, 1874-07-06


peot that AiB decision will DO reversed.
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NEW DECLARATIONS OF INDEPENDENCE.
Tic o1d-atylo celebrations of tho Fourth OF
July seom to have been almost entirely abandon
cd. Occasionally now college. graduate or m
ambitious law-Btulent, finds in rural dlatrict All
opportunity for airing his rhetoric; but, as rulo,
tile eagle does not spread Lis wings and soar aloft
with anything }ike the yigor aud abandon Of
former years. Thn anniversary is now regarded
ns M occasion for making now Declarations OF
Independence ratler than commomoratiug ono
which is nearly hundred years old. We arc not
euro but tho departure III good QUO. II, on tho
one hand, We sacrifice some Of the traditions Of
tho past Which ought to be hold aacrod, OIL tho
ether ne look forward to reforms that may
bo - essential In tho way Of preserr-
ing American Independence aH tho frst Doclara-
tion was in achieving 1t. Thore could scarcely
DO moro lifting commomoratlon Of the uaost
sacred day in American history than tho practi-
cal presentations Of new evidence OF loyalty to
the principles which havo made 1t glorious. This
may be better aono by striking awny new
ehacllos that have boon put upon ua than by
dreaming in tropos and lyperbolo over the
accomplishments of century ago.
Tho farmers inaugarated the new style OF
celebration last rear by gathering togother in
picuics and rcading their now Declaration Of
Political Independence along with that which
Jofrcrson nado. Their example, though year
las ipteryonotl, has not beon forgotten; and,
this year, 1t has boou initiated by 1nen who
arc not farmers. Tho most notable instance OF
this now gpirit OF Independence waa furnished
by Alr. Zobiua Eastman. in Ills address at Elgin,
which we rrsut this morning. 1t ia q vigorous
protest against party slavery. It is q hearty
appeal for the right OF free voting. II mon aro
to yote With tho party always upon moral com.
pulsion, they might as vol give up tho right Of
suffrage. AIr. Eastman mover spoke truer
word than when he said: "Nloro political
slaves voted at the last Presidential election than
there wore loyal slavos whom Lincoln emauci-
patea." This political slavery, too, is OF moro
humiliatlng and debaBing character than tho
former sarfdom OF tho Southern States. Tho
placae Weto s!a'eb Ill theu Ignorance auo nolp-
| lesaneas. White men aro slaves only
by abtect aud voluntary submission. 1t
Ia not s]avery to this party rathos
than shat party which ia ia be specially del'ro-
Gated; 1t is the alavory to party Of any kind,
| which malics 1t binding upon man to vote for
candidates thrust upon him IN caucns against
his own Judgment. THIS III tho habit t'at tho
American voters hayo acquired irrespective Of
purity, aud 1t amounts to just what Mr. Eastman
calls it,-slayery. 1t iB this bondage which calls
for emancipation taow,--an emancipation as
necessary to tho life and prosperity Of the Ro-
public as was tho emancipation Of tho American
Colonies mud the emancipation Of tho negroes
To bolt should bo gu honor md glory to bo
bought after aud not disgrace to be ahuunod.
The ballot can only be free in all truth when
every man foolH md o1crcscH the liberty to vote
at evory election iuat az ho ploaaoa, unbeholdan
to "slato" or cauouet or party,
Tho privilege OF mixing our national snnl-
Versary tho occasion for no" Declaration oi
Independence "as Akowiso exercised on satur'
day by tho women suf1raglsts Of Boston, who
gathered together In Harmony Grove to ths
number Of 1000, and mado and liateued te
speeches Of lament rather than gloridcation
Among thoRe preaent who contributed to tle
protests OF Tho day wero William Lloyd Garri