Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1876-06-29
LANCASTER WISCONSIN THURSDAY

IL vas Oue VI tiic happy SOhSSIoSi
ces of free government, that j
awakens all the energies of man, ant
stimulates him to exertion and EN-
terprise, by holding out to all, th'
highest rewards to which patriotic
ambition can aspire. 1t is the witty
ing spirit diffnsed through all thu
ramifications of society that hat
coused the tide of emigration to rol
onward and westward, resistless il
its course, flooding the whole valley
of the Mississippi which keeps con
tinually alive the current of in
tercourse between all the parts OF the
Union, bringing home to each other
the warts, the interests, and the feel
ings of all, and blending together {
united exertion for the security and
happiness of every portion. As We
contemplate the unexampled growth
of our nation, the astonishing manner
in which it has increased in popula-
ton, in intelligence, in commerce and
wealth, in the arts and sciences and
all the elements of strength aud indie.
pendence ; the rapid extension Of
government and laws over this wide
spread region, encircling with their
protection, the new states which have
sprung into existence with their
millions Of freemen, it would seem
that no destiny is too glorious to be
anticipated for this splendid fabric OF
polite al wisdom. The tide and emf.
grafton will still roll on, unimpeded
in its course by the great western
chain, until it reaches the shores oil
the pacific. New states will continue
to rise up and enter our Union,
strengthening it with their support
and participation in its blessings,
until the pillars of our government
shall stand planted on the shores of
tho Atlantic in the east, the Pacific
in the west, the Gulf of Mexico in the
South, and the borders of the Hud-
sons Bay, company in the north, and
the Star-spangled banner of our coun-
try over all the land shall wave in
triumph and in peace. The great re-
suits which we have witnessed and
those still greater which may be an.
ticipated, may be mainly attributed
to the influence which our POLITICAL
institutions exercise over the minds
and feelings of the community. The
spirit of those Institutions says to all
men that they are by nature equal.
Every one looks upon man as his fell
low, and acknowledges no superior,
except the superiority of intellectual
and moral attainments. 1t is this
which inspires our citizens with
a laudable desire to excel in all hon.
orable pursuits, nerves their energies
at the time of peril, and stimulates
their enterprise i'll all those under
takings which rebound SO much to
the honor and prosperity of our coun-
try.
While we, as freemen, glory in the
government of our choice, and exult in
the high privileges which We enjoy
we ought to remember that this gov
eminent was established and these
privileges gained for us by the wis
dom and patriotism of our fathers.
and can only be maintained by the
vigilant and watchful care oil the
people. We ought never to forget
that the only legitimate object OF
government is the good of the gov
erned, and whenever the government
shall be directed towards other
objects and looses sight of those for
which it was created, it is not only
the right Of the people, but is a duty
which they owe to the country, to
resist and to correct the evil. 1t is a
principle OF nature, that ''power is
always stealing from the many to the
few" Men installed into office and
accustomed to the exercises OF au-
thority, too often forget the purpose
for which the office was created, and
consider thier own ACKNOWLEDGMENT
as the end to BIO promoted by the ex.
ercises of thier public functions. 1.-THE
boosted liberty of our country shall
ever become PROSTATE before thefoot-
stool of power, it will be from the
combined cause of corruption of the
rulers and the supineness OF the peo'
pie. SO long as the people continue
watchful, jealous of their rights and
bold to assert them, there will be no
danger. Our united strength may
bid defiance to all foreign powers,
and the history of the world shows
that the nation has never yet been
enslaved by domestic tyrants where
the people were not fit subjects for
slavery from their ignorance, apathy.
or corruption. Let the people then
everywhere be true to themselves and
to the country, sustain their honest
and faithful public officers, and man.
fully oppose those who forget the OBJ
iect and end for which they have
been invested with authority, and
all will be secure.
| feel myself prompted to these
remarks from the conviction which
my own observation forces upon rae,
that of late years our government
has in many instances departed
widely from the track in which it,
machinery was placed and in which
it was designed TO operate. l have
seen, upon too many occasions, the
rights of the people disregarded fol-
individual benefit, not to feel assured
that all is not right. | say this with
out imagining the least disrespec'
towards the late or the present Ad'
ministration of the general govern
ment. 1t has always been my pride
to belong TO the great democratic
party which has maintained the as
tendency in the three last Presiden
tial elections. All my political prlncl
pies have been imbibed in the schoo
OF that party, and they are now toe
deeply rooted to be cast aside.
voted for the late President, when
my residence entitled me to vote
supported the most of the leading
measures of his Administration, such
as | believe to be just and calculated
to benefit the country, while l nav,
as readily onposed those which