The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1863-07-09


ave place, OF mankind the nalienabie birth
right is life liberty and tSs pursuit Of hap
yiaess. The proclamation Of this principle
made deSp9ts tremble on their thrones
while jtspake nope to the oppressed. It
was this that caused your ancestors aud
mine to turn their thoughts to the distant
shores of America. Though the broad and
deep Atlantic ragged between, they thought,
they hoped, they camc-fron old England
Scotland, Ireland, from the dikes of Hol-
land and from the sunny provinces of
France-and found here for themselves and
their children, liberty, prosperity, and
peace. We therefore han with Joy the re.
turn Of that day which reminds us of the
noble declaration made by our fathers,
which with heroic self.sacrifice and by the
favor of Providence they made good, and to
which we are indebted under God for our
individual prosperity and our national
greatness.
But was it not Reoolution that our fathers
entered upon on the 4th of July 1916 p
Was it not rebellion? And are there any
circumstances whic can Justify the uprising
of people against the government to which
they owe allegiance9 f .~
Undoubtedly it was revolution, and both
truth and consistency require us to say that
there are circumstances which justify revolt
ution. Our fathers of course thought so,
and their position is taken in these words.
whenever any form of government becomes
destructive Of these ends" lie, the Sc curing
of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness
it is the right Of the people to alter or abol-
ish it, and to institute new government" A
more clear and truthful statement of what
constitutes just cause for revolution has
never been framed. Apply this tcst to suo
cessful or unsuccessful attempts at revolu-
ton, and we shall find our position correct.
Are the Poles, now struggling to be free,
justlfiable in their attempted revolution? IF
the Government of the Russian Autocrat is
toward them destructive of the ends 70,
which all just governments are lnstitu ted
then before the world and before high
heaven have they just cause for their upris-
ing, and lovers of good government the
world over will pray them God Speed.
Are the seeded States of our Union lust.
ifable in their attempted revolution ?-bear
with me while ask the question. If the
Federal Government had become so far per-
verted from its original and true design, as
to interfere with the legitima tie pursuit Of
happiness, and become to the Southern pee
pie destructive Of life and liberty, then had
they right, not to secede, but, to organize
resolution. How any man can say that the
government bad become thus oppressive to
the South is more than I can understand
The mild and peaceful sway of the national
government oppressv G? It had been CD.
pressive as to its honors, and Offices, and
salerses. Yes her best citizens had been
drafted into the service of the United States
as Presidents, Vice Presidents, Judges, and
Secretaries. Many of her distinguished
men had been banished to Foreign Coun-
tries as Consuls Ambassadors and Plenipo-
tentiaries. The government oppressive! 1t
had oppressed them by accessions of extend
ed and rich domain, crowding Florida and
Louisiana and Texas upon them until the
original South was almost nowhere. Did
the Federal government obstruct the pur-
suit of happiness on the part of the South !?
Ii so J know not what is meant by happi-
ness unless it be the inevitable negro run
ming for Canada. And even then the whole
police force of the United States was at the
service ofthe Master backed by fines and
imprisonme ITS to aid him in overtaking his
fugitive happiness. Can it be objected that
the operation of the United Sta ties Govern.
ment in the Soutq was destructive of lber-
typ 0 Liberty how art thou transformed
What abhorrent sentiments are masked by
thy mild features What deformities do
thy pure robes conceal One liberty, so
called and claimed, was endangered to the
Master-the liberty of carrying Negro Slav-
cry into all the territories, and, by logical
sequence into all the States of the Union
though even that liberty, the Legislative
and Judicial Departments of the Govern.
ment being constituted as they were, was
not likely soon to be interfered with. Let
an impartial and enlightened world decide
whether the right to hold slaves is so prec-
Gus one, and the right to fasten African
bondage upon the virgin soil of new States
is so inalienable, as to warrant the inaugur.
alton of revolution, deluging the country
with blood. Not such were the causes
which the fathers of the Repu bic plead in
justification of their revolt against the Brit
ish Government, and on which they based
their claim to recognition. They did in
revolution, but it was for causes
the validity Of which the civilized world
could not but recognize and in view of
which they could reasonably and religious
ly invoke the blessing of Him who is King
of nations and of men.
What is it has given us the respect and
Importance we have among the nations of
the earth? Is it the salubrity Of our eli.
mate? The richness of our soil our seen.
cry? the magnifcence Of our mountains.
lakes, and rivers? the extent of our do
main! or the excellence of our institutions?
Not to any one Of these nor even to all
combined is the respect entertained for us
abroad to be attributed, but, combined with