Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1872-07-12

,..ss'rD.'-.''
England would have taken place at no distant
day. There was an HISTORICAL NECESSITY for |
just such government as the government Of |
the United States.
The human rscs was about 10 take another |
step forward in its progressive march-a new
sphere ~ a. tion was needed--a free h me. some
place which had been kept sacred from tie per-
manent influences of any fo,m Of government
And so here In wild America where there were
no old dynasties, no long lines Of royalty ns es
tablished system ofpolitics, and, verY few, ifenY
OF the old notions OF lbe "divine right of knRs MI
here, among people who seemed to have n,pre.I
OF the spirit Of liberty In their hearts than any
other people on the face Of the earth whose
life was full OF great ideas struggling for utter
ance, whose gtoRrahical position was eniinvntiy
adapted to detelnpe their ererpics, both physic-
al aud intellectuil--in tlii land, aud Among this
people, was To b. founded gbvnrnment suited
to tue wants of progressive humanity repre-
sentative IN its nature and representative in its
dminlstraton-rep representing not merely its own
citizens, but representing the citizens Of the
world
The real meaning, the historical meaning, of
our national uoto, Is not merely one State from
many states, but one nature from many natures
one people from many people, one great Ameri-
can nation frnm all the nations Of the Earthl
Another OF the controlling ideas Of our fathers
Is clearly discernible 10 the awful shadow Of
OF that fearful struggle, and Is expressed by
those master spirits in the language that "gov-
ernments derive their Just DO wers from the con-
sent ef the governed" governments at that
time existing taught that they derived their au-
thority oy divine right, and that the people had
no rights of their own and could enjoy such on
" as were graciously bestowed upon them by
their sovereigns. The revolution, of which this
Is the birthday, established A new doctrine and
"a hn NhaNa
the people, and that instead Of them enjoying
privileges ov governmental favor thev belonged
10 them 0l right, aud government could sxefefse
no authority but such as rhe people, who pus-
sessed all powor. would confer upon IT,
These wsro some Of the principles for which
our fathers contended. They triumDhed. and
upsn these principles the American GpgernmsAt
WAS established. How exutingly glad must
nave been the hearts Of that little Continental
army when at last, through much sorrow and
PAIN through much blopd and death, through
the loss Of some Of the bravest heroes the world
ever saw, through a thousand storms aud
through Thousand dangers, they at laAt went
forth victorious, with government founded up
on iheir cherished principles, and looking aluft
could behold the glorious Stars AMI Stripes. the
emblem OF land now free, and exelaim
"Flag Of the free hearts only home
By angel hands to valor given,
Thy stars have lii the welkin dome,
/ hbu All my nueS were Duru III heaven
Forever 11at that standard sheetl
| Where breathcs the iue but fails before III
| With Freedoms soil benesth our feet
And Freedoms banner floating Ger u.s."
! The true greatness Of our fathers is, however
more eniuringly attested IN the modelling Of uu
! government and itA institutions after the war ha,
closed than il was amid the smoke and din e.
battle and it Is in the statcsn ,nship uf rnu
fathers where we must learn the wisdon n,ce $
tn ia L. l..
Of place IN examine hastily the circumstances
| under which our government was fnrmed an,
the principles upon which II Was edlbti.hsd q.
The war Of the Revolution had clnscd in tit
umph; but among the blessings which rcnrnin,
peace brought in its train were not found tha
Haiiy Of feeling and hIrmoay of ac'i u 81 essen
tiAl to the future prosperity Of aur cnurtFy. IN.
Articles ol Cunfedera tion. which nndar the exi
gpnciea and stern pressure of external war, SUI
feiently bound together Confedcrated C.ionie.
whnse very existence depended On uuion, wa
found a bound tho weak t. hold together snver
eign and independent States freed from IN
dread and danger af a common foe. JealOuSieS
which sense Of mutual danger had suppresse,
broke out afresh clashing interss,s aised thei
discnrdant Tuices ani rival views we're elannr
ousiy asserted. The fraternal Union, that LA,
sustained the Colonies triuInphantly through
long and bloody c"utest, was threatensd with de
s,ructinn, and patriotism stO0d aghast in cnutsm
! from discord.
