Litchfield enquirer., 1869-07-15
For the Litchfield Enquirer. AND QUERIES ON " THE 8' FOURTH OF JULY"

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 MIR. EDroR:-I for one would like to be the Enquirer and have you the Respon- dent. Can you indulge me in this whim? and if I say some things directly contra. ry to your views, can you pardon it to the Spirit of Liberty?or1 eclr- .Hal5ngT
 It has been my custom now for some years past to retire to my chamber on the Fourth of July, and read to myself the
 ever celebrated Declaration of Indepen- dence, together with some portions of Pit kin's Political and Civil History relating thereto. Since the glorious days of Ora tions and Public Dinners, know of no proper observance of this National Festi- val. Pleasure parties, gay festivity, and idla nairth are desecration, not an obser- vance of this day. Y s3s 5s5s sE
 Permit me to enquire 1st, Mir. Editor, and I wish you to answer: What do we cele- brate on this day? What distinct, def- mite ideas do we attach to the solemn and important event which this day commem- crates? Do we celebrate the birthday of a Nation? the origin of a new Empire? or merely severance from the doninion of Great Britain? Is Nationality the thought, and patriotism the inspiration? or merely the Independence of certain States? Were the immortal Signers of the Declaration of Independence, Patri1 Pat,'es, the found CTS of an Empire, or were they only sep aratists? Did they build? or only destroy? Was their animating desire to dismember an important portion from the British Empire, whose territories are so vast that the morning drum beat at one of it's posts awakened by the rising sun, and rolling on
 with the march of the Hours, encircles the earth with one strain of martial music? Forgive or correct this misquotation of Webster's majestic isimile. Is the United States aanation? or so many Confederate States? and the General Government a limited agent to carry out certain delega- ted powers? If independence of, and separation from, the mother eouns try was all the result first aimed at, new nation struggling into life was the ineyita- ble conseqnence. Granting that the Fath- CTS of this Republic laid foundations broader and deeper than they themselves were aware, it is no impeachment of their wisdom" Every student of our history knows how long, earnest and strenuous has been tho conflict between National and State Sovereignty s And to whatever cause we may carelessly and thoughtlessly attribute the late unhappy war, was not the conflict really between two antagonis- tic ideas? Has not the late terrific war
 been really the necessary and inevitable effect of a cause hidden in the war of 1776-S3? Was it not the determination of a young and mighty nation to be supreme? Talk of Slavery and Anti-Slavery as you
 will, were not these the mere incidents of the conflict ? Could suchs slight causes have produced such Q tremendous effect? Itseems to me, truly, the National Spirit aroused to mighty action by the efforts to
 bind him down by the green withes of States Rights and States Sovereignty. But, bear in mind, am simply an en- quirer. The National and State Sove-
 reignty ought not thus to have been antag- onistic, but, as in the cause of general good and individual rights. they should have been like the centripetal and centri- fugal forces in the Solar System, each a |connterbaiance to check the other. all 2 fa42 Any other cause than that of a Nation's origin, will not account for the 4th of Ju- ly, 1776. T .' Our Fathers fought for Liber- ltya is 2 acommon remark. By zLibertyIi is here meant the defense and preservation of individual and personal rights. If this was the cause of the American Revolution, I'm afraid it is . failure. True, in one of the very able State papers which preceded
 the Declaration aof Independence, sits is said, ct is an essential. natural right.
 that . man shall qaietly enjoy, and have the en7a 1;ox<<xuol x,f hfc <,ur, ,,ro,,ov&u G1 Tc