Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1848-08-11
From the LiberatOr.
Revolutions and Republics.

The succession of startling events which
are passing before the gaze of the world on
the European continent is almost enough to
make one forget the petty villanies, were it
not for their far-reaching issues, of our own
land. 1t is a curious spectacle that the two
sides Of The Atlantic present at this time
In Europe. we see nations uprising like Ii
tans, and shaking themselves loose from the
mountain-loads Of old tyrannies which have
crushed them for ages. The crash of thrones,
the down-ioppling of crowns, the confusion
of municipalities and powers, all show that
the Old things are passing away, and that
all things are becoming New. The ideas for
which these things have stood have gradual
ly changed, and The signs will soon be seen
no more. The substance is altered, and the
shadow which it projects must be renewed.
The Want is felt, and the Supply will, of
necessity, offer itself. The gross, palpable
forms of European despotism forced them
selves upon the daily life and hourly expert
ence of the Nations, and they will endure
them no longer. The power which con-
trolled their destinies and regulated their
lives was forever by their side and before
their eyes. Its obtrusiveness made it more
hateful than even its tyranny.
In America, on the other hand, we are in
that by-gone stage of the European mind
when the people worshipped the idols to
which they were sacrificed. Time was when
kings and k%aisers, princes and mobiles, were
sincerely reverenced as the sources whence
the prosperity which the people won for them
selves benefcently flowed. Whatever hard
earned wealth, or safety for person or goods,
they enjoyed, they gave the glory of it all
IN thpIF Institutions opd not - ,haonpalyas
They are now beginning to discern that
whatever modicum Of social or political bless.
ings they had, was in spite, and not because,
Of the rulers they had set up, or permitted to
rule over them. And so the Divine Right
Of Kings to govern wrong" began to be
questioned, and at last denied and set at de.
fanee. But here we are still in the mood o.
bowling down before the image we ourselve:
have set up. Our priests aud rulers are try
ing even TO persuade US that it was not us
but God himself that ordained it. And We
are content TO purchase such sort of prospect
ty and security as we have, by the burnt of
fering of every sixth man in the country
, not seeing that our own most precious mora
qualities and political rights are consumed al
necessary materials in this sacrifice of on
brethren. We have not yet, as a people
oOSuh ~ uioOoNoi 10 HOh 70 OuI lHofi
& buttons, our Constitution and our Union, {
: which We W whatever good we have bu
7 that these stand directly between the sun O
our highest (and our lowest) prosperity an
us. The prestige still exists for US. III
: pervading despotie principle is more skilfUll
S kept out of view. We are allowed the form
t of choice, and The name of power, and ar
permitted to register the edlcts Of our Soye
: reign.
We plume ourselves, in this eountry, o
e the priority in point of time of our Revolu
. ton, and put down all that have followed
as the effects Of which ours was the caGst
: 1t may, or may not, have FASTENED thes
Y events; but it could not have created then
. They existed and exist because God ha
made men as they are, and because the art
: fetal surroundings Of men must, of necessi
ty, be moulded and directed by the mel
g themselves. And ttis ren deiARg and ne,