Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1869-06-03

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stronghold against ignorance and
crime. They should be increased in
numbers and efficiency until the
Epowers of despotism and darkness
should be entirely banished from our
shores.
Here is work for every loyal
heart and hand that demands the
fsame zeal that called men to the
front when our country was threat
ened with dissolution. Who can
be an idle spectator when such in.
terests are at stake? Our govern
ment is the pioneer in civil and re-
| ligious liberties. We, as nation OF
freemen, are demonstrating the most
important principle that the world
has ever known. We are a light
watched by the downtrodden of the
whole earth: our beams of freedom
are breaking in upon their heart; they
are rising, crowns and thrones must
crumble to the dust, and the oppress
ed of all nations will join in the
shout of freedom.
Christianity. Education and Free
dom, are the three great levers which
are to be worked by men and ma
tions for the purpose of lifting the
vast social world into higher and
purer political atmosphere The
weight is ponderous, but the levers
are powerful, and are frequently
worked by that unseen Hand, thai
uses men as instrumentalities. This
massive weight is rising, and under
the wisdom of God, and the efforts
of educated and christianized ma,
tions. must continue to rise until all
nations will bask in the genial rays
of civil and religious liberty
All revolutions or convulsions
among the nations of the earth haye
ultimately resulted in good to
the race; and all great changes in so
ciety have been in general improve
ments. The downfall of Kingdoms
and empires was necessary mea
sure in the march of freedom. Ii
order to destroy the gross and sen
sual idolatries of the Assyrisns and
Babylonians, it became necessary tc
overthrow those empires. The
Medo Persians were better people
and established better government
For the same reason the Persian had
to give way te the Greek. 1t was
better for the world that Rome should
be mistress than Carthage, and hence
Carthage was destroyed. The le-
gions of Rome planted the seeds oI
civil liberty and sound jurispru
dence in all lands, and by establish
ing auniyersal empire prepared the
way for the preachers of Galilee -
But imperial Rome was indissolubly
welded to Paganism, and both had
to perish together The struggles
between infant Christianity and
hoary headed Paganism, during the
first four centuries, are deeply inter
esting because they show the tri-
umphs of liberty over a formidable
foe.
The long night of thousand years
which succeeded the fall of Rome was
the funeral wake of the old world. In
the tombs of the middle ages was
buried classic antiquity with all his
idols, covered with the dust and frag-
ments of his broken altars and deserted
temples. The feudal system of the
middle ages was the fiery crucible from
which was taken the elements of our
modern political institutions, so much
superior to the ancients. The strug-
giles of modern nations have been but
little less than convulsions caused by
the spirit of freedom cutting its way
through the crust OF error and despo-
tism, that may for season, have form
ed upon it. 1t has proved too strong for
the bands of paganism and wrong Of
every kind, however firmly those bands
may have been forged upon it.
This spirit of liberty was brought by
our forefathers to this country, and
what home it found
Our deep bays, our long chains of
mountains; our wide-spreading prairies,
our large and beautiful lakes, our long
and navigable rivers; all would seem
to indicate that this land had been
fashioned for the Flushing achieve
| ments of universal freedom. Soon he
British government undertook to forge
upon it the chains Of oppression, but
freedom arises in her might and with
handful of brave men throws off the
most formidable foe in the world
Again, slavery undertakes to bind its
inhuman and debasing chains upon her,
but again she rises in her might and
dashes this monster evil to the ground,
never to rise again. Millions of peo-
pie have thrown themselves across the
march of freedom to be trampled into
the earth by her onward strides.
Now. since there is such complete
union between freedom, christianity
and education, who will dare to stand,
for one moment, before this powerful
triune? Let nations form issues as
they will, but all who oppose this com
bined force must go down to infamy un-
der its moving car. Who cannot read
on the lsigns of the times the growth
and prosperity of our nation? 1t has
long been an asylum where the op-
pressed of all lands might find shelter
under freedoms soft wing. How glo-
rious may be our future if we only pre-
pare ourselves for the rich blessings
that may. be ours as nation. 1t is
necessary, to exercise these powers and
privileges Alright, that we understand
duty and that we have no fear to per-
form it in harmony with the dictates of
an enlightened conscience. To be
citizen Of the truest type in this glori-
Gus republic is the highest political po-
sition anyone can seek. All the great
questions of political economy are to
come before the citizens tribunal for
final decision. Every citizen is a Judge
who casts his opinion upon grave ques-
tions every time he goes to the polls