CHAPTER L The United States. On the fourth day of July, 1776, a number of delegates from thirteen British Colonies in North America, assembled together in Philadelphia, and after some deliberation upon the oppression and wrongs which the mother country had for many years inflicted, drew up and signed a paper, in which they enumerated the various acts of the King of England, George the Third, by which he and his ministers had deprived the people of these Colonies of their just rights, and oppressed them by acts of tyranny and injustice. They declared that these acts had been continued for several years, that they had become intolerable, and that the King and his ministers would neither hear their just complaints, listen to their remonstrances, nor regard their petitions for redress; and that all their acts combined, constituted a just cause for the Colonies to rebel against the authority of England, and to maintain their rights by force of arms, as they found it impossible to obtain them in any other way. They also declared that a Sovereign who would so rule and govern his subjects was utterly unworthy to rule over them, and that they had the right to throw off his authority and to establish a government for themselves. These declarations they printed, and sent forth to the world on the day before named, in justifica tion of the accompanying DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE; after this they positively refused any further obedience to him or to the laws of England. The 4th of July 1776, has for this reason been styled the birth-day of our nation, and has since been celebrated as such on every annual return of it. For seven years after this event, the people underwent a hard and bloody struggle to maintain the position they had taken; nor was it until the year 1783, that our independence was acknowledged by England, or that we were recognized by other governments as one among the family of nations. Not until 1789, did the people of these Colonies, [now States] organize a government, and take rank among the other governments of the world, with all the attributes, powers and rights of a distinct political power. Here are three events:-First, the Declaration of Independence;-Second, the close of the Revolutionary war; and Third, the Inauguration of the United States Govern ment. It is now but ninety years since the first, eighty-three since the second, and seventy-seven since the third. The longest period is less than a century, and is but as an hour in the world's history. And now, without tracing the successive steps by which this nation has advanced from thirteen feeble Colonies to thirty-seven States, [some of which have more wealth, population, and power, than the whole thirteen had in 1776,] and from less than four, to thirty-five millions of people, with equally rapid strides in the arts, sciences, education, inventions and general progress, no thoughtful mind can refrain from looking into the causes of such -unprecedented advancement. A few feeble Colonial subjects, in less than a century, becoming one of the great powers of the world, with the prospect of attaining the highest place among the nations, in much less time than it has taken them to gain their present position. That we have a very extensive territory is truc; that we have a diversified climate, a productive soil, with many long and navigable rivers on which to float our productions to market, and that we have inexhaustible mines of coal and minerals of almost every kind, including gold and silver, is true. But we might have all these, and still remain an insignificant people among the families of the earth, for all these have been possessed by nations who have retrograded instead of advanced. In our case, a wise, just and liberal government has been the principal cause of our progress, and our present and prospective greatness. No human government is perfect, neither can exact and equal justice be done in every case by human laws. But the scope and design of our legislation and jurisprudence is to dispense justice to all, to place all on an equality before the laws, and to give the same rights to the rich and to the poor. No privileged class is known to our laws, and the lowest may aspire to the highest places of distinction and honor; many have done so, and have reached the most exalted positions. The fullest religious liberty is granted to all; every man may worship as he pleases, when and where he pleases, without molestation or fear. He is not as in many other countries taxed to support a church established by law. He may pay for religious purposes as much or as little as he pleases, and to any church he prefers, or he may pay nothing, and no one can call him to account or use any compulsion whatever in this matter. Every man has a vote for the choice of his rulers, and through his representatives a voice in making the laws by which he is governed. As to his business or calling, he may do that which best suits his interests or his tastes. He may go when or where he desires, he may stay in the country or leave it without restraint or hindrance; in short, he may do whatsoever seemeth good to him, provided he does not infringe on the rights of others. To this liberty, to these equal rights, privileges and advantages do we attribute our rapid growth and power. The advantages and benefits of so wise, so liberal and so beneficent a government are not unknown to the people of other countries where they do not enjoy so much freedom; and this accounts for the wonderful immigration to the United States from nearly every country in Europe. This flow has continued for more than three quarters of a century, and is still unabated. It has added many millions to the natural increase of our population, while very few of our own people ever leave their own country with the hope of bettering their condition, or of finding a government under which they can enjoy more liberty or better protection. To gain a clearer conception of the intimate connection between a good government and the prosperity of a country, let us, for example, place Mexico in contrast with the United States. Mexico was settled long before the United States, and in climate and mineral wealth has the advantage of us; yet the ever unsettled condition of its government, together with intolerance of any but tho Catholic religion, has prevented any increase of population or any advancement in any thing which gives a nation respectability, greatness or power. Let us draw another contrast by considering Ireland. A oppressive government has diminished the population, prevented any advancement, and impoverished the country. We might draw many such contrasts between the United States and other countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, |