Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1848-05-25

sations the world over That nerve is now
shaken and trembles, through all its ramif-
cations. Every extremity will sooner or
later be full of sensation. One common
feeling will soon pervade the whole sys-
TEN of human society. we cannot fail
to feel the shock This wave of Revolution
which was started by the fall of the French
monarchy, is concentric, sweeping not only
East and South-leaping the Pyrenees and
the Alps, but is rolling over the North and
West. Our shores will be rocked by its
resistless force. Have we no elements of
danger among us, which, as by some COM
mon attraction, draw the oyerspreadmg
surge this way Are we not aware that
our institutions are planted where the earth
quake sleeps! Have we not the hated
monarchies here, crushing millions under
an iron despotism! Will not the oppressed
in our country, too, hear the voice of the
Almighty laundering through the land, "BE
FREE We PEOPLE? How shall we prevent
them from hearing the knell of Despotsm,
sounding everywhere, carried by every
breeze and echoed upon every mountain
and hill" REroRM REFORM p' Nearly
every government in Europe has been sha-
ken by it. The PEOPLE have spoken, and
thrones topple crowned heads come down
and make obeisance, and YIELD like little
children, their sceptres New axioms are
to remodel the whole theory Of government,
among which will be first and fundamental,
"thc people must not be trifed Dith," This
is the spirit of the day which has burst up
on us. The genius of disenthralment has
arisen like young giant, and is teaching
the astonished world the utter impotency of
monarchs and dcspots before the popular
Wilt has awoke us from dream-and
behold, 1t is dream The charm of their
power is broken. Where are their standing
armies, the arm of their strength? Swept
away in day
The history of the world has never pre-
scented so truthful an illustration of the
maxim of Lord Byron as the present mora
revolution, which is upheavng all Europe
"That there never was one instance of q
long contest in which men did not triumph
over systems. If tyranny misses her arsi
spring, she is cowardlya as tiger and retres
| to be hunted"
But few months SINCE" says lettel
writer in Europe" and he that had darec
to assert in Europe, the power of the popu
lar will, had been mailman or had ad
vocated in Paris or in Berlin, the liberty o
the press, the full and direct representation
of the people, and Republic, had been
traitor"
Such is the spirit of the press. 1t is thu
true spirit 1t may thus speak, it ough
thus to speak
One thing, however, should not be for
gotten, in this moralizing and self compla
cence, as having from our "school of prac
tica experience, sent out, for the last fit,
years, our graduates-the apostles of free
dom of thought and speech" One thing
say, should not be forgotten, that his
toriaps and letter-writers, in exposing tn
causes, which have overturned kingdom
and empires, often write the sentence O
their own nation. The following from
gentleman in Europe is a specimen:
"a new day has dawned on Europe !
{ Hereafter, man is to take his place in tn
scale; be he lord or peasant he is to be pu
where his merits entitle him. No longer i
a MAN, because not born noble, to pine il
obscurity, to be crushed by an aristocrac
when with talents that could fit him for an
station, because, forsooth, lie is a workin
man.
; "This is proud era for us Americans
Our example, and the might of our primo
pies, have overthrown the dynasties of a
f EuropeW
: No doubt of that But we may not boas
too confidently. Our example may reboun
{ upon us with the accumulated power of ne'
: victories over old oppression, and sweep ;
= way, as by the whrlwind stroke, our pett
t monarchies which are crushing their mi
S lions with far more rigor than the people i
d Europe ever felt. There is something fea
fully prophetic in these words to Amer
0 cans" Hereafter, MAN is to take his tru
e place in the scale"
e Shall we say, that slaves are not men p
: Will our doctrine make it so? Will the
e not soon be heard claiming henceforth
t be ranked among MEN, and rush on wit
i MAN every where, to take their tru
;. place in the scale" O.
e Montpelier, May Is, ls4S.