorial in the
method of their collections, than ever mod
ern times have seen. AS if this we're not
enough, all the transactions of life are en-
barrassed, the relations between debtor and
creditor disamanged, and the intercourse
with foreign countries re nGered almost i'm
possible bv system of incoD vertable paper
issued in defiance Of all principle and ex-
perieDce, and submitted to with the most
perfect apathy and indifference.
These measures have produced their le-
climate effect. Already people are Tying
from the land which was once the desired OF
all nations. The conscription has restored
to England and other European countries
many subjects who little thought to have
ever needed to plead any other nationality
than than that of their adopted country
Canada, which has been for many years
passed Dv with contempt Oy tue mliiIouS
which focked to the more popular institu-
tons of the United States, has suddenly be-
come land Of refuge, and thousands are re-
emieratirg to escape that very government
which few months ago they were prepared
to extol as the wisest and best upon earth.
But the war pursues its course, and the peo-
ple bear with tamenesS absolutely IN
credible the destruction, one by one. OF all
the hopes and all the illusions which had
l.l then, 60 the other side of the Atiautic.
There is. no doubt. something sublime in
the spectacle ofa nation so fervently welded
to on e idea that everything else this world
can give seems trivial and Insignificant in
comparison. Instances have not been rare
of communities that have perished almost to
a man for the purpose of preserving liberty;
but liberty is among the very first things
which America has seen fit to sacrifice. Io
the Unlon-that is to the resolution en-
bracng a whole continent under single
Governm ent-Am erica is sacrificing its pre-
sent happiness and its future hopes Rather
than be a State of moderate dimensions, the
North will proceed to any degree of self
i'm notation that may be Iequired. ltwould
be noble sight were the end worthy of the
meaus. AS it is. we stand aghast at this
wanton act Of destruction, and at the lnten-
sity of that national vanity which can thus
sacrifice to some vague imagination of terri
torial greatness not only all that makes a
nation great, but all that makes it happy or
respected.