The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-07-05
Ere. I'VE 40 Is,t-Nssesy-sve vssss 81
sse ss<sress Repsbsse.-


sss sssvess Repsshc."
Yesterday was the ninety -tlfth anniversary
Of the United States Of America, and bow
amazing the record OF these ninety ave years
OF na,iosAl growth, power and prosperity!
From three millions our country has advanced
to forty millions Of people; from . line OF
feeble settlements along the Atlantic coast Il
has expanded across the Continent 10 the Pa
ci6c Ocean. In 1916 our southern boundary
was the southern boundary OF Georgia now
II is the northern boundary Of Mexico, after
the annexation Of an empire from Mexico.
Ninety 1--WE years ago our northern boundary
was the Canadian frontier; now our territories
extend 10 the northwestern gateway TO the
North Pole aud TO point within forty miles Of
Asia and our manifest destiny" Is the whole
''boundless continent" and the islands thereof
to the Pole, on the one hand, and at least TO
the Isshmus Of Darien on the other. provided,
always, that North, South, East and West, we
hold tremendously together.
Our political progress toward the complete
fulilment Of the principles Of the Declaration
of independence has been as remarkable as
our material expansion and prosperity. The
constitution of ''our fathers was not perfect
work Of liberty. II Was budget Of compro-
misses with slavery which could not last. II
was q work OF necessity for the sake Of union
but the Union thus formed was q rope Of sand.
For these original compromises and all the
succeeding compromises with the nuisance Of
African slavery, North and South, we have
paid the penalty in the most gigantic and San
culinary civil war in the history Of any people.
We have emerged from this terrible struggle
with the nuisance Of slavery abated and with
a constitution of universal liberty and civil
and political equality; and ii must at least be
recorded to the credit Of the American people
that they were ashamed to put the word
slavery into their national charter OF liberty
until they could use this obnoxious word
slavery to announce that neither slavery nor
involuntary servitude, except in the punish
ment of crime, can be permitted in the United
States.
Thus we have passed through grea. revo-
luton in passing through the fiery ordeal Of
four years of terrible war for the life Of the
nation against a formidable rebellion for the
maintenance and extension Of Southern slavery
outside the Union, and we have entered upon
s'new departure" What is the prospect?
It Is glorious and encouraging; but ii lie
cloudy. Political corruption and demoralza-
ton have increased with the public spoils and
plumber. Our political parties were never 10
corrupt and our political leaders and manag-
ing politicians were never 80 INSCRIPTIONS
and rapacious as they are to-day. The power
and audacity Of gigantic monopolies and cor
porations were never so dangerous to the
public liberties as they are now and the spirit
of the working classes is full of peril to the
established inequalities of things. From
these and other causes we apprehend that
our Presidential campaign Of 1872 will be .
campaign Of alarming excitements and de-
velopments and the beginning Of new agita-
tions which must inevitably bring about .
new revolution more radical and sweeping in
its consequences than anything dreamed Of by
our spoils and plumber politicians. Let us
watch and wait. Sufficient for the day Is not
only the evil thereof but the glory Of the
'Great Republic"