Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1883-11-27

feeling aud devoted and selfacriilcing
public eNertion. The young giant i'm
deed had conquered, but his victory
seemed TO have cost him his life For-
eign authority had Disappeared, but
the country lay prnsirate.
In the midst OF our civil war, hy nm
exquisite stroke OF diplomacy, The sect
rotary of state invited the niinistera OF
foreign courts tOa pleasure excursion
through New York, that they might
witness the undated prosperity OF n
single state and report to Europe that
while the United States maintained a
million ot men IN the field ana upon
the sea, there was no apparent dimln-
Otion otpopulation, no Interruption OF
lhuustrial activities aud ordinary pur-
SUITS, and no visible drain upon secn-
ingly exhaustlcss resources. But
when the revolution ended, commerce.
had persisted, agriculture lanauished,
aud manufactures were stined hy FOR,
eign competition. The pubic debt
was enormous, aud private debt was
| universal. We have socn the stupen-
deus debt of our civil war borne with
| cheermlness, and regularly and con-
! tinuouslN reduced with ease But I'm
the year after the evacuation of New
| York, bills of the confederation for six
hundred thousand dollars were pro-
tested in Holland, and the whole re-
quircment OF the treasury for tho vcnr.
which was four millions OF dolara. was
universally felt to be aum too large 10
demand, aud which copld not be col
lectcd. Taxation was resisted, state
authority was de,led, and the feeble
Nnd tntile government OF the oOnfcdera-
ton, n mummy clad In robes Of stnte.
without power aud without considerp.
ton, was .scorned abroad and con-
| tcnned at home,
| The times that tried mems souls I'm
this country We're rather in 1855 than
In 1876, tor the colonial ability 10 win
Independence involved neither th,
righteousness of the cpise nor the char
meter of the people. Tho revolution had
proved their vAlor, the new situation
tested their wisdom; and without wis
dom the revolution had boon in vain.
iiy The common vNvrsiona, sacrifice
and suffering, Independence had bcen
achieved, the enemy had been OK
PEELED, and the younger England al
tue West had humhled the crowned
and unnatural mother England upon
the sea.girt throne. In this crucial
moment, neglect or ignorance of the
Obvious aud Indispensable means of
securing the common safety, strength
aud welfare, the apparent revelation
OF American incNpactty to build ma.
tiunal American commonwealth.
might Justly mn every generous and
patriotic heart with dismay, Vet if
amy American despuircd during the
gloomy years from 1883 20 1857, and
doubted whether the men were equal
to the task, 40 hHd John Adams
doubted and dcspaircd on the vety
eve ol assembly of the con-
tincntnl congress. owe have moi
men III for the tlmes,n ho OK
claimed; 1--WE are deficient ip genius,
In education, In travel, ia fortune, la
everything" But scarcely lad he
written the words tlnu he hnstoncd To
take his part Ia that Immortal asscm-
bly,, and 10 do The very thing TINT he
feared That no man WAS strong onouph
TO do. We'll did Jefferson cah him the
Colossus, for upoh his mighty and In
domitahle viii lac fled the country lo
the Declaration of Independence.
Why then doubt, sincr Independence
had been achieved, that national union
WINS possible? The leaders of the rsyo.
luton, the chiefs of the continental
still lived. Axe had not
ditnmcd their eyes nor chilled their
hcnrts, nor wlthered their faculties.
The work they had begun, surely they
were ready 10 complete, and tile men
who Ind made the English colonies
American states, were wise enough
and strong enough 10 bind the Amcri-
can states into u nation.
Nay, even to doubt was trcachery.
For still Inc lived In the prime Of
glorious lnpnhood lac siill lived, whose
auth, and character, ana courage,
when patriotism dcsphlrcd aud hope
expired, Ind moved before his slfup-
Cling country pillar OF cloud By day,
Of fire by night. 10 thinl, of the rev
Dluii0n is 10 see him The whole
scene Is radiant with his pTcEencc and
his power. lie was, indeed, but one
patriot among patriots, and an ardent
md general patriotism II wns llint
minuieJncn and enrolled
IONS OF liberty. II was a sublime pop
liar daring that deiled the British en-
lire aud mnde good Its defiance.
Doubtless the American revolution
Fah the work OF the people, but IL
Gems the work OF II mnu.
low can we conceive It's be-
ole prosecution, It's triumphant
ssup. without its lendrrS
lad he ALLEN 1T Trenton, had he
,een captured by Clinton, had In
rlgups or selfish ambition prevailed
'gainst him, Ind he not nerycd he
lone the hcSsatlpg army 10 New
,urgh, who dare doubt that the Wis
on Of the Zone tfar-oT divine event.
hat drew the country through the
var, would still have been fulilled9
'ut whit American does not know,
nd proudly own, that the perpetual
nd inspiring assurance of that event
'le cheer of this weary march, the Joy
ftie victory, the confidence Of cOn-
ress, the pride md hope Of America,
ms the character of Washington?
No voice for Il powerful union was
lfller or stronger or more constant
ian his. The fcrvor OF his eonyic-
on kindled The faith Of the country,
amuel Adams might hesitate and
ntrlck Henry doubt, but Washington
ms sure. Union alone lad won inde-
endeDcs, union alone could secure H.
'ithoutunion there j. no common rev.
1lif, no cOmnOn regulation Of COM
lerce, no settIbDleni ofcOmmon terri
ny, no common bond between adm