The Chickasaw messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1880-1900, 1881-03-10

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rovned with tfiumnhs 90 liberty ana 3
~ Before containing onr onward .
iarca iet us pan-e ou ibis height i'f
moment Co strengthen our iaiir and
eneu our hopes hy glance 90 ihe
pathway along Whish our people have
ravcied n isrow Three days moit +
han Q hundreds years since ihe adop /
ion OF tho hrst written constitution +
lf the Uniiei States, the articles ~
confederation. and perpetual union /
TIE new Republis Has Then beaet win
dangers on every hand IL TAI not /
conquered a place in the family OF /
naii0us The decisive battle of The /
war Tor independence, whose centon I
NAL anniversary win soon be CRATE
fully celebrated at Yorktowa, hal
hot vet been fought. The coionists
we're struggling net only against the
settled opinions of mankind, Tor The
world ala not then believe that the
supreme authority Of the govern
ment could be safely entrusted to
the guar diauship Of the people them
selves. We cannot over estimate the
feryent love Of liberty, intelligent
courage. and common sense With
which our fathers made the great *
pertinent Of self government. When
they found, after a short trial, that a
confederation Of State was too weak
to meet the necessities Of a vigorous
and expanding Republic, they boldly
set It aside, and IN It's stead estab-
lished a national union, founded di-
recuY upon the will Of the people,
endowed with full powers Of selfpres
eryalion and with authority for the
accomplishment Of its great objects.
Under this constitution the bound
aries Of freedom have been enlarged,
the foundations Of order and peace
have been strengthened. and The
growth Of our people n oil the bet
ter elements Of national lite has indi
GATED tie wisdom Of the founders, and
1 given new hope to their descendants
| Under this constitution our people
| long ago made themselves safe agains
danger from without and secured foi
their mariners and flag equality o
rights on al the seas Under thit
constitution twenty Ave States havl
4 been added to the Union with consti
| lu,ions and laws framed. and enforce,
/ by their own citizens, TO eecure th
manifold blessings Of local self gov
eminent The jurisdiction OF Obi
constitution Row covers an area fift
, times greater than that Of the origi
nal Thirteen States, and o populatlo
twenty times greater than that O
ll780 The supreme trial Of The con
siitution came at last, under the tire
mendous pressure Of civil war. w
ourselves are witnesses that On
Union emerged from the blood an
fire of that conflict purified ald mad
stronger for oh the bJnefceni pur
4 poses Of good government, and nov
at the close Of this drst century Z
growth, with the Inspirations OF it
history 10 their hearts, our peopl
hsve lately reviewed The condition q
e the nation and passed Judgment upo
the conduct and opinions Of politics
p parties, and have registered their wi
? concerning the future administratio
Of the government.
To interpret and 70 execute ID.
viii IL accordance with The 1onstitl
ton is the paramount duty Of ID
T, executive. Even from this brief re
view il IS nantes. that tue Nation
resolutely facing front, resolved {
employ its best energies ia deve op
ing tue greet possibilities Of ID
future, sacredly preleving whateyC
has been gained to liberty and goo
; government during Tue eenturi
Our people are determined to leag
! behind them all those bitter contr,
yersies concerning things which hay
I been irfev0cably settled, The lurlb,
discussion of which can only sir D
strife aud delay their onward marcel
The supremacy Of the Nation ana II
4, laws should be no logger i sublcci
doubt That discussion, which Il
half century, threatened the ext.
/ tenee of the Union, was closed at la
! In the high court OF war by a deere
( from which .here ,s no appeal On
! the Constitution and avs made
/, pursuance thereof are and shall con
tinue the supreme law Of the lam
binding alike upon the States and ii
. people, This decree does not dii
e tmb the au onomy Of the Stat, n,
, interfere with any Of their hecessaI
= rights Of local government, but
does fix and establish the permanel
" supremacy Of the Union. The wi
Of the Nation, speaking With Il
yehemenee of battle AMI thr0ua
: the amended constitution, has fulhlls
e the promises Of 1776 by proclaimin
y liberty throughout the land to an u
d inhabitants thereof. The elevatio
! Of the negro race from slavery to n
full rights Of citizenship is the mo-
important political change we la,
: known since the adoption Of II
J constitution Of 1887 No thought
ful man can fall to appreciate Il
beneficial effects upon our institu
tons and people II has feed 4
? from the perpetual danger Of W,
and dissolution II has liberated III
master as we'll as the slave from RI
lsiions which wronged aud enfeeble
both. It has surrendered to The
own guardianship the manhood
more than Eve millions of people an
has opened 70 each one Of them
Z career Of freedom and usefalnesl
10 has given new inspiration 10 n
; power Of self help 10 both races b
making labor more honorable to on
. aud more necessary to The oibs
F, The influence If lhis force sill qig
2 greater and bear rehcrfultin comin
| years No doubt ihis oreat ehano
has caused serious disturbance q an
Southern communilics This "a 1
, be deplored though il was perhan
unavoidable Bal those who resisle.
the change should remember thal
under cur Institutions there was y.
middle ground Tor the negro rae