The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1883-12-08

God, no confederacy of corruption
can be permanent. for "Thoagh hand
join in hand, the wicked shall not 90
mpunished
knowledge is power. But without
the control and guidance o. religion
it may be like the power of the belch'-
ing volcano that explodes, and sears,
and scortches every living thing. Or
like the power of the earthquake
that comes laundering through the
solid foundationt Of nature, but swal-
lows up the living in its awful chasm.
And freedom is power But unless
regulated and directed by education
and religion, it will soon degenerate
into confusion. But when these three
great principles are combined and lie
at the foundations of a government.
they make it as firm us the everlast-
ing hills. In no other nation beneath
the sun, are these three elements of
strength and stability, so firmly Join
ed as here, Keeping exact step; see
ing eye to eye; heart beating to heart,
and giving to each other mutual sym
pathy and support. While freedom
opens the field for the operations of re-
ligion and christianity and allows it to
20 forth on its mission unfettered, Ed
ucation teaches how to use it. En-
lightened piety means work, as well as
experience, a genuine experience,
shining out in the life and making it
all luminous with the deeds of benev-
olence. 1t engages in the heaven born
enterprise of bringing the world to
God The exercise of the elective
franchise in our land, Is also the re-
suit of these elements upon which our
government Is based. Men 90 to the
polls to ma Ike their own rulers; and
thus, the rotation of office among the
masses; and free discussion of all the
acts of legislation; and power of suf-
frage to change them; constructs a
free people into great National Ac-
ademy. Thus it is the glory of this
land, that the school house and the
sanctuary, and the hall of legislation,
stand side by side, with open doors,
for entrance to all classes. And these
three institutions are in such perfect
sympathy that there is not throb in
pulse of one that is not felt by each of
the others. The sanctuary sends its iuv-
emile attendants to the school house,
and each OF both supply the halls ofleg-
islation to keep a vigilcnt eye upon the
interests Of religion, and education,
and freedom to protect them. Amid
the interlocking, and sympathy, and
harmonious working Of this mighty
trio, that constitutes the body, and
mind, and soul of the nation, we can
lift our hearts in thankfulness to God,
today and say: eve have a goodly
heritage" ''The Lord hath done great
things for Us, whereof we are glad"
But unfortunately, there was one
dreary exception to liberty in our con
stitution, which clogged the working
of this grand national machine, viz.
American Slavery. This dark system
was introduced and practiced. 1t grew
with our growth, and strengthened
with our strength, till it eliminated
III civil war 1t seems strange, that
this diabolicaI system should have
been permitted TO set its polluted foot
on this sOil-the land where freedom
was the greatest glory Of the people.
But it came, dixie Satan among the
sons of God Men fell in love with It's
deformity, and the viper was nourish-
ed in the very bosom of freedom, it
coilcd itself all round our free institu-
tions, it wound itself about our sys-
tenn of universal education, restricting
it to color, it grasped in its coil our
religion and withheld the Bible, it
frightened its grip on freedom to des-
troy it, it brought on its chains and
/ whips, and hounds to execute its will.
1t thrust itself into the halls of con
grcss, and knocked down the adyo-
Gates of liberty, it throttled the chris
tan pulpit, and demanded its silence,
it sliced the press, it oyerawed the
free north into compliance with its be-
hests, Intoxicated with success, and
burning with rage, it brought on its
engines of destruction, it opened its
guns on Sumpter, and a slumbering
nation awoke in II sea Of blood.
Theorise as we may on the causes Of
the war, it all resolves itself into this.
The two principles of freedom and OPP
preston, which had been growing side
by side for years, came into collision.
Freedom and slavery are so perfectly
antagonistic that slavery will either
destroy a free government, or free
government will destroy slavery. And
vet as nation we were slow to learn
the designs and the will Of God. For
nearly two long years we waded in
the blood of our sons and brothers,
fighting both for freedom and Cypress
ion, determined TO preserve the I'm
ion and slavery too. We were fight