Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1843-06-30

prescribed and dictated by military leaders, and
suffrage exercised under the shaking Of the sword
All allowances being made for the Influences OF
climate, the differences between these Southern
Republics and ours must be ascribed 10 the differ
ence Of political institutions; and what differ
enco IL is
Suppose that at this day. an assembly were TO be
held in one Of the States of South America, near
great city, convened on any occasion similar to the
present. What scene would be presented there
Would il compare with this? Yonder is the vol
cano smoking and flaming, bu, sending forth no
intellectual light. There is the city, full Of armed
men, not free citizens in arms, to enjoy their part
in the pleasures Of the OCCASION but hired to keep
the citizens-or subjects-in order. There are
mines occasionally yielding large profits TO the
capitalist-labor within them eternay unrequit-
ed ;-splendd palaces for the rich and habiialions
of the meanes, kind for the many AN Episc opal
hierarchy with revenues that might befit princes,
but no schools Tor the education of children OF The
people. (Applnuse.) would not overrste or over
charge this picture. The substance of it, fear,
is true; and how does il contrast with this These
fields oil verdant, because titled by free men, own
ere Of the soil. (Cheers.) Yonder city flourish.
ling and happy it breads no forced loans. Order,
security, law, prevail See the thousands Of ships
collected at her wbarves; hear the busy hum of
industry; see in every quarter community made
up OF Independent, selfrespecling men, (cheers);
see pr occasions of thousands of youth poured out
from public schools, the nurseries OF New Eng
land literature and virtue, which have 80 long ex-
listed among US! You may look in vain in any
other par, Of the country than that settled under
the full glow Of civil and religious liberty for
sight like this!
l have said our citizens have no lear Of forced
contributions or loans exorbtant taxes, no vio-
lent destruction of property every where law
and order reign, and over all-the genius of that
liberty which our fathers fought TO secure, horrors
constantly, with an eye ever wntchiul and with
eagles wings ever wide out-spread.
The colonies of Spain from their origin to .heir
end were always the subjects Of the home gov
eminent. BY a monopoly of usage the offices
were all filed by officers from old Spain, thus cut
ting off all persons born in The new country from
official station. This would show cause enough
for difficulty and disaffection. The Viceroys and
their inferior officers can be at home IN their
government. They do not feel that they are oil
The people, They nre like the pro.consuIs of an
cent Rome, and not like Carver or Winthrop, or
the Governors OF Virginia after the act of the
house OF Bufgesses. The English Colonists were
most Of them seeking new home IN new world
many Of them men OF education, and oil OF them
having full proportion o.! intelligence and infor.
nation The distinguished characteristics were
Introduced of the civilization Of Europe without
its political distinctions. The arts and sciences
came over, law trial 10y jury, the hnbeas corpus,
the teslanen,ary system OF the English Jurspru-
dence, all but the institution of primogeniiure.-
But not q monarch church. The political in
institutions were framed anew eau we doub
how? General equality OF social condition pre-
vailed among the settlers 1t was so OF right. AT
ter forty yeurs of boodshed and crime, France
has established at the top of her constitutions
charter, as a great boon,-tbat all FrenchmeI
shall be equal before the law,' great truth
doubtless, to be arrived at from the bottom of the
feu0ai system ; but brought with them here by
our fathers. All men are equal in the eyes Of tn,
law and before the law.
Ii has been said with much vivacy that the ia
city Of our ancestors was in escaping from thu
past, from the past IN politics they escaped, 1t Il
true, but they brought all of learning, manners
morals, liberty they brought all the spirit OF pas
centuries in that which is useful. They came III
educated men, in the Doric phrase Of one of our
historians, TO settle on bare creation" Not II
the lodges of nomad tribes, bat to establish per
manent habiialons for the families Of well in
formed men.
Another important feature was The principle o
: the colonial charters which enabled them 10 es
8 tabsh governments here. We know that the!
: would not consent to come here, to be governed
at home. The history of the colonies shows TN
= wisdom OF this. Even in Virginia, certainly Ill
t the third charter, in l6l9 which granted 10 tn
settlers popular representatives OF their own choos
= ing, there was no permanent character TO the col
: ony. While the colonies acknowledged the HON
= government, they insisted on passing their owl
(; laws and making their own regulations Her
are the great elements and principles OF our pc
y tcal positioD,-tbat we escape from The dltticu
y ties and embarrassmens of the political systems
= Europe, and retain the perpetual enjoyment G
d its arts, its science aud its cultivation. We hu
r home government, local, because Of the represer
y tatve system, and free, on account OF the gre,
h privilege OF popular elections.
IS There are few topics more inviting, or more
r for philosophical discussion, than the influence
9 the New World upon the Old he occaso
II iorbids me to enter upon this America ackno I"
= edges her obligations to England for her science
!. arts, laws, literature, and morals. And the de
j. scendants of the colonsts acknowledge with gra
r ilude that among their ancestors there were me
J. like Hampden and Sidney by whom the see
ID was first planted, which has germinated an
h grown, ill the spreading branches overshado
10 them. But America has made her return. 81
d has made some approaches to equality if ST
70 have not cancelled the obligation, she has made
~ respectable return. She admits that standing
m mobg the nations, she has high part which 81
I'd is expected to uct in the general advancement
us Her mines, 10 speak Of physical benefits ha
ye filled the old world with their treasures fro
D the produce Of her soil she has supplied uxuri
= Tor the rich, and articles Of utility Tor all. Ne
he and rare birds aud animals havo been transports
he TO her cabinets and parks, and the beauties of h
Q. unequalled forests have been lranspanted amol
in The ems and ashes and classic oaks OF Englal
re But America has contributed lar more vast al
of important favors. She has augmented the cot
in merce Of The world. Who can imagine the sho
IRE 10 the eastern continent, If the Atlantic SIN ould
lal 10 longer a track for commerce, and there shou
be no longer American products for Americ
on markets?
Its America holds out returns of higher nature
ly Of moral and religious nature: the proof III
es popular institutions able TO maintain Cover
n ment securing persons, property and repuiauo
b. that it is practicable to elevate the mass Of NJ,
mt the laborng or lower casses-and this is the pr
e. nce of education--to act their parts in the re
is of self government; holding out TO them exa
tn. Piles thousand times more enchanting than WI
gill ever before exhibited TO those who were be
els without hereditary fortune or Hereditary rank.
err But, my friends, America has done more
The merica has furnished Europe the character
,h- Washington loud cheers, and it her instulio
icy had done nothing else they would for this ha
Id deserved the respect of mankind. Cheers