, 1866-04-07
THE AMERICAN OBSTACLE.

Willie twenty odd millions of American c}ti-
zens enjoy r1cater political liberties. and DOS
sess. as a mnsa. higher educational oua1ifica-
tious than any ever before euYoyed or DOS
sessed BY man, four millions of Americans are
still disiranchised in consequence Of the still
ba4baristn OF about eight NIL
lions Of more or less disaGected citizens. II
the Declaration Of lndcpcndenee, the subse-
queut struggles for the preservation of the
Union aud tue overthrow Of slavery aimed TO
achieve ANYTHING. II ce1tainly was to secure
equal tustice to nll clnsses OF citizens.
The persistent maIfgrItY OF those eight mil
lions is the source of ali our public calamfties.
That, and TINT alone, has obstructed In the
past, as It does in the present, all other ave-
uucs Of reform and progress Onr civilization
Is still in It's Infancy In many respects, and
the attention Of statesnen, thinkers, reform
ers, philanthropIsts Is challenged by the man-
ifold necessities Of its development. Our edu-
catioual system Ia not yet extended over the
Southern States, and how ean their backward
ness be wondered ut II they are left with
out the first rudlmeuts Of public instruction
While almost wholly unknown in the South
ern States. It also requires greater compne-
henEiveness In the Northern states. Oar
children sbpuld bt taught the philosophy
rs well as the facts OF history, and the prac-
1ical application Of the moral laws Of Chris.
tianltJ To public and private life, as we'll as
the theory Of eecds and the tenets of schools.
The sanitary condition Of orr great cite,
is In an awful condition. Public markets,
squares and parks are requiced as matter OF
safety rs we'll rs Of establishment. Our
literature needs the help OF an International
copyright lsw. Our artists need the encour
ngement OF public galleries. Our scholars
and our people need extensive libraries Our
commerce, agriculture. and Industry need
more extensive public colleges. Our mer-
chants must not forever remain jobbcrs, but
begin to compete with those Of the old world.
In 1he mercantile enterprise oi t2e globe
This requires higher inteliectual quannca-
lions ano more thoroush knowledge OF Inc
geography and the requirements OF, the
various nations. Our western states Seasn
Sor dlrect channel oI wafer eommnn1catfoE
WIN Inc Atlantic ocean, ana the nme
must come *nen lae 'nfmefs oi uonols
can ship Their proaaee IN lineage directly
1or Lonoon or nA'1e. ous tn"a5s ano
steamers arc nanageo WIN unpa1oonaoie
reeklessness, ana lhc lntefposlt'on o. tne Law
T.. 4 7f<Fk In F. ~ "
Is required TO enforce Inc au,'es o. numaney,
Monopohes oeean 10 cto"a ont inoi''au3'
enterprise IN 1auwA}s, "anu'aetuA, anu
olher corporate ooo'cs anu I'll tue 't1lauee o,
the people and us legislators viii oe required
10 crusn The bnddlne agencies oi oespousm
IN tnduetry-the 1atas iorernnhefs OF despot~
lsm in government While screws are loose
III every direction In cur most civilized
States. and the energy Of the nation must
now be directed 10 new improvements, we
find ourselves suddenly again brought to
deadlock by the old curse Of slavery. A
Tennessee demagogue again inrI:es, from tue
Presidential chair, eight millions Of pro-slave-
r. citizens to pczpetrate fresh iniqulties upon
four millions Of the colored race, and upon
Northern citizens who may venture TO re-
deem Tie wilderncsscs OF the Caro-
Inns, or Of Florida and Arkansas.
Marx the influence Of that bad man aud his
miserable allies. He reopcns the gates Of the