Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1872-01-31
Past and Present.

Somewhat more than ninety-fivc
years ago the world was startled by
the declaration that now nation had
been born. Its birth was ushered in
by the tramp of mailed legions, the
din of arms, and the thunder of battle.
When the old bell of independence
Hall rang out a joyous peal, none but
the God of armies knew whether the
infant Republic would survive or per.
ish But survive il did. Eventually
.he red waves of war were rolled back,
and the white flag Of peace huttercd
from our hill-tops and cleaned along
our rockbound coasts The Republic
became fixed fact, and the princi.
pies of fself- government living reality.
When our fathers lighted the fires
Of liberty upon an altar whose stones
had been cemented with their own
blood, the angels sang as melodiously
as when the shepherds were ravished
by their enhancing strains upon the
plains of Judea The glad tidings
rolled over the waste of waters, and
were borne TO distant climes on snowy
wings Tyrants trembled. Dungeon
ed nations heard and were glad. Pill.
grims came from every land to wor-
ship at the new shrine Soon the in.
fant become an athletic giant, and de-
manded place in the front rank Of
nations. 1t created cities whore the
monarchs OF the forest had wrestled
with the storm and breeze for untold
ages. 1t created commence and sent
its white-winged messengers through
out the habilable globe. 1t put in
motion the spindle and loom, and ere
ated a thousand industries for the
benefit of its teeming humanity. 1t
awoke the plowman's song upon the
Western prairie, and with Southern
products made other nations our trib-
utaries 1t provided literally for the
industrious sons of labor, and filled
their homes with good cheer and
happiness.
"Then mono was for n party;
Then all were for the State
Then the great man help'd the poor.
Aud the poor man loy'd the great
Then lands were fairly portion'd
Then lands were fairly sold
The people were like brothers,
In the brave days Of old"
To-day we sit amid the ruined mon.
uments of our former greatness, and
weep over the remnants of our decay
ing splcndor. We look out upon the
land, and can scarcely realize that it
is the same of which birds have sung
in glowing strains, and the lips of clio.
quencc cxtoIied to the skies.
As people we are naked and bank
rupt. Dobtsits heavy upon our should
ers, and the worm of greedy taxation
is gnawng at our vitals. Frauds pre-.
side at the council board, and corrup-
tion steers the ship of State Our
custom houses are run by the vilest
thieves, and one hundred millions of
internal revenue, each year, become
the property of unblushing plunderers.
Our currency has become the sport Of
knavcs and source of profit TO spec.
ulating rings Our commerce is as
dead as an Egyptian mummy; our
manufactures are languishing, except
in cases where capitalists have had
means enough to purchase marketa.
Bile Congress. Agriculture affords no
remuneration to the tiller of the soil,
and bleeding labor is made to foot the
bills of q reckless and improvident
Government. We ask for bread and
they give US stone, We sue for lib.
erty, and get it in the shape of Fed.
cral bayonets and Gatling guns. We
petition for reform in the civil service,
and straightway faro dealing or base
ball playing is made the passport to
office. Thus we might go on al iaf.
ndum in the the rehearsal of our ma.
tional evils, but we forbear. The
thoughtful and wise will not fail to call
them all to mind. Fools and parti-
sans in leading-strings would fail to
understand or acknowledge them as
truths.-Ihe People.