The union Democrat. [volume] (Sonora, Calif.) 1854-1946, 1871-04-01

cacse, John Martin? And is it not popular
opinion that Is now calling for the dissolution
of the Union? Some may consider 1t would
have been
BETTER HAD WE NEVER OBTAINED THESE con-
SESSIONS,
that the more cruelty and oppression we
groaned under, the more desperate We would
become, and the sooner we would be goaded
to action.
/ We have heen groaning under oppression
and cruelty enough, ard we have been goad-
ed on to action often enough, to tell us that
there is something else wanted. One thin,
these concessions have given us which our
former attempts never have and that Is
SELF RELIANCE.
They give Us respect for our own strength
nv seeing others respect it. We are taught
the value of it. by seeing what it can do even
hv peaceful measures. We are taught to
harbor our strength. and as the only proper
means of harboring is by organization. we are
thus led to organization. They have also
given US moral courage. Every concession
has been rev prop nut to our backs. We
hold our heal more firmly up after each one,
and with louder and more courageous tones
demand the next Do not imagine that
wish to intimate that we may gnaw on in this
way to
FINAL INDEPENDENCE.
I am not carried off hv any such quakersh
idea have every confidence that by such
means we may obtain dissolution of the
Union. We may obtain by such means every
thing but our sovereign Independence. hut
that, am we'll aware must be dug out with
the point of the sword We know how fam
cusly the bulldog holds by his grin, and |
am we'll satisfied tLat the only way to force
him to release that grip will he by inserting
| in the neighhorhood of his laws some sharp
instrument as the sword. But surprising we
possessed our own parliament might not mat
ters be much facilitated towards effecting our
| independence? Ii it was composed of the
right men Declaration of Independence to-
| tai and absolute might soon follow.
| We would then he on organized nation,
with credit. If not ready means. and whatever
might he our chances now, they would GER
tainly be better then.
! know these are speculations, and remarks
my obiec.or. we have had Just as fine ones
upon the independence of our country before
YOU were born. Answer one question, he
says,
HAVE You FIRM FAITH IN THE ULTIMATE TRI-
uMPH OF OUR coUNTRY's CAUSE?
| IF so where is the army and navy by which
we are to obtain is? have firm faith in the
ultimate triumph Of our cnnntrv's cause am
convinced of its ultimate triumrh as that the
Just man shall reach Heaven. | hold TO it
with the same tenactv that do an article OF
religions faith, and believe in it as | believe
that justice is one of the attributes of tie
| sovereign of the universe And why? Ia II
an inmate belief or isit grounded upon reason?
| In one sense it is irate. in much rs | be-
| lieve il was horn with me. But still is it
| formed upon reason? Was it the conscious
aess of the existence Of an army and navy
ready to hack our claims that has kept the
struggle for our countrv's independence alive
ard vigorous for the last seven hundred
years? Was it the thought of an army and
navy that has buoyed our country M under
every difficuIty--under everv oppression-
under every crushing misfortune? Was il
the thought Of an army and navy. when her
skeleton form wss sinking from starvation.
when the lash Of exitrpating laws was whip
ping from her frame the little flesh that pri-
vation had left-when she was turned out
| houseless and homeless upon the roadside to
die-was it the thought of an army and navv
that then enabled her to turn her emaciated
/
ere still glowing with the fire of patriotism
demand the independence of her native land
No. no. 1t was higher, a nobler, and a
loftier thought than this. 1t was through
the operation of
! PRINCIPLE,
| implanted in mans bosom by tie hand Of the
Creator himself. confined not to Irishmer
alone hot benefcientlv bestowed npon all his
creatures according to one of lrelands great
est statesmen. the principle. to which refer,
is "That principle, which tells him that re-
| sistance to power usurped is not merely
DUTY. which he owes to himself and to his
neighhor. but duty which he ewes to his
God. in asserting and maintaining the rank,
which he gave him in the creation. that prin
eipe which neither the rudeness Of ignorance
can stife nor the enervation Of refinement ex
tinguish. that principle which makes il
base in man to suffer when he ought to net.
| which tending to preserve 70 the species the
| orieinal designations If Providence. spurns
a, the arrogant distinctions Of man. and vim
| dictate the independent qualities of his race.
and as God has implanted that principle in
| our hosoms so he also has given us the faith
10 relv firmly upon its Ultimate triumph. /
appeal 20 TIE testimony of your own bosoms
| for the truth of what saw. Do you not all
feel spirit within you that tells Won, you
would sooner surrender life itself. than snr-
render the struggle for your country's indie
| pendenee and do You not also feel an ulti-
mae faith in the triumph Of that struggle. ]
| feel both the principle. and the faith perme
ate every finer of my body. and to take il
awsv would he to deprive me IF part of nv
spiritual being. am no exception TO Irish
men in general. They all feel and believe
as do So now my ohiector has my grounds
for my firm faith in the ultimate accomplish
ment of our country's freedom.
SUMMARY.
| And now let Us see what conclusions we
| have arrived at We have established that
| it is our dutv to assemble on this day as our
national holiday. TO protest against British
rule in our native land. and to renew our
row to make that protest good By deeds when
ever opportunity offers.
| End, That no matter how small may be
the numbers each individual voice contributes
/ ~ he