Mexico weekly ledger., 1896-10-22


Eight years of dark, bloody and angry
rent in twain the colonies
and the mother country, leaving the
sweet waters, green pastures and fair
cities of the western shore to be en-
ioyed by the sons and daughters of
freedom and liberal laws.
When peace was restored, when
chaos, ruin and revolution assumed the
elements of order and subordination,
the colonies found themselves in a
weak, shattered state. Drained of
blood, exhausted in treasure, they be-
gan to fit up the affairs of civil polity,
of law, of constitution Experience
soon taught the lesson that the Old
Confederation was inadequate.to fulfill
the design intended. 1t was too fraiI
an arch to uphold a score of young
and powerful sovereign states, that
would evidently, sooner or later WELD
an influence, moral and political, tan
tamOunt to that of the most splendid
principalities and powers. 1t was q
covenant that was not sufficiently
binding upon the contracting parties,
as either to hold them in awe of ma
tional omnipotance, or of teaching q
reverence for the functions of the SUI
preme political government. Fears of
external force and oppression had
driven them into the ties of sister
hood, yet in the bowers of peace and
amid the charms of quiet, political
chickering's and heart-burnings, injur-
les and the supposed invasions OF
rights, might induce them to blow the
Goals of strife and corrupt the virtues
that triumphed over British courage
and Hessian butchering. Lest these
confederated states might split upon
the same rock-might live over the
same mournful tale of woe with an
cient confederacies and modern lea
CUES, 1t was determined that out of
the Old Confederation there should
be hewn a more noble and stupendous
framework - an organization con-
strueted out of the liberal principles
of past and present governments, but
softened, blended and diluted with the
glowing features of this age and of the
reformation. In view of this, the
constancy, ability and wisdom of the
land assembled IN 1887 at Philadelphia
and after six months OF toll and pa
thence, of agony of mind and body,
the American Constitution was utter
ed to the world. The people of the
several states, assembling in conven-
tions and adopting it as that by which
the American states were willing to be
governed, organized under it and be-
came once more sisters and members
in the same great Republic, and form
ed according to the letter and spirit OF
that instrument, "more perfect un-
llon.n Under these auspices did the
political sun of freedoms land gain
1.-THE ascendant of the eastern heaven,
threw cheering influences around the
fhomes of sorrow and lamentation and
hooded forth more glowing light up
On the frame and policy OF STATES and
government Under the guiding star
of Washington aud his vigorous cabi-
met, the United States began theil
career of prosperity, of utility, oi
glory and of greatness. He who hao
proven himself ssstorm in war, now
shone a sunbeam in council" This
administration readily proposed lead.
ing measures of policy, of liberal law
of national amity, and as promptly
pressed them into practice. Treaties
and leagues of friendship were enter
ed into with the prominent powers o
the eearth-commerce, with its thous
and sail, SKINNED the waters of ever.
sea-golden harvests filed the gran
tar1es of the Atlantic shore, and the dil
of husbandry sounded from the val
leys of the West. Our country still
prospered and strengthened. Othe
administrations succeeded that o
4 Washington. The thirteen stars o
the Old Confederation rose highe
and shone more brightly from the po
litical empyrean, whilst newly ere
ated consultations, peering from tn
, low horizon, came and stood wit
, their sisters in the beautiful blu
, home of their glory. Each annua
round put cur country further for
, ward on the road to honor, to felicity
|, to intellectual and political splendol
Still new states came into and adde
, strength to the union. Westward q
; La swelling sea, streams of civilizatio
> rolled upon the hills and upon tn
. lowlands. And at this day, in one az
from the publication OF the Declara
! ton, our country is broad as an en-
i pire, strong as bolstered mountain
q and with the glowing brilliancy
Q setting suns, pours streams OF hgf
q and truth upon the globe.
Al But though we may all be ever read
4 to sound the praise of our land, "
= still we are dispassionate enough
: observe that it is and has for tin
been laboring under checks and az
lversities. The sad experience Of Il
!, last ten years has taught us that th
: tbeautiful sisterhood of states is subje
to all the ailings, imprudence and NJ
: toward measures Of any other politlc
. fabric. Americans had grown vain
: their government, thought it free
the frailties of human institutions al
never dreamed that the unpalateab
:. tales of the slumbering nations mig
! be traced in its history. They we
: blinded amid the glare OF prosperit
l"Even the humblest were degrad
= into the vices and folhes Of king
;. They lost all measure between mea
and ends, and their headlong desireslb
came their politics and their morals.
The cool baliast of reason gave W
before the MEETINGS OF pride-the ma
nitude Of enterprise swelled beyo
the power that controlled-the cru
. theoretics of politicians were subs
tuted for the weighty measures
statesmen. And such a course of p,
m Icy has for the past few years, par
D yxed the national energy, devastat
., the means OF both civil and politi
re action, tarnished honor and credit |
: fore every state in Europe, and '4g
= en- immense power to aristocrati
u