Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1846-11-26

MONTPELIER, THURSDAY NOV 26, 1876
Election TUESDAY, January 8.
For REPRESENTATIVE TO CONGRESS-:
A. JUDS0N ROW ELL, 4lh District,
Which is the True Patriot?

We are most heartily Disguised with the labored at
temps which are made from week to week by our
neghbor of the Patriot and other prints in the inter
est of the administrations to create the impression that
all those who refuse to shout huzzas the success
of our arms in numbering the citizens of n"ighbor-
ing republic, and wrestling from them their expansive
territory to be cursed with the bloody pail of Amer-
can slavery, are destitute OF pltrotlsn"-"trai'ors
20 their country"-joning with the enemy" &c.
&C.
The motto which the friends of the administration
have udopted-"Our country, right or wrong"-would
disgrace heather despot, much more protcsscdiy
Christian republic one which IN the honest hour that
tried mems souls, when laying the broad foundations
of our republican cdifcc amid the eventful scenes Of
the revolution, appealed to just God for the ntegr
y of its motives and the righteousness Of its cause"
Where would have been the hopes of our fathers
when they went FORTH Davd-like to do battle against
the crowned beads and holry opinions of the old
void, had they not inscribed upon their banners
"God and our Country's Right
Freedom forever"
Deprived of the tdlsmahic Influence ofar unwaverng
faith in the intrinsic righteousness Of their cause and
the consequent approving smiles of just God, would
not the feeble light they kinded have given place to
thicker darkness, and their igno minious end have
attested to their folly? And can now-although,
under the prospecting of heaven, our flag floats
over broad seas and extended rivers, and our muttu
dnous population covers vast extent of territory
can we set at defiance the God of cur fathers, and
proclaim that our own right arm shall work out the
fuflment of our purposes, be they "RIGHT WRONG"
Let the complete overthrow of far mightier republics
than ours, who have fallen victims to lust avarce and
reckless abandonment of the claims of God and
justice, furnish warning.
While we abhor the principle of "our country, right
or wrong" still can heartily say of that country,
with all thy faults we love thee STILL" and in our
judgment, the best possible evidence of that love-
the best guaranty of true patriotism is to seek, by all
fair and honorable means, to turn the government of
that country from the pursuit of such measures will
inevitably destroy its own own sef-respect, turn the
confidence and sympathy of the whole civilized world
into detestation and contempt and render 1t the fit
subject of the veDgeul wrath Of that being whose
justice cannot sleep forever. The only possible way
to preserve institutions is to make them North pre-
e wing. Let the government mete out equal and eX-
act justice to all men, let all injury to the humbes
subject be cons deed and treated as an insult to the
whole community; let the rights of the weak and de-
fenceess be sacredy protec,ed let the officers of the
government be, they should be- mini sterng servant;
to the necessities of all the peope-and these very
virtues would be tower of defence infinitely more
enduring than all the standing armies, with their Ell
/ ginery of death, that ever scourged the world
Which is the truer patriot--Iim who would rejoice
in the of our arms, warning, are to plan
upon new territory the black flag of human slavery
and make perpetual that system of oppression whic
: is now the scourge of the land-or him who wou
Il hush the din war--conveIt the sword and spear ia
plough shares and pruning-hooks- the olive
t branch of peace throughout all our bordes-procain
liberty to the captive, fill the land with freedom, peac
and plenty, and songs of gratitude and thanksgiving
The truth is the vory degree of our success in tn
present conflict with Mexico, is the measure of on
defeat and disgrace inasmuch as il gives new powe
to those elements which, if cherished, will nevitab
work out our destruction.