Deeply sensible Of the nsdeouAcy of the Ma
tionnl Government 10 meet and provide for III
wants Of the Con'edsraey,a Convention q! Del
egaies from each Of the States was proposed. I
. consider the defeats ami deliberate upon a rem
edy. Thus originated the conYention that ,rm
cd the present Constitution Of the United State.
II assembled in Philadelphia in Nav, I7si
. Composed Of the purest and ablsst men liyin
. within the bounds Of the Republic. II con
menced its labnrs under the Presidency Of tbs
. great and good man who has been dennrnnste he
tho Father Of his C@an,ry; as y; The .sss ig,sS
gas to BE- created under circurstsnces az vySie
tic worll's previous history offered no para.ie
/, independent States, with divers. institution
were 10 be assemble! into one family. Preser,
, Ing distinct and independent existence. the
were yet to be so incorporated as to present a
undivided sovereignty to the stranger. I
effect this, adverse prejudees were 10 be sol
r eued, conflicting passions hushed to peace ia
i ring interests reconciled, and rival Ambtir
harmonizad. But above all, that natlrnt len
! ousV with which contiguous States are apt
regard each other, was 10 be disa med or il
doubts, and thus each he inducsd 10 part teis
portion Of its porer for the joint bensfi If all.
: task like this could be successfully performe
only by men whose public and private honest
/ purity OF purpose and lofty patriotism afforded
guarantee o. the rectitude OF their purposes and
, the sincerity OF t""lT N'-no.
Luckily for our cnunrr,, those selected for II
discharge Of this high duty wSrc ahle to off
to their country the qualities requisite "a con
. mand confidence and giTe the highest assn, anC
that their single object was to promate the haI
piness and prosperity Of the great empire the
, were about IN establish
The system Of government devised BY then
II is well known, was eompFcmise of sopfietia
ristcs. Long and anxiouslv did thsY labor t,
this purpose. Strong in their known integrii
influential in tho afiectionate confidence whic
they enjoy ed, and powerful through the lpub
services they had rendered, tbsv were eaab bic
to grapple with and conquer difficulties dthe
/ wise insuperable. But animated by lore of
, common country, and guided bv the seif-sacr
hcing spirit which had achieved our polite
: independence, the men of the last century toun
in mutual concession. the means of escape lro
all the dstractiug subjects presented.
/ To realize the expectations of all was impo
/ sibe-to approximate this was feasible. 1t
i not to be denied that some portions of the ne
form of government was regarded rs nbjectio,
able by sIme of the States. Each Of the
, pointed to different portions of it as exception
able, and consequently some delay occurred
its general accept Ince But it was accepted 1
the best system possible Of attainment.
., Under such system of government it WI
reasonable to presume that the States couI
dwell together in harmony, ani the " hole a
one nation. continue To prosper. The prnphet
vision of our founders however, saw tie dang,
afar, and feared that the diverse interests bf Il
. different sections would at some day lead TO
collision.
The experience Of ths last eleven years, ala
too sadly aitests how well their fears were fem
ded. But thank God, the clouds of civil ",
. which hung so threa slingly o;ert sky Of II
Republic are broken, and The suns Zine of peaC
: and prosperity nRaia smiles over the land
, When the Constitutional Convention had con
pletsd its labors, the great Franklin. rising
i his place, pointed to the image Of II rising 81
. painted behind the Preside Ris chair,-and So
( that he had entertained doubts during their d
1 lioerati0ns whether that was rising or a se
, ting sun, but that he was now convinced that
was a rising one. and no, ed that il wunld anti
us to ascend until its beams fell upon the be
aA CaIl T., 4