Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1886-07-07
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leglance to the king who had so spite
fully used them. They again petit
toned for redress of their griev-
ances. Many warm hearts in Old
England went out in sympathy with
them. The great Earl of Chatham
had said: "For myself l must avow
that in all my reading--and I have
read Thucydides, and have studied
and admired the master States of the
world-for solidity of reason, force
of sagacity and wisdom of conclu.
sion, under a complication of difficult
circumstances, no nation or body of
men can stand in preference to the
General Congress at Philadelphia. The
histories of Greece and Rome give us
nothing equal to it, and all attempts
to impose servitude upon such a
mighty continental nation must be
in vain."
The year OF 1775 is studded with
repeated injuries, and numerous bat
ties, victories, defeats - Bunker
Hill, Montreal, Quebec, Falmouth,
Charleston, and others, and that year
of all others we should regard, for in
it the sentiment in favor of independ-
ence ripened, and on the 4th of July,
l776, the then generally and devoutly
hoped-for declaration was made, and
the new Republic born.
Time will not permit me to speak
of the campaigns and battles and STIR
ring events of the long years of war
that followed. But, men of America,
be not unmindful of them; cherish
them in your memories, regard them
as priceless diadems bequeathed by
patriotic sires to the sons of Freedom.
On September 3, 1888, definite
treaty was signed, and the war was
ended, which, the younger Pitt
said, "was conceived in injustice, nur-
tured in folly, and whose footsteps
were marked with slaughter and de-
vastation. The nation was drained of
its best blood and its vital resources
for which nothing was received in
return but a series of inefficient VIC
tories and disgraceful defeats, victories
obtained over men fighting in the holy
cause of Liberty, or defeats which
filed the land with mourning for the
loss of dear and valuable relations
slain in detestsd and impious quar-.
rel."
The crippled aud wasted condition
of the Colonists found them lily pre-
pared to meet the still graver ques-
ton: is man capable of self govern
ment" Conflicting interests from
within and dangers from without at
once presented themselves and left
the question in doubt. A confedera.
ton is one thing,a Republic is another.
A written constitution was required.
The rights of person and property
the rights of States as between them
selves, the rights of States in their
relation to the general Government,
the rights of person and property in
the territory acquired and necessary
to be acquire i; these questions from
the beginning brought with them con-
flict and danger.
There was, and perhaps necessarily,
incorporated in the Constitution a rec
ognition of human slavery which was
opposed to the broader grounds of the
Declaration of Independence. Over
and beyond all other questions, for
eign or domestic, this was the rock
upon which it was feared the Union
would sooner or later be wrecked.
Mr.. Stephens, of Georgia, speaking
in 1861, said of this question: "Jef-
ferson in his forecast had anticipated
this as the rock upon which the old
Union would split" The prevailing
ideas entertained by him (Jefferson)
and most of the leading statesmen at
the time of the formation of the old
Constitution were, that the ensave-
ment of the African was in violation
of the laws of nature; that it was
wrong in prnciple-socially, morally
and politically. Our domestic trou-
bles growing out Of this grave issue
of slavery have been settled, and tho
sun of Liberty shines upon free
people. Our complications with for
eisn powers have always been peace
ably settled or success determined
upon fields of battle. The heavy
drafts upon our resources and upon
human life made to preserve our coun.
try have been promptly met. The
thundenngs of angry war are hushed.
The Ship Of State has passed safely
through the straits Of destruction, and
the storms that tore In shreds her
weary sails and surged heavily upon
her steel-ribbed keel are hushed, and
the breezes are ladened with the
happy songs of thriving people, busy
in the varied avocations of daily life.
Our country stands peerless in the
fore front of Nations, and we may in
confidence look for the adjustment of
any entanglements with foreign pow
ers upon fair and therefore satisfac.
tory basis. But as nations, like indi.
viduals, are not always to be trusted,
it is well for us as a measure of wise