Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1873-04-03
Our Past and Future.


EVERY four years the nation meets to-
gether to renew the consciousness that it
is community bound by common in
terest and laboring for the common
good; nor as President Grant came for
ward upon the platform at Washington,
the representative of this principle of
unity, as the telegraph bore the record Of
his oath and of his clear and suggestive
address to nearly forty millions of peo-
pie, was there anything but satisfaction
with the great majority that the choice
of the nation had fallen on one so worthy
and so trusted. A sense of security
passed over the intelligent and toiling
throngs from the shores of the Columbia
to the waters of the Hudson. They felt
that the community was safe and
entire; that the Earring clash of
warning parties had been converted
into rare unanimity; that the period of
civil discord was over, and the country
entering upon new career of unequaled
prosperity. Some on Inauguration
day, touched by the communal feeling,
looked far back to the dawn of the infant
community; saw Washington, surrounded
by Adams and Hamilton, Livingston,
Steuben, Sherman, repeat the first oath
TO the new Constitution which he had
labored to construct, and address in ten
der and truthful words his divided and
feeble countrymen. The burden of Wash
lngton's addresses was always Union.
The Constitution had been adopted with
difficulty, and was siugularly unpopular
IN many districts. The fate of genera
tons and or continent, Washin gton and
his advisers saw, rested upon the blend
ing OF the feeble, warworn, and divided
colonies IN compact body, and with
wonderful patience, forbearance, resolu-
ton, they succeeded in attaining it. The
Union was perfected, and Washington for
eight years maintained with vigor and
decision the government which had
been accepted by the majority against
domestic or foreign foes.
Nor on Inauguration day is it possible
TO survey without grateful satisfaction the
long line of excellent and patriotic men
who have renewed the oath taken by
Washington, and kept it so faithfully
Contrasted with the series of European
rulers, they prove the general good sense
and discretion with which our people
have selected their Chief Magistrates.
The kings and priests, the despots and
the constitutional monarchs, of the Old
World have usually been inferior to the
better classes Of their subjects in morals
and public virtue. Often stained by
gross vices, they have corrupted genera
tlons by their example, have wasted the
resources of the industrious in useless ey.
travagauce. or, torn by an evil ambition,
have racked and Gecimated the people
with endless wars. A dissolute George
", and William, the two Napoleons.
Isabella of Spain, throng Of petty DO.
tentates in Italy and Germany, the con
temnoraries of our Presidents, have dis
honored human nature by their vices and
oppressed mankind by their crimes. The
successors OF Washington, if they have
not equa'ed, have, in some measure at
least, Inherited the calm sense and pat.
rlotism of their founder. Adams, honest,
pure, passionate, ambitious, Jefferson
the keen, subtle friend of mankind, Mad
lson, Monroe, or the second Adams. with
some human failings, were all worthy of
the republic they administered, and not
inferior to the people they ruled. The
rude yet honest patriotism of Jackson is
remembered by all parties with sincere
respect; and If the careers of sonle of
his successors We're tainted by the de-
moraliZing influences of diving slavery.
yet the record of our Presidential rulers
brlghtens toward the close. We have had
no George ". nor any Napoleon The
meek, unbending, faithful Lincoln, purest
Of statesmen, almost a second Washing
ton, gave his life to the cause of Union.
and the nation named as the worthy sue.
cessor of Lincoln the man who had done
most to preserve it.
The last three Presidential terms have
witnessed the origin, progress and close
or remarkable revolution, necessary to
complete the union which Washington
enforced, ami which Grant and Lincoln
founoed anew. SO long as slavery exist
ed there could be no hope of domestic
peace A slave oigarchy ruling a com
munity of freemen could only maintain
Its power by ceaseless aggressions. At
length, insane with an evil ambition, il
plotted Its own destruction The slave
holders became the most effective aboli.
tlonlsts. Hated by their own people for
their tyranny and pride, conscious that the
colored population was planning its own
emancipation, they yet ventured to rebel
1t was the signal for the emancipation
OF the nation. Slavery fell with a
flerce CONFUSION; the triumph Of
universal freedom was perfected bv the
labors of Lincoln and Grant. During
the last three Presidential terms our
country has been made the fitting home
OF the workin g.man, of industry, and of
seif'respect; and the vast tide Of immi.
grafton which is pouring in upon us from
Germany and Scandinavia shows with
what JOY the intelligent lahorers of Eurone
avail themselves of the offers of freedom
Our community is being rapidly swelled
by the friends of liberty and EQUALITY. the
industrious AID the frugal are no LONGER
frightened from our shores by the horrors
of human bondage; and within the newt
decade it is probable that every section
OF the Union will be peopled anew from
the most worthy portion of the European
population.
Thus the new Presidential term onens
in union and peace. One or two of the
Southern States may yet be disturbed by
the lingering resentments of the fallen
faction. But the majority of their PEG.
pie have no desire to recall their former
oppressors, and the whole mercantile and
farming interest of the South is laboring
for stable government Ithas no desire
to be ruled by the Ku Klux, or 20 drive
away capital and trade. With other ma
tons it is the happy lot of our govern
Inent to have no complications and no