Notes From Up-North

Art Olstead, 2018 Knowledge of local history develops a sense of place for individuals and pride for communities.  The preservation of artifacts, documents and antidotes presented in proper context creates a fabric that leads to understanding and appreciation of those who preceded.  The effort to preserve and present local history is worthy of public promotion. In the pantheon of historical dissertation and research local history is routinely shuttled to the back of the bus.  Regional, national and international historians are generally regarded as more nuanced and better credentialed with superior access to resources.  Records which have made the   journey to major libraries and academia are animated by lettered historians.  The stories and documents retained by local historical societies are no less important as witness to events that make up the recorded timeline. After all, history happens locally, grand events which effect the sweep of history...

A Constitutional View of the Late War Between the States: Its Causes, Character, Conduct and Results.   Author, Alexander Hamilton Stevens, December, 1867 Despite of the peculiar, late 19th Century, views expressed on slavery; this is the most interesting and best documented discussion on states’ rights I have read. I consider this a “must read” for anyone seriously interested in Constitutional history. The title can be found on Amazon. Democratic Congressman Stevens, former Vice President of the CSA and Governor of Georgia presents himself as an erudite and honorable man. The cast of characters; Webster, Madison, Locke, Clay, Calhoun, Adams and others are impressive.   The documentation of the positions they take is worth the price alone. The book is presented as twelve colloquies with an extensive Appendix. The author’s introduction sets up the style of the book.   There is an interesting copy of an original from the Cooper Union Library . The subtitle; “ Ti...

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed”. Thomas Jefferson; Declaration of Independence, 4, July 1776 These unalienable rights are further defined by the Bill of Rights. Ratified 1779 Happiness depends on the extent to which our needs are satisfied. Basic needs (food, shelter and clothing) must be met before individuals can pursue self actualization; determined by the extent to which cognitive ability is nurtured. The U. S. Constitution guarantees our unalienable rights and is unique in the history of nations.   That document says nothing about needs.   It protects the liberty of the citizens of the various United States.   In recent years political discourse ...

I seem to spend more time these days thinking about the world my grandchildren will inherit.  Our family spent years traveling the Boundary Water Canoe area in Northern Minnesota.  I recently discovered this small piece first written in the mid eighties.   Given the recent appearance of a cell phone tower to service BWCA visitors it seems appropriate to share at this time. Wilderness, like a mistress, is an indifferent temptress. She can break your heart, or send your spirit soaring; some are compelled to experience the embrace again and again; some repel in fear. When vistas disappear and eagles are captive, when the wild river is polluted, we lose the balm that heals our psychic wound. Break the rolling mantle of the far hills with a power line, disturb the silence, dam the river's fury and you diminish her essence. Clear-cut the forest, pollute the water, erect the tower and, as in death, her allure is gone. Only the pictures and sweet memories remain, to fade...

  Beneficiary of a 300 hundred year old experiment in self governance, three generations of liberty loving ancestors and a robust liberal education; I set poised awaiting the high probability that I won’t survive the next two presidential terms and I wonder what my grandchildren will muse when they achieve three score and ten. In the early days when I first became aware of the uniqueness of our constitutional form of self governance I took solace knowing for sure that “right will out!” Later I learned and was disturbed that Rome fell after centuries of splendor and I asked myself why? Now I know part of the reason was that citizens’ took much for granted. There was a time when our elected representatives seemed to actually care and act upon what was best for our country. Individuals thrived in personal liberty and took initiative to promote the greater good while advancing personal ambition. The entire nation rose and sacrificed twice to defend our form of self government unique i...

  I wrote the following “letter to the editor” on Feb 17, 2009 Prudence vs. Imprudence A prudent man with income sufficient to service debt will barrow the last of his credit line in order to invest in assets that he expects will increase production and foster more income. That income will allow him to improve infrastructure, repay the loan and generate a profit. In the end his condition is improved, the debt is repaid and his credit is restored. A imprudent man with income sufficient to service debt will barrow the last of his credit line and spend it on intangible or depleting assets (a new car, expensive vacation). While his income is sufficient to service the debt, the depleted condition of his infrastructure requires a capital investment. Credit exhausted, the infrastructure decays. Our Nation is currently engaged in an experiment. We are a debtor nation. Once we barrowed money from our citizens to fund government expenditures which taxes could not cover. In recent y...

Environmentalism Advocacy of the preservation or improvement of the natural environment, especially the social and political movement to control environmental pollution. Other specific goals of environmentalism include control of human population growth, conservation of natural resources, restriction of the negative effects of modern technology, and the adoption of environmentally benign forms of political and economic organization.  The term refers to any theory that emphasizes the importance of environmental factors in the development of culture and society. Environmentalist An advocate of  environmentalism : one concerned about   environmental quality especially of the human  environment with respect to the control of pollution. Conservationism not a word in Webster Conservation A careful preservation and protection of something;  the preservation of a physical quantity. Conservationist A person who is involved in conservation;  a ...