The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-07-06

paramount to ali others in the s'l pubic
mind, namely, the restoration and
reconstruction of the Union of the
United States. s A
During the late gigantic civil war,
/ was o citizen of the State OF Ken
lucky, one of the then slave States
which refused to secede. from the
Union. In that course, I joined most
heartily. From the beginning, / saw
that the movement Of secession was
one fraught with danger, poverty, and
the defeat of the. Confederacy; and I
had too long followed the flag Of my
fathers, to be content to yield it to
any other country or Government. I
wasltoo much of an Anglo Saxon, or
Anglo-American, to give up one foot
OF that soil for which our fathers
fought, bled and died, that they
might establish an American repub-
lie. (Applause.) Hence it is that I
am here on the present occasion, to
discuss these questions with you as
citizens of the United States of
America.
Ninety-one years ago to-day, as
you have heard read this morning,
our forefathers-the wise, good and
great men of that age-met in the
old Independence Hall, in PhiladeI-
phia, and declared that the then
Colonies were the United States; that
they were, and of right ought to be,
free, and, amidst the ringing of bells
and the rejoicing of the people, they
announced the birth Of another mem
Der into the great family of nations.
This was not remarkable. Other ma
tions had been born into the family
before; other nations had thrown off
the yoke of despotism, and become
free and independent Governments
before. And this nation knew, in COM
mon with its predecessors, that long
struggle would ensue ere the mother
country would allow these young
Colonies to pluck from her proud
brow such gem as the American
Republic. They expected poverty
and misfortune, but in the spirit of
the immortal declaration of Patric'
Henry, they determined to achieve
their liberty or receive their death.
There was, however, fellow citizens,
another and distinguishing trait of
this declaration that had no prece-
dent, and to that desire to call your
careful attention.
Before the meeting of the Congress
of 4776-a Congress of authors, phi
and statesmen-the rights
of governments had been derived
from various sources-some from
discovery, some from conquest, some
from the iron arm of war, and others
from that dignity and "divinity that
doth hedge the king" But, until
that memorable fourth day of July, in
40 authoritative form, had it been
announced that the only true princi-
pie of government, the only right of
government, was to be found in the
consent of the people governed. For
the first time in the history Of tho
world, it was declared that the only
title government could have to the |
exhibition and sway of power over
people, was to be found in the hearts
If the people over whom it was to be
exercised This is the keynote of
5he American republic. It is the
foundation, the chief cornerstone of
the glorious superstructure of Ameri-
can nationality. This principle was
announced without limitation; and
The only restraint imposed was con-
lined to that class of people who, by
reason of youth or moral or intellec-
tual deficiency, were incapable of
expressing that assent in the legal
form. The principle, however, was
universal, 1t was as broad as the |
universe, wide as humanity, wherever
there was government, the only
rights it could assert were derived
from the consent of the people 60
verned. We have not yet realized
the entire extent of that immortal
doctrine; but he must be m idiot
who cannot see, in the logic of events,
that we are marching with gigantic |
strides to the fulfllment of that
great principle-that glorious truth
which was proclaimed by our fathers
with prophetic wisdom.
See what we have accomplished.
The thirteen Colonies which skirted
the Atlantic Ocean from Georgia to
New Hampshire, have increased until
we now number thirty-six great
States. We have extended the bound
aries of the republic from the rock
bound coast of the Atlantic in the
East, to the golden sands of the Pa
cific in the West-from the broad
acres of the North to the rolling
nroi,iac of Nav;oo -, +bo C>,+I>