Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1863-03-28
Communications.
Hrtticn for the Columbia Democrat.
Ink Drops-By Raven,
NUMBER ONE.

Col. LEVI L. TATE Our Govern
ment was founded, by our forefathcrs, to
pcrpetuate our blood bought liberties 1t
was small matter to have gained our
independence, and TO have broken off the
yoke of tyrants abroad, if We were 10 put
on one equally heavy at home to refuse
to bow down to strangers, and then be-
come the slaves of our friends. And
revolutionary blood was spent in vain to
gain our liberty, if that liberty was to run
into licentiousness. Hence, that unborn
generations might enjoy the fruits of the
great struggle, 1t was necessary not only
to maintain our independence of foreign
nations, but to guard against anarchy and
despotism at home. a government was,
therefore, necessary 10 protect the people
from oppression at homo and abroad. A
republican form of government, with good
laws, faithfully administered, might have
accomplished this end, but the close of no
revolution ever found people so peculiar.
ly situated as were the Americans at the
end of the war. Here were thirteen
States, having joined together to gain
their independence. In this object they
made common cause, but this obtained :,
each one fell back to enjoy its share of
the independence gained. No one was
willing to be governed by the other, and
all were unwilling to consolidate and bury
their independence in Que nation. Yet
all saw the necessity Of some kind of
union for mutual protection, a protection
of each against all of the rest, and the
protection OF all against foreign foes
his then was the question that came be-
fore the trainers of our general govern
ment: How to form one great nation Out
OF many, and yet preserve the identity of
each how to protect the rights and priv
ilegos of all and yet not encroach upon
any D.! There was one thing more that
added to this already horculean task
These States were situated in different
parts of widely extended territory, and
had been settled by people from all parts
Of the world, bringing with them, more or
less, Of their native tastes and habits
Some were situated favorably to commerce,
some to manufacturing, and others to 40
ricultural pursuits; these last the most
numerous, embracing different degrees of
climate, and varying greatly in their pro-
ductions according to their locality. This
variety of interests was to be protected
and watched over. BESIDES all this; there
were large territories to be peoplcd and
States TO be made. Thes were to be pro-
yidod for, and brought in as they arose,
and to be placed precisely on an equality
with the rest. Here then were the elc-
mcnts of great nation, if they could
only be harmonizcd and made to help each
other. And this was the task of the
trainers of our government. TO accom-
pish this it would seem that human wis
dom was inadequate, but it was done, and
that it was done would seem to argue Di-
vine assistance. Confidently they threw
their banner to the breeze, and its open
ing folds revealed to q waiting world
Il H'uiblS Unum, as the result of their
arduous labors. The great experiment OF
human liberty, on a gigantic scale, began.