as it has, and become the envy of the
world.

Is it asked in what consists this resemblance? We reply that it is in
the grouping of

Individuals into townships;

Of the townships into counties;

Of the counties into States;

Of the States into the national Union, with a central government.

The township acts in township affairs through its officers, who
collectively compose its centre, and harmonize the actions of all the
individuals of the township in all matters which concern that individual
township. Through their officers, the people of the township act freely
together within the lawful sphere of the township. The common wants of
the township are attended to by the people through their officers, who
compose the centre around which all township action revolves.

A number of townships, having common wants, are erected into a county.
The county officers and county court form the harmonizing centre of this
larger organization.

A number of counties, having common wants, are erected into a State,
with a State government. This is the harmonizing centre, concentrating
the efforts of as many counties, townships, and individuals as may be
requisite to accomplish an object in any portion of the State, or in the
whole of it. At ten days' notice by its Governor, Pennsylvania sent near
one hundred thousand men into the field. Without political organization
this could never have been effected. What a power is here exhibited, and
yet all emanating directly from the people, without coercion of any
kind, beyond respect for their own-made laws! The spectacle is truly
grand.

Finally, the States altogether have common wants, which only a central,
national government can supply. (Oh the deep wickedness or trebly
intensified insanity of secession! Language fails to express the utter
madness of the rebel leaders: the recklessness of a suicide is nothing
in comparison; for here are eight millions of men intent upon their own
destruction; fighting the North like fiends, because it would rescue
them from themselves, and save both North and South from a common abyss
of ruin!) The national government alone is strong at home and respected
abroad. It alone can concentrate the energies and resources of
thirty-four States, and of thirty-one millions of people, into any one
or many modes of activity which the nation may judge best for its own
interest. It is thus resistless. No single foreign power in the world
nor