The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1870-02-04
IFrom the Banner Of the South.
IMPERIALISM.

Can dungeons, bolts, ana bars confue thee,
Or whips thy noble spirit tagef'
ImWay be that our people have sur
fell of Liberty. 1t may be that Re-
pul !snism is not adapted to extended
tcrrfSBries and large populations. 1t
may be that Freedom cannot exist with
out Virtue. 1t may be all these reasons
combined. But be it what it may, it seems
to be true, that Notwithstanding the peo-
pie of the United States have "felt the
generous flame" of Liberty" they are
preparing to "resign" that precious boon
without struggle, and scarcely without
a protest We have all, ia our younger
days, loved to linger over the pages
which told of the heroic deeds of Rome
Republic, Of EIof,r, of Tell, of our own
beloved Washington. We have ts.tt all
the indignation Of our nature aroused at
the recital of the acts of Nero, OF Dyoni
sius, and of Caligula. We have arisen
from the perusal of the histories of Lib
crty's struggles against Tyranny, and
thanked God that we lived in land,
where Freedom seemed natural growth,
and Tyranny could never tlonrish.---
With heartfelt pride, we have looked up
to ''the cid flag" as the emblem of all
that was good and grand in political gov
eminent. lis "broad stripes and bright
stars" giistened with unspcakablc beau
ty to patriotic eyes. Aud, proudest of
Earth's titles, it was deemed to be san
American citizen" But all this has
past; and the glory Of our country has
departed. Thep sccptrc of Israel has
passed into alien hands. The soil has
become cholsed with weeds of noxious
growth. "Thc old flag" no longer the
emblem of Freedom, but "a Haunting
lio," seems but to protect tyranny and
vii!ainy in their evil Vaccinations. The
"beacon light has gone out and left us
in the darkness of oppression; and "the
old ship of State" dashed about upon
the breakers of Radicalism, throalens
instantly to go to pieces.
Aud yet, amidst all this turmoil and
threatening danger, the people stand
unmoved, unmindfuI of The evil which
is portending for them. Day after day
Despotism moves on, slowly but surely,
trcading down, one after another, the
liberties and the institutions of the coun-
try, blottng out the landmarks Of the
Constitution, and setting up its crown
in every State to be respected, obeycd,
yea worshipped, by the blind apathctic
fools, who can see no danger in the dis
tant muttcrings Of thunder or tho vivid
lightning flashes which ilIuminc the Po-
Iitical sky and bctokcn the coming storm.
Oh, that we had the power to wakcn
them from their dreadful lcthargy. We
would thunder it in their cars, that
American Republication is well nigh
gone, and Imperialism will soon assume
its place.
President Grant but awaits the favora-
bic moment to strike the blow and de-
clare himself Dictator Of this broad land.
That moment approaches. Aud some
gloomy day the people Of the United
States will awake to find themselves
bound, hand and foot, with the Tyrant's
shackles. and the chair which once
held Washington, jefferson, a Madi
son. and an Adams, drapcd witE the en-
bIcms of royalty, and holding within its
arms the form OF an Emperor. We wish
that we could thunder it in the ears of
the people. We should say to them,
"Awakc, arouse, or he forever fallen