Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1873-07-03
Cincinnati Letter.
CINCINNATI, o., July ., 1873.

present time, the joy with which every
returning anniversary ofAmerican In
dependence has been hailed, excites
our warmest admiration-our most
exalted pride. We trace in these ex
pIessions of public sentiment, that
love of liberty and contempt of arbi
tary power, which gave the grand i'm
pulse to the founders of our independ-
ence, and if properly cherished, will
preserve it unimpaired to the latest
posterity 1t is then dictate of duty, as
we'll as of feeling, whenever this mem
orable era occurs, 10 reflect on the
causes which produced it, and the
many important events that have fol
lowed its establishment The history
OF our revolution presents the most
splendid epoch in the annals of the
world, the mistaken integrity, the
heroic fortitude, and consummate wis
dom of those who conceived, prose
cuted and completed the magnificent
work, are subjects on which the human
mind will ever delight to linger
The spirit which actuated the heroes
who achieved our independence, and
the statesmen Who secured it by our
republican form of government, was
perfectly pure and disinterested. In
the holy contest for the rights of man,
they had no private feeling to crafty;
their counsels were never rendered in
effectual from a want, of unanimity,
nor were their measures paralized by
internal dissensions. They knew that
the cause in which they had embarked
was glorious; that it embraced in its
consequences the future happiness Of
millions, and by an exertion of the
sublimest energies, they proved to the
universe that nothing could withstand
the efforts of those who dared to resist
expressions, and were determined, at
every hazard, to defend the privileges
they inherited from the God of Nature.
However inconquerable was the zeal
that animated their bosoms for the
success of the sacred work in which
they had engaged, we are not less com
PEELED to admire that devotion to their
country which disaster could not i'm
pair, that seemed to gather new ardor
from misfortune and rise stronger
from adversity. They persevered with
frmness, until the conflict had closed +;
from the wreck of their fortunes they
offered their last richest sacrifice on
the altar of their country; the veil ot
the temple had been rent; nature was
convulsed, and a moment of awful
silence ensued, when suddenly the ele
ments were hushed and the star OF
peace, hope and joy arose in the heav-
ems. To preserve the invaluable
blessings of civil liberty, to maintain
the high rank we have already taker
among the nations, we should guarC
with the utmost vigilance our socia.
and moral privileges, meet every en-
croachment upon them at the thresh
old, and destroy the very semblanc'
of Innovation We should mark will
caution the errors that other govern
ments have committed, and by Wig
orous application of public virtue
prevent their disastrous consequence
on our own country. In the Presen
: enviable situation of our country, it
our duty to divest our minds of pas
sion and prejudice, to pursue that lii
eral, that enlightened course, whic
e alone will insure permanent respects
II bility. 1t is not by slavish adhel
ence to the whim of party, it is not b
bigoted affection for family pride
it is not by that accommodating spir
. which adapts itself to circumstance
L that the true dignity of our nations
character is to be supported and pr
served. No, there is but one pril
cipal that can be relied on; there
but one track in all the mazes (
morals, as well as politics, that wi
}, is an unbending frmness in decision
stern integrity in action: that trac
IS is the unvarying course ofduty, whe
temptation cannot seduce the mir
,! nor adversely destroy its energies
We are no advocates for unlimit
& power Heaven forbid that we shou
ii indulge feeling that reason and ed
cation have taught us to depreca
but we would be bold to assert o
warm attachment for a vigorous e1
! : eution of public measures, and hold
sovereign contempt that officer
government, who would shrink,
any event, from an independent
IS. charge of his duties. The civiliz
world never witnessed a more amin
Sa ing spectacle, than is at this time p
sented in the prosperous and hap
. situation of our country. Our natiol
career has been brilliant. If the 81
~ plicity of our republican habits
forbade the influence of lordly RAJ
if the ambitious attempts of the or
TO- have been silenced by the power
voice of public sentiment, we /
: vna in exult with honest pride in aconscio
p!i- pFd!ti ness Of our privileges. From t
'ure equality of right, the most benefi,
results will be produced. 1t will Sc