Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1872-11-15

or for woe. After following, for upwards
of seventy years, the straight course Of
freedom and prosperity marked out by the
founders Of their Government, the Ameri-
cln people reached the embranclImeHt of
another route. By moving steadily in the
original direction-by clnging TO the pre-
cepts and the traditions of their past, they
could have kept on indefinitely in the way
of happiness and liberty. They chose to
turn INTO the rugged and difficult path of
sectional hatred and coercion, and to stul-
tify their own principles and history to All
extent hitherto unparalleled. Four years
of war and stven years Of persecution We're
the fruits Of tlicir fatal deviation from the
path Of rcctitude. But the worst conse-
IIence that followed was lie utter political
decentralization Cf the conquerors them
selves aud tl.cir complete Indifference to
political i.siIt and wrong. Having, for an
unjust purpose, laii q sacrilegious hand
upon the ark Of lie Constitution, they have
destroyed the prestige of its s1creltless,
ana they will yainly look to it foE protec-
ton against the dcspotic power which they
are consolidating for their own future Op-
preston.
Again, at this day, the American people
stand at the fork of two roads. The first,
by tedious circuit over many a rough and
difficult ascent, and through many Il miry
and unwh0esome swamp, leads back at
last into the straight road from which they
never should have deviated. The second,
by broad and rapid descent, leads into
that same wilderness of despotism, rev.
olution and anarchy, which has en-
quilted Mexico and the South American
Republics.
The choice must be made row, but it
has blindly been left to the choice Of the
President and his advisers. We CALI
not believe that the American people have
deliberately elected to yield up the best
part of their liberties, aud to establish a
strong centralized power which will hold
them subject to its will. But through ig-
nOranCe and indifference to their rights
and their duties, they are bringing about
the same result In the days hen the
Roman Republic had become only name
the ruling classes abandoned all care for
their freedom and their country in their
greed for the plumber Ct the conquered
provinces, and the ''plebs' clamored for
nothing moro than "Punem ct circcnet 81
The American people, (leaving out the
South, which has no voice III the matter,)
care only for the pursuit Of wealth, and
s9em TO lie willing to submit to any gov
ernment that promises material prosperity
for the present moment; and freedom is
in danger OF utterly perishing on this CONT
nent through the thirst for gold and the
want oi vigilance of the people.
IfGenelal Grant were gifted with states
manship, We might hope that lie would rise
to the height Of the situation and make
himself an iInperishable name as the re-
storer of his country. But all the worId
knows that lis ideas Of government are
just what might be expected Ct a regimen
tai subaltern. He knows but two alterna-
! tives-.o employ brute force, or <Eto let tie
machine run ITSELF He is the tool Of un-
scrupulous and irresp pOnsible advisers, who
| have no care beyond their own selfish ends,
and who Will at any time sacrifice the
dearest interests Of their country to pocket
a few hundred thousand doilals. We have
therefore, every cause to fear that all tie
/ lofty and generous considerations which
urge the adoption of a state31nanlike policy
| for the next four years will be utterly is
| norcd, and the country will be i'll a worse
condition in 1876 tn III it is now.
But yet our duty is plain. We must
neither despair nor give up. We mus
hold up and vinGicate under defeat anC
disaster the principles Of free government
which made this country what it once was
and what it may become again when The
errors and passions Of this generation shall
have passed away. The assertion will, NJ
doubt, be ridicnled 10y the overwhelming
majority that rules the hour, but it is non'
tie less true. The defeated DemOcrac,
are the sole representatives and supporter
Of free government Oh this continent
Their being in 4 small minority is no al
gument against them, for SO is the Churcl
of God a small minority of mankind and
as in the days Of old, the dcliverance O
Israel depended upon those seven thousan
men who had never bent the knee to Daal
SO in the future the only hope for free III
stitutions rests in those who in this day @
tribulaton and apostacy will hold firm t
the doctrines Of the Constitution as it wa
before the war.
Let us therefore grid on our armOr an
resolve to fight the good fight unto the enc
Let us strive to preserve all that can
saved of local self government.
SO long as the liberty of the "COmmons
is not utterly crushed there is hope for IL
: future. England in the darkest days (
her despotism always maintained her mi
: nicipal liberties and it is through their il
fuence that she shook off the yoke
D tyranny.-Le5 lis therefore struggle for {
that is left us, confident that when the pc
: pie of the North begin to feel the weig
: of the yoke they have laid upon thems elve
= they will gladly return to the Constitute
Of our fathers.
:, MaryIand Coal.
Y A feature new to the coal trade is the ]
n port that there has been quite a number
, orders received for Cumberland coal to
/ shipped to points where English coal II
IL been used, and it is generally conced
le that the trade is in q healthier cCnditi