The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1868-11-26


(wich is POstmaster.)
From the New York Tribune.
What We Have Won.
In the election of Gen. Grant, the
people have secured that for which
they fought-UMoN, PEACE, and EQUAL
RIGHTs FOR AL MEN. After seventy
i've years Of struggles over the ques-
ton whether the Union is league or
a nation, and after years of contest as
to the right Of all men to be free, the
election of Gen. Grant finally seals the
restoration Of the Union, and POUNDS
an indissoluble nationality on the ba-
sis Of universal liberty and manhood
suffrage. The next four years may
be occupied in part in getting the
machinery Of our new system into
harmonious operation. But the
principles on which our nation is now
based admit of no further dispute.
We are one indissolubIe nation all
inhabitants are, or may become, citi-
zens all citizens have equal rights,
and all adult male citizens have equal
political rights. In 1860, none of
these propositions were true. In
1864, two millions Of men were in the
field, contending on the ono side for,
and on the other against them. In
1868, they are settled for ever by the
election of Grant and the Chicago
platform. Such reformation in our
Constitution when viewed in all it's
aspects is infinitely more important to
the American people and to mankind,
thanOur changefrOmC Colonies into inde-
pendent States, or onr adoption of the
Federal Constitution. Both were
steps toward the birth of a great and
free nation. Neither was adequate to
make the nation great and free. In
dependence transferred the control of
our foreign and national interests
from the Crown and Parliament to a
body elected by ourselves. But inde-
pendence alone involved no guarantee
that our foreign and national affairs
would be conducted with greater JUS
tice or even security than before. On
the contrary, we found it perverted to
aid BOnapartism by war with Eng
land, and to extend Slavery by a war
on Mexico
The adoption of our Federal Con-
gave us a germ of power
which might dwindle into a league,
or grow into a nation. But from
1889 to 1868 there was an iH1perjWm IN
iDlperjO, an oligarchy ruling through
the forms of our Republic, and claim
ing to be stronger than the nation it
SELF For time, for the sake Of peace,
the claims of the oligarchy were not
disputed, and Slavery was stronger
than Liberty throughout the land.
Slavery sat in the Presidents chair,
while Liberty swung on John Browns
gallows. Slavery wore the Chief JUS
tees robes while Liberty fed, pursu-
ed by blood-hounds, to the jungles Of
the dismal swamps of the
and SHOWS of Canada. Our
boasted liberty was defnable in the
terms which a Bourbon would have
used to describe Bourbonism, viz: the
right of superior races to divide pow
or among themselves as they think
proper. Our Democracy, ike the
British peerage, was the mere equality
Of despots with each other. At
length the struggle between the peo-
pie and the oligarchy came. Hseem-
ed long, dark, and agOnizing in the !
but history, comparing it |
with its full-orbed results, will de.
scribe it as wonderfully brief, brilliant
and decisive.
For the the first two years of the
struggle the government refused to |
see the Hand of God in the war. It
insisted on branding it as a politi-
clans quarrel, a mere contest against
States and sections. Lower and low
er trailed our flag before the victori-
ous legions of the New Southern ma
tion. On this theory their cause was
rs Just as ours. When our standards
rose Emancipation was written on
them, and all men rose with them. |
Victory succeeded to defeat; until the
fol ces of the rebellion were
subdued. But there were some who
when they learned emanci-
patton came to US as our Savior. |
Universal suffrage was but a part, the
better and more perfect fruit Of eman-
,ipation. After another struggle it is
ours.
We agree with those who regard |
these changes as great, and radical
revolutions in our constitution of
and in our national and |
social life. But we hail them with |
Joy as tie dawning of a brighter, holier
and happier career than could other
wise have befallen the nation. NoI
longer can the aristocrats of the old
world point to slavery as the foul blot
on our pretended freedom, or to the ir-
reconeilable hostility of our sections
as proofs of republican weakness.
We have now a Constitution purged |
from all iniquity-a flag sustained.
All who breathe our air are free.
The humblest citizen shares in the
sovereignty. Popular statesmanshipl
has proved itself able to subdue theI
most gigantic Rebellion in all history,
to abolish the most deop-seated, and
powerful abuse of all time, to estab-
lish the strongest government onI
earth, and to vindicate its national
honor from reputation. All this was
necessary before our Union could, or
ought to, extend over the continent
and embrace its future seventy-fve
States and its hundred millions Of peo-
pie. The agonies of the past eight
years, so far from indicating the deca-
dence of our national power, are its
birth-throes.
Let those who, under God, have
won this signal and closing victory
fnr. fraednnn tha Last hha ,.nnn ninal